Major Midget playoff change benefits Kootenay Ice
By The Nelson Daily Sports
The Kootenay Ice now have a better shot at the post season after B.C. Hockey announced Tuesday that the Major Midget League playoffs has grown from six teams to eight beginning in 2012-13.
Previously the top six teams in league standings qualified for the post season.
That has now been increased to the best eight in the 11-team league.
“The addition of two playoff spots will create a much more focused attention to the development of players and less on winning,” said Major Midget League Chair Randy Henderson. “The league’s mandate is to develop all players to play at a higher level of hockey.”
All playoff series will be a best-of-three affair.
The new format has the top team in the regular season standings meeting the eighth-best squad.
The league runnerup faces the seventh squad while the other two series has team four versus team five and team three playing team six.
The quarterfinal winners advance to the semi finals with the top two squads facing off for the league championship final.
“I am thrilled to add two (2) more teams to our playoff format,” commented Major Midget League Managing Director Joe Downing.
“The change will allow our coaches to focus more on the development of their players.”
The BC Hockey Major Midget League Champion shall be the BC Hockey representative at the Hockey Canada Pacific Regional and National Midget Championship.
The Kootenay Ice consists of players from throughout the East and West Kootenay region as well as the Boundary area.
The BC Hockey Major Midget League was established in 2004 to provide elite level 15, 16 and 17 year olds an opportunity to play within their own age group at a high level and be developed for the next level of hockey.
These teams have an opportunity each year to compete for the National Midget Championship.
