While the regular season may not have panned out as planned for teams competing for the King Clancy Cup, it doesn’t mean tournament competition isn’t fierce. Clancy teams will be extra hungry to get their hands on a championship and end their season on a high note. The tournament will see action across most A and AA divisions from Minor Atom to Minor Midget. Here are a few to keep an eye on.
Minor Atom AA
A mere single point was the difference between making the playoffs or missing them all together in East. Many teams competing in the Clancy have played against one another all season long, often exchanging wins with each meeting. In the East, the Scarborough Ice Raiders went 2-1-0 against fellow Clancy competitor, the Markham Islanders. Both teams finished within mere points of a playoff spot.
“Our boys are going into the Clancy excited to continue to build on the success of our first season,” said Scarborough Ice Raiders Head Coach Frank Bordieri. “The boys are ready to write the final chapter of the season with passion, hard work, and dedication they have put in all year.”
The West also saw tight competition, with teams such as the Humber Valley Sharks posting a regular season record similar to some playoff teams in the East. The Sharks, who finished one point ahead of the Duffield Devils , will be faced with the task of defeating the Devils for the first time this season.
Atom AA
The Duffield Devils and Leaside Flames will be teams to watch in the Atom AA division, however, regular season results aren’t always reflective of Clancy competition. It’s anyone’s tournament, with teams like the Ajax Knights and Pickering Panthers from the OMHA having a strong season.
Despite finishing only a single point behind the Toronto Wolverines, the Avalanche have struggled to find a way to get past their western division mates, going 0-2-0 against the Wolverines during the regular season. The Avalanche will have to reset in order to come out on top.
Minor Peewee A
Made up of predominantly teams from the East division, Minor Peewee AA teams will encounter a mix of familiar foes and new faces, as teams from the Mississauga Hockey League and OMHA threw their hat in the ring. Teams should be keeping a close watch on the Hillcrest Canadiens and Don Mills Mustangs, who were both mere points away from a playoff position. Hillcrest are 2-1-0 against the Mustangs this season.
Peewee AA
It’s a western standoff in the Peewee AA division with seven out of 10 teams coming from the West. The Humberview Huskies are the only competing team from the West to have posted a win against the Toronto Eagles this season. Teams will have an uphill climb against an Eagles team that missed the playoffs by only four points. Players should be sure to watch out for the West Hill Golden Hawks from the eastern loop. The Golden Hawks were only one point out of a playoff position at the end of the regular season.
Minor Bantam A
The Minor Bantam A division is the only division to have a unique format for the Clancy. Competition is broken up into three smaller divisions. Teams will play a double round-robin within their assigned division, followed by two games against teams from the other two divisions. Division 3 will be one to keep an eye on as the Toronto Eagles enter competition as the only GTHL team. Division 2 should also see some intense rivalries reheated, with three out of the four teams coming from the eastern loop.
Bantam A
A few teams from the West, a few teams from the East, add a pinch of teams from the Mississauga Hockey League and OMHA, and you’ve got yourself a solid Clancy division. The Toronto Aces and Toronto Shamrocks will be teams to watch, having both finished within points of a playoff position. The Shamrocks, however, will have to find a way to get past the Aces for the first time this season if they want to get their hands on the Cup. The Aces were 3-0-0 in three meetings against the Shamrocks.
