New team for 2010-2011!

February 3, 2010

The Greater Metro Jr. A Hockey League is pleased to confirm the addition of a new team to the league for next season - The Russian Red Wings.

The Wings were announced as the GMHL's latest team back in November on INSIDE THE GMHL, the league's bi-weekly show on Rogers TV, but only now have established their location.  The league has just confirmed the Wings will play out of the Dufferin Recreational Complex in Shelburne, ON, an arena currently undergoing a multi-million dollar upgrade, and will ice a roster consisting entirely of Russian players!

Most would agree the success of the GMHL has been the league's philosophy for open borders and unlimited imports, and over the first four years of our existence, the quantity and quality of Russian players has been evident.

From the large Russian contigent on the Bradford Rattlers, the league's most successful club; the large percentage of Russians on the Toronto Rattlers College Touring Team - the previous version of the Rattlers  before the league began; the group of Russian players recruited by the Brock Bucks from a Moscow tryout camp last summer; or the numerous exhibition series' arranged with visiting Russian club teams; the GMHL has developed strong ties to the nation of Russia for quite some time.

In order to facilitate this unique arrangement, the Red Wings group has forged an agreement with the GMHL to guarantee exclusive rights to players throughout Russia.  Current Russian players in the league, like those playing for the Rattlers, Bucks, or any other GMHL club, will be 'grandfathered', and may continue to suit up for any GMHL club, but any new players from Russia are automatically affiliated with the Red Wings.

The league is expecting to make further announcements on new teams joining the league for next season, but only once they're confirmed.  Stay tuned for more information!