Neepawa getting back on track

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This article was published 27/02/2013 (4861 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Following a season of turmoil, the Neepawa Natives are working toward turning the corner in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League.

“Last year was tough and by the end of the season we were just barely hanging on,” Natives president Dave McIntosh said.

The fallout over the hazing scandal that rocked the hockey club and grabbed national headlines for all the wrong reasons was evident in the stands and on the ice last year.

After the team limped to a 12-49 record last season, Mcintosh said the season ticket base slipped to only about 70 season passes.

“We moved a lot of players last year so they would have extended seasons and in doing that we traded for prospects,” McIntosh said.

While the hazing incident is a black mark on the franchise, Neepawa’s decision to stand up, be accountable and take responsibility for what happened has to be acknowledged. McIntosh said the players, the front office and the community have put the incident behind them and, looking forward, the decision to move some players from last year’s team has netted some high-end prospects. McIntosh believes the team’s 50-man protected list is as strong as it’s ever been.

But he also knows it’s never easy in junior hockey and success on the ice will take time. In a league built around 20-year-old players, the Natives’ decision to look forward has meant some nights they are dressing only two or three 20-year-olds — well under the league maximum of nine. The youth and subsequent inexperience have meant the Natives (13-38-6) have struggled on the ice, posting only 13 wins with only three games remaining.

“I’m really pleased with our year, with our coaching, our sponsorship and our fan support; it’s just out there on that 200-feet (of ice) that I wish we were a little better, but we’re patient and we’ll get there,” McIntosh said.

Despite the rough patch, the season-ticket base has more than doubled, up to about 145, according to McIntosh. Corporate sponsorship has also increased, largely based on the hard work of former Natives player Cam Tibbett, who was born and raised in the community.

Make no mistake, Neepawa doesn’t enjoy the luxuries many other teams in the league enjoy. With only 3,600 residents, it’s challenging at times for a smaller community to compete with teams located in Dauphin, Winnipeg and Portage.

Ultimately, however, McIntosh knows success on the ice will translate into success in the stands.

“The state of the union is pretty good,” he said. “The only problem with the bottom line is it’s a game and it’s a game that you have to succeed at. Our success on the ice hasn’t come yet, but we’re patient and we feel it’s going to come.”

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