Chris Clegg
South Peace News
The Peace River Stampeders and Nampa Red Devils are not the only teams planning to join the NPHL.
The Grimshaw Huskies are also expressing interest in rejoining the league, says one of the members of the executive, Glen Pichette. He adds the team has been raising money for the past year.
“We’re meeting later this week,” Pichette said March 24.
Now that the NPHL season has ended with the Falher Pirates winning the league title, Pichette said the Huskies will be reaching out to former players as they build their roster in preparation for an application to the league at the spring meeting, expected in May.
Meanwhile, the Stampeders and Red Devils have also expressed interest. The NPHL posted on its website a statement it called ‘exciting news.’
“They’re (Stampeders) gearing up to put in their application for the 2025-26 season. However, the team faces a significant challenge ahead: persuading current ice user groups to adjust their schedules and free up some ice time amidst a packed calendar. With a dedicated board ready to tackle this task, they’re set to meet soon and kick off the preparation of a strong application.”
NPHL President Michael Mercredi says the league would welcome a team to fill the “hole” in the North Peace region.
“The area is overdue for a team,” he said, adding he was not sure the area could suddenly support two, possibly three teams the next two years.
When asked if the Town of Peace River would support the Stampeder’s application and request for ice, Peace River Mayor Elaine Manzer replied council does not get directly involved in the ice allocation process.
“Ice time requests are reviewed during the annual ice allocation meeting, where all user groups, including new applicants, are considered in accordance with the Town’s Ice Allocation Directive. This process ensures fairness and consistency in scheduling,” Manzer wrote in the email.