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Blues request and given year's leave of absence
Motion approved to allow Cumberland County Blues a Leave of absence
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Following a presentation to the Board of Governors and Nova Scotia Junior Hockey League Execcutive Thursday night, the Blues who have struggled in recent years to ice a full team of calibre players were granted a year’s leave of absence. Cumberland Governor Bill Riley said the NSJHL was on terrific ground and even noted, “he played in what was then the Metro Valley Junior Hockey League" and noted in his address to the other governors and league executive, “ that it was his first stepping stone to the NHL and the Washington Capitals where he was honoured by the Capitals earlier this year.
Riley said, “The Nova Scotia Junior Hockey League provides an exemplary product on the ice but without local players from Springhill and Amherst, he was let with no choice but to ask for a year’s leave of absence.”
The Board discussed in detail whether a leave of absence would be granted but in the end decided they had no choice. The Governors then made a choice of how the remainder of the Schedule would look. With the Blues having already played 6 games with short bench strength, the Governors decided that Cumberland would forfeit their final 26 games with each opponent earning two points.
Board of Governors Chair Danny Hines of East Hants says it was not an easy decision to make but Riley was encouraged to say in touch with League personnel about the potential of a team next season in a different location of the province.
In his NHL career which began in the mid-70’s, Riley scored 28 goals and 28 assists in three years of play. Earlier this year, Riley was also honoured by Hockey Nova Scotia this year in the establishment of two scholarship to students of African descent.