Shelburne Senior Muskies won’t be playing this season

Written By Brian Lockhart

Fans of senior hockey in Shelburne will have to find another team to cheer for this season, with the Shelburne Senior Muskies deciding not to play this year.

The news is a shock for fans who have been coming out to support the team at the Centre Dufferin Recreation Complex.

The Muskies' history goes all the way back to 1935.

There has yet to be an official announcement by the hockey Club as to why the Muskies won't be on the ice this year. However, some insiders have indicated that other teams started recruiting Muskies players, which threw a monkey wrench into the Muskies organization and ability to form a team. As of April 2023, the Muskies were advertising for someone to fill the General Manager position. This happened after the former GM decided to move to Western Canada and was unavailable to continue with the job.

In addition, the Western Ontario Athletic Association, which was the umbrella organization of the Senior Hockey League, is no longer involved in senior hockey. 

The WOAA's website lists no games for senior hockey this year.

The WOAA league participated outside of the jurisdiction of Hockey Canada; however, the two organizations were cordial and worked together.

Teams from the WOAA have now moved to the Ontario Elite Hockey League (OEHL). 

Teams returning this year from the WOAA but playing in the OEHL include Saugeen Shores, Tavistock, Creemore, Seaforth, Durham, Ripley, Milverton, Minto, and Lucknow.

Two new teams have been included in the 11-team line-up. They are the Georgian Bay Applekings and the Erin Outlaws.

The OEHL website lists the Shelburne Muskies and the Shallow Lake Crushers as currently on leave of absence. 

It also says franchise rights exist for those two teams.

THE OEHL regular season schedule got underway on Saturday, Oct. 14, with the first games and will run through to Feb. 4.

The playoffs will commence after the completion of the 2023-24 regular season.