The break in on-ice activity at the Art Hauser Centre came to an end Monday as NorSask Hockey Development Camp began with great excitement among players and instructors alike. (Mark Odnokon/NorSask Hockey Development)

By Trevor Redden

Game On

Hockey camps marks return to ice at the Art Hauser Centre

Aug 11, 2020 | 12:26 PM

For the first time in nearly five months, the Art Hauser Centre was a hub of activity Monday as NorSask Hockey Development Camp kicked off.

After a spring and summer with minimal organized activities and no local on-ice options, those in attendance were thrilled to get back to hockey.

“The excitement level was extremely high. Probably the most we’ve had in [21 years of NorSask]. Everybody from the four or five-year-olds, all the way up to our junior/pros last night. The excitement was there, everybody was giddy and laughing and really enjoying it,” organizer Mark Odnokon explained.

Like any other aspect of modern life, the camp is required to follow strict COVID-19 guidelines, including social distancing, limited use of dressing rooms, and a limit to the total number of people allowed in the rink at any time.

Players go through a drill at the Art Hauser Centre Monday afternoon. (Mark Odnokon/NorSask Hockey Development)

Seniors Scene

Christmas is Coming

23h ago

Grey Cup!!!

Everything you wanted and more

Nov 21, 2025

12 Best Tips to Spend Less at Christmas

Nov 18, 2025

According to Odnokon, these restrictions have had very little impact on operations.

“A lot of kids are getting dressed at home, coming here and putting on their skates. Some of them have skate guards with roller blades on them so they have their skates on and just roll up to the ice and go…There hasn’t been any complaints from anybody, and everybody is just excited to get hockey back,” he said.

As a teacher at Carlton Comprehensive High School, and a skills coach with the Prince Albert Raiders, Odnokon’s life has been impacted like many others due to pandemic closures. He noted returning to the rink and having instructors and players around was a breath of fresh air.

“This is a lot of people’s environment where they thrive, in the rink and on the ice. Not having been able to do this for that many months, the instructors including myself are real excited and really ready to go. It was a fun first day and we hope to continue that this week,” he said.

Many players are getting dressed at home, and putting their skates on at the arena to abide by COVID-19 restrictions. (Mark Odnokon/NorSask Hockey Development)

Up until three weeks ago, it was uncertain whether the camp would be permitted to run this summer. And if it were allowed, whether it would look anything like previous iterations was a question nobody had the answer to.

Saskatchewan’s relative success in limiting the virus allowed restrictions to ease as summer moved along, and between government’s reopening and the city’s ice-making schedule, there was just enough runway to get the camp off the ground.

“We found out three weeks before this that we were going to go ahead,” Odnokon said. “The demand was extremely high, we didn’t do any advertising and people were calling and asking if it was going.”

What lies ahead for hockey players of all levels remains up in the air, as no announcement has been made by the Saskatchewan Hockey Association regarding the status of competitive play this fall. The Western Hockey League has pushed it’s scheduled start date back to Dec. 4.

Regardless of when training camps and league play begins, hockey players in Prince Albert are relishing a taste of normal this week.

–

trevor.redden@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @Trevor_Redden