Michael McLean is bursting at the seams. The head coach and owner of the Perth Blue Wings nailed a huge coup Wednesday night.

“We’ve got the CCHL2 showcase for Sept. 11,” he said on Thursday morning. “This is great news for us.”

The former Eastern Ontario Jr. Hockey League has been replaced by the new Central Canada Hockey League 2 (CCHL2) and along with these changes, six teams had to leave the 22-team fold.

“Almonte’s gone, but we picked up their head coach Bill White and he’s going to be my assistant coach and GM,” McLean said. “I’ve also acquired the rights (by way of a player development fee) to seven of their players, so they’ll be joining us for camp.”

For White, returning to Perth is something he said he is looking forward to. The folding of the Almonte Thunder was bittersweet for the 30-year veteran coach.

“We just didn’t have the support in the community,” White said as to why the team chose the contractual buyout. “We were offered contraction and six teams had to go. I was the coach and GM for the past five years and it’s hard to operate a hockey club in Almonte.”

White added that he has family in Perth and was also a former Blue Wings coach – back in the 1990s.

“I’m looking forward to what I can bring to the team. I know the league and I know the area. This was an opportunity to continue on.”

According to the league’s interim commissioner, Kevin Abrams (who is also the commissioner for the CCHL), the new CCHL2 will consist of an east and west conference with a 44-game schedule, and playoffs similar to that at the CCHL. Ten teams will make the playoffs with a short preliminary round then quarterfinals, and semi-final rounds, followed by the league championship.

“Perth will see teams like Casselman in the regular season,” Abrams said in a phone interview on Thursday, June 4. “That will bring in some fans especially when Perth hasn’t had a chance to play a team like Casselman (EOJHL champs) in regular season.”

Then there will be new rivals – like Perth and Westport.

“We haven’t played them in an official league game for years and years,” McLean said. “May be as long as 40 or 50 years ago.”

Other teams in the west division will be the Athens Aeros, the Brockville Tikis, Prescott Flyers, Renfrew Timberwolves, the Stittsville Rams and the Arnrpior Packers.

The eastern conference will consist of the Ottawa West Golden Knights, Ottawa Canadians, the Clarence Beavers, Casselman Vikings, the Metcalfe Jets, Alexandria Glens, Winchester Hawks, and the Char-Lan Rebels.

Abrams said there had been talk about forming a new league for about a year.

“The members of the EOJHL have been discussing this for a while… the idea of partnering more closely with the CCHL and working as an affiliated league, but that with mostly with the Metro League. As we were moving along in discussions, it transpired to include even more teams that we had originally planned.”

More teams were interested in the affiliation, Abrams said. “It will be a full interlocking schedule.”

The commissioner added this is a new league, and will be around for a while, not a contract with the CCHL.

“This is it… it’s a new league, not a pilot project,” Abrams said. “It’s the way it is. I’m sure there will be bumps in the road but we’ll work them out. It’s the start of something new and great and it’s a positive time.”

SHOWCASE

The showcase tournament is slated for Sept. 11, 12 and 13 and will include all 16 teams. Normally, this would be held in a town where two ice pads are available, but the commissioner said they worked the schedule to accommodate Perth and its single arena.

“Michael (McLean) has really worked on marketing in that town,” Abrams said.

“The games will be two 25-minute halves, so a 50 minute game, and that means when fans come to watch, they may want to stay and take in more than one game,” Abrams said.

McLean is already working on the marketing aspect for the big showcase weekend, and he’s made some contact with the Ottawa Senators.

“I hope to get one of the guys down for a puck drop,” McLean said. “We’re really just starting to work out the details, but it’s going to be an opportunity to kick start this league – get off on the right foot. It’s all about promotion of the new league and so far, the response has been great. It’s going to be a strong league in the valley. It’s a juggernaut for sure.”

McLean said he’s also looking forward to working with White behind the bench.

“Bill’s a veteran coach and brining in the Almonte players will be great, as he’s coached them for three years already,” McLean said.

Also joining the Perth bench will be Bryan Greer, who has more time to commit to the team this year as he wrapped up his tenure as the president of minor hockey.