Mayor Jokes Regina Has A "Half Decent Hockey Team" With Warriors Playing In Queen City Hub

Rivalry Continues - Mayor Takes Shot At Regina Pats

By Robert Thomas

With the Eastern Division of the Western Hockey League (WHL) set to play their entire shortened regular 24 game season in a Regina-based hub Mayor Fraser Tolmie is happy for Regina as there will temporarily be a better hockey team playing out of the Queen City.

“The only thing I can say is that Regina will have a half decent hockey team there with having the Moose Jaw Warriors, you know good luck to (Regina) Mayor (Sandra) Masters,” Mayor Tolmie said.

Mayor Tolmie made the remarks to questions from MJ Independent during the post Council media scrum about his feelings about the hub in Regina and what sort of effect the WHL’s decision would have on Mosaic Place’s bottom line.

Mayor Tolmie said Regina may have got the nod to be the Eastern Division hub due to the off-ice facilities they have.

“You know know obviously when you are in a bubble (like they have in the NHL) which I believe they are going to be replicating. There are residencies for the athletes and that was possibly a factor. You know at least it is staying in Saskatchewan you know there was talk about it going outside of the province, so we got it here so obviously we are rooting for the Warriors,” he said.

In previous Council meetings there had been discussion about the Warriors holding some type of a 2020 - 2021 season and how that would help out Mosaic Place’s bottom line.

A bottom line which according to the latest quarterly reports shows the facility subsidized by the City during 2020 to the tune of $1.227 million.

“Concerning the recent announcements the (provincial) government has said they are supporting the hockey teams and with our conversations with the Warriors that is what the purpose of the funding was for.”

The Province on January 15th announced $3 million for the five Saskatchewan based WHL teams - the Warriors received $600,000 of that funding.

“We have been waiting to find out if the Warriors were going to be playing, you know there were obviously conversations that everything is shut down, there was essentially going to be a short season and there was going to be a hub and the decision had been made. We are going to be supporting the Moose Jaw Warriors. We are going to be cheering for them and we wish them the best.”

Mayor Tolmie spoke about the challenge for the Warriors players and how the COVID - 19 pandemic has interrupted their development and goals to someday play hockey professionally.

“You have to consider that some of them hope to be prospects for the NHL and so if they do not have a season that could impact them. So obviously we want to cheer on the Warriors.”

Mosaic Place was able to host the Scotties national women’s curling championship before the Province’s State of Emergency which helped Mosaic Place’s bottom line although the Ticket Rocket Fiasco cost the City $227,000 when the contracted ticket issuing company failed to provide refunds for two major concerts and four Warriors games after they were cancelled because of the pandemic. Council decided to issued gift certificates as a good faith measure in an attempt to keep people attending events at Mosaic Place although the City said legally they were not obliged to do so.

With the Warriors and the WHL able to get in an 24 game regular season the Mayor said the City was “hopeful” the pandemic would subside by the Fall and the team would be back to playing at Mosaic Place.

About Regina now having a half decent hockey team Mayor Tolmie admitted he had been joking - or was he?