The ice may be out of the Civic Centre, but there has been no shortage of work coming from the Battlefords North Stars hockey club.
Although there appears to be a strong fan base and community support, it was noted at the club's annual general meeting two weeks ago the hockey team lost money last season.
The number is well into the thousands and because of that some new ideas and efforts will be made next season to help increase the team's revenue.
One of those new ideas will be to allow children 10 and under into games for free.
More children in the stands should mean more people in the building and in turn more money for the hockey club. That won't be the quick fix to the North Stars money woes, but new ideas and strong community support will be key to putting a competitive team on the ice and a balanced team in the cheque book.
Along with the AGM and board of directors operations, head coach and general manager Ken Pearson continues to tinker with his potential roster for the 2011-12 season. Last week, the North Stars announced they have traded 1991-born forward Luke Hannas to the OCN Blizzard of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League for future considerations. Hannas played 13 games last season in the Battlefords recording three goals and an assist with 18 penalty minutes.
Hannas, the Williams Lake, B.C. native, was acquired in November last season from the Dauphin Kings of the MJHL. Hannas has also played junior hockey in the BCHL with the Prince George Spruce Kings and the Quesnel Millionaires.
The last news out of the North Stars' camp is the release of the 2011-12 Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League schedule.
The North Stars will begin the schedule like most seasons in the past with a home-and-home series with the Kindersley Klippers. The Klippers will be in the Battlefords Sept. 16 with the North Stars returning Sept. 17.
The 12 teams will once again play 56 games and will make trips to two new arenas this season, those being Melville and Estevan, which is the host of the SJHL Showcase Weekend Oct. 14 to 16. The regular season will conclude Feb. 21 with playoffs starting shortly after.
Along with the regular season schedule, the North Stars will play four exhibition games beginning Sept. 2 in Lloydminster. Sept. 3, the North Stars will host Lloydminster and later in the month they will host Dauphin and another team yet to be determined.
The Civic Centre will also host a game between Kindersley and La Ronge as well as a matchup between Dauphin and La Ronge, as neutral site games.
