Josh Gorges has had his day in the sun.
A veteran of 783 games and 13 NHL seasons, the now-retired former Montreal Canadiens defenseman just wants to give back to the game by coaching his kidB次元官网网址檚 team with Kelowna Minor Hockey.
Unfortunately for Gorges he canB次元官网网址檛 do so as he and others are pawns in a political war that is going on between the B.C. Hockey League and Hockey Canada.
This past summer, the BCHL decided to break away from the jurisdiction of Hockey Canada due to philosophical differences, with the main issue being the fact that 16 and 17-year-old players had to have their parents have residency within the province if they wanted to play in the BCHL. The same rule applies nation-wide to all junior leagues except the Western Hockey League, the Ontario Hockey League and the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.
That rule was a deal-breaker for the BCHL, whose main selling point is providing NCAA prospects with an extremely high level of competition and exposure. The 61-year-old league is a feeder system for NCAA hockey with 321 alumni currently playing at that level according to the leagueB次元官网网址檚 website.
The BCHLB次元官网网址檚 approach also conflicts with Hockey CanadaB次元官网网址檚 model which likes to see kids graduating to the three major junior leagues rather than the NCAA B次元官网网址� even though they have no issue with having NCAA players on their national teams representing the country in international competitions.
According to BCHL Commissioner Chris Hebb, the league prepared a 35-page white paper to suggest a coordinated effort with BC Hockey and Hockey Canada. The latter didnB次元官网网址檛 even respond to the initiative while the former was dismissive.
The end result is that BC Hockey and Hockey Canada are coming down hard on players, coaches, referees, teams or organizations that are associating themselves with the BCHL and promising dire consequences as Ben Lypka of Black Press Media pointed out in his story .
As for Gorges, all he wants to do is give back to the game he loves.
As a Player Development Consultant for the West Kelowna Warriors of the BCHL and as a hockey dad who wants to coach his kidB次元官网网址檚 team, Gorges has been caught in the middle of this conflict.
B次元官网网址淚t was at some point, late spring or early summer, I canB次元官网网址檛 remember exactly but we knew that the BCHL was moving away from B.C. Hockey. ThatB次元官网网址檚 when I started to ask questions about what my status would be as a volunteer coach for minor hockey. At the time I was like, wow, theyB次元官网网址檙e not going to say I canB次元官网网址檛 coach eight-year-old kids because I work with a junior team because I donB次元官网网址檛 understand where the conflict would be. ItB次元官网网址檚 not like I can take my eight or nine-year olds and switch them over to the BCHL. But then I filed for my application to coach my sonB次元官网网址檚 minor hockey team and it got denied. ThatB次元官网网址檚 when I was like, B次元官网网址淥h, this is real,B次元官网网址� explained Gorges, who placed an appeal with B.C Hockey and Hockey Canada but ultimately was denied an exemption.
Gorges is certified to coach rep hockey up to U-18 but would have needed to take additional courses to be qualified to coach his boyB次元官网网址檚 team. He was planning on doing so, but once his appeal was denied, he decided there was no reason to go ahead with the process.
With one son already playing in the HPL (High Performance Level) League which is also not recognized by Hockey Canada, Gorges opted to remain with the Warriors, help coach the HPL team and help with his other sonB次元官网网址檚 Kelowna Minor team in a limited capacity.
B次元官网网址淚 can go on the ice for practice and assist in practice. IB次元官网网址檓 not allowed to take control or direct any of the practice and IB次元官网网址檓 not allowed to be on the bench because of an apparent liability issue,B次元官网网址� said Gorges, who retired from the NHL with the Buffalo Sabres in 2018.
Gorges strongly emphasizes that this isnB次元官网网址檛 about him. ItB次元官网网址檚 about giving back which I know from personal experience is part of his DNA. HeB次元官网网址檚 always been involved in charity events in the Kelowna area, whether itB次元官网网址檚 been fundraisers for the Kelowna Hospital Foundation or golf tournaments, heB次元官网网址檚 selfless with his time.
Now he just wants to be able to give back to kids B次元官网网址� and give back to the game.
B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 nothing in my life thatB次元官网网址檚 given me greater joy than being with these little kids and seeing them develop and grow and knowing that I can help them be a part of their dream that theyB次元官网网址檙e chasing. I love it - I just love it. ItB次元官网网址檚 not like IB次元官网网址檓 doing it because I have nothing else to do. I actually want to. I just love being on the ice with these kids. I have fun with them. I push them hard in a way that they seem to enjoy - they donB次元官网网址檛 get frustrated with it,B次元官网网址� said Gorges.
B次元官网网址淚 build relationships with these little kids and I become close with them to the point where I walk through most rinks in Kelowna and thereB次元官网网址檚 usually two or three that come right up to me and say B次元官网网址楬i CoachB次元官网网址�. To me thatB次元官网网址檚 the greatest feeling - these little kids who might look up to me and acting on the things that I tell them B次元官网网址� it provides me with a lot of joy. I know if my kids had to learn from somebody whoB次元官网网址檚 been where they want to go, IB次元官网网址檇 want them to learn from them. And IB次元官网网址檝e always thought, there comes a responsibility with us as players to give back to the next generation - to come back and help continue to grow the game so that itB次元官网网址檚 better than when we got to it.B次元官网网址�
As far as the ongoing saga, Hebb and the BCHL have requested a meeting with Federal Sport Minister Carla Qualtrough to voice their concerns of what the perceive to be actions contradictory to Hockey CanadaB次元官网网址檚 mandate which is to promote the game in Canada.
In the meantime, Gorges and others continue to pay the price.
Veteran B.C. sports personality Bob B次元官网网址渢he MojB次元官网网址� Marjanovich writes twice weekly for Black Press Media.
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