Blackhawks make move to Port permanent
Port Colborne mayor Bill Steele, left, and team owner Scott Barnes. Photo by: BILL POTRECZ
Junior B hockey has officially returned to Port Colborne.
The Thorold Blackhawks have made their temporary move to the Vale Health and Wellness Centre permanent beginning with the 2023/24 Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League season.
The Blackhawks relocated to Port Colborne last season due to ongoing construction of a new ice plant at the Thorold Arena. The team was also forced to leave Thorold Arena for the playoffs in 2022.
Blackhawks owner Scott Barnes said Port Colborne welcomed the franchise with open arms, which played into his decision to remain.
“For us, everything is here that we need,” he said. “The team really enjoyed it here last year.
“The city and the staff and everyone around here has been willing to work with us to make life easy for a junior B hockey team. That really came into play. This became a home for us.”
Barnes would like for the team to have a visible presence in the city.
“We’re eager to integrate the team into the community by having players take part in city events and school visits,” he said.
Port Colborne mayor Bill Steele said he is thrilled to have a team back in town permanently. Port Colborne had been without a junior B team since 2014 when the Pirates relocated to Pelham.
“Scott wanted to stay in Port after his season here and we’re grateful junior B hockey is back in Port Colborne,” Steele said. “It’s going to be great for the city. Scott has a number of Port Colborne kids playing for him on the team which is really good so those families and friends will be out.
“We’re looking forward to the partnership.”
Steele feels the franchise will be a benefit to minor hockey in Port.
“Having that team in town really bodes well for our minor hockey system because it has the kids working hard and striving for something and we can see more kids coming up through our pipeline who can hopefully get a shot to play here.
“It’s always been great to have junior hockey in Port. When I played it was junior B and junior C and West Side Arena in those days was packed and we’re looking to put butts in the seats at the Vale Centre.”
Barnes ran a rookie camp last weekend with 44 players and said having a permanent home will aid in the recruitment of players.
“It’s been tough talking to players and recruiting players. There was a lot of uncertainty. It was a little bit of a tough go but this is nice because everything is set for the season ahead,” he said. “We had a really good camp. Came out of it with some really good prospects we really think can help us for sure.”
The Blackhawks joined the Golden Horseshoe Junior B Hockey League in 1982 and stayed members of the GHJHL until 2007 when it merged into the GOJHL.
Barnes purchased the team in 2017 from Tony Giglotti and Ralph Sacco.
“It was a tough decision. Even last summer when we were trying to figure out where to play and the idea of not being in Thorold, the Blackhawks not being in Thorold is tough,” Barnes said. “All the history and how long they were there.
“I feel for the city and for the Thorold community but if I look at it from my point of view and a team point of view, it shouldn’t have been a hard decision, I don’t find.”
Barnes indicated he is working on rebranding the team with a new name and logo which he hopes to announce by the end of the month. The team will again play home games on Friday nights wth Saturdays as its alternate home dates.
Barnes is also looking for game day volunteers and team personnel and well as sponsors and local businesses to partner with. E-mail Barnes at scott@barneshockey.com for more information.
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