An enduring holiday tradition is back on the table for the Okotoks Bow Mark Oilers.
Plans for the 2021-22 Mac’s U18 AAA Hockey Tournament were unveiled at a Dec. 8 press conference in downtown Calgary outlining the return of the historic youth sports competitions after a year hiatus.
“I think it’s been a thought in everyone’s minds since the start of the season,” said Bow Mark Oilers alternate captain Avery Greig. “Everyone knows that this year we would get the opportunity to play in it as long as everything goes well with the pandemic going on.
“The boys are getting more and more excited as time approaches. The Mac’s is coming.”
The Oilers are the host team for Pool 2, a five-team grouping with representation from three provinces as well as from California with action kicking off on Dec. 27.
“It was always a tradition during the holiday season to go watch it,” said Bow Mark Oilers alternate captain Gavin Schmidt, from DeWinton. “It’s something I always looked forward to and it’s pretty crazy to be playing in it now.”
At the Mac’s, Okotoks will see the San Diego Saints, Delta Hockey Academy out of the Canadian Sport School Hockey League, Saskatchewan powerhouse Regina Pat Canadians as well as the St. Albert Raiders, one of the top teams out of the Alberta Elite Hockey League's North Division.
“I think it will be a competitive pool,” Greig said. “We’ve never seen any of those teams before so it will be a good marker to see how we’ve got to play all year to win, in the playoffs and going on to those next levels.
“It will be good for our team.”
Okotoks, one of six host teams along with the Airdrie CFR Bisons, Calgary Flames, Northstars, Royals and Buffaloes, sit seventh in the Alberta Elite Hockey League standings with a 6-12-1 record.
“I just feel like we need to be more consistent with our game,” added alternate captain Connor Claughton, a smooth-skating defenceman. “We play good against some of the top (teams), but then sometimes can slack off. I think if we find that consistency we can do really well.”
The Oilers have played better hockey of late, highlighted by league wins over the Buffaloes and a shutout victory over Grande Prairie on the first weekend of December at the AEHL tournament in Edmonton.
“I think it definitely prepared us for what’s going to be happening at the Mac’s tournament,” Schmidt said. “We’re getting better every day and I think we’re going to bring it to the Mac’s.”
The 2021-22 version of the Mac’s, the 43rd edition of the tournament, will see an expanded field of six pools and 30 teams with the addition of academy hockey squads out of the CSSHL to the mix along with international flair from the United States and the Hungarian U18 national team.
“As we know this tournament has a legacy, lots of tradition within our city and around the world,” said Mac’s Tournament general manager Jesse Hale. “As we started planning the tournament this year, we built it on four pillars: competition, exposure for our athletes, professionalism and atmosphere.
“We wanted to find enhancements while keeping those pillars in mind and keeping tradition in hand.”
Rather than the traditional Boxing Day start and New Year’s Day finish, the tournament is being adjusted to begin and end one day later to better fit the needs of the scouting and hockey community at large.
“We’ve partnered and worked closely with scouts and scouting groups to provide advance scouting packages and additional scout access,” Hale added. “We’ve been in constant communication with various junior leagues around Canada and the U.S. as well as NCAA programs and even lots of NHL teams have interest.
“We feel there will be no better place to find players or for players to showcase their skills than this year’s edition of the Mac’s Tournament.”
The tournament runs from Dec. 27 to Jan. 2 with the championship game at the Saddledome.
The Mac’s is also showcasing top junior hockey along with the competition with the Okotoks Oilers and Calgary Canucks Dec. 31 AJHL game being held at Max Bell on 6 p.m. to bookend a busy day of tournament action. As well, the tournament final will be held immediately after the Calgary Hitmen and Medicine Hat Tigers’ WHL matinee.
For more information on the tournament go to macstournament.ab.ca.
Okotoks tournament schedule
Dec. 27, 3:30 p.m. (Father David Bauer Arena) Regina vs. Okotoks
Dec. 28, 5:15 p.m. (Max Bell Arena) Delta vs. Okotoks
Dec. 29, 11:45 a.m. (Max Bell Arena) San Diego vs. Okotoks
Dec. 31, 9:30 a.m. (Flames Community Arena) St. Albert vs. Okotoks
