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AA Lacombe Generals name change official after confusion forces team to forfeit win

GM, head coach suspended, reinstated after mix-up; win over Blackfalds forfeited
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On November 8, 2019, the Eckville Eagles were granted approval by Hockey Alberta to operate as the Lacombe Senior Generals.

This did not come before the team found themselves in some hot water.

On October 29, the team was sent a letter from the NCHL advising them to cease using Lacombe General’s branding until they had applied for and received approval from Hockey Alberta.

On November 2, the team took to the ice versus the Devon Barons, donning Lacombe General’s jerseys and referring to themselves as such in both print and game commentary. Consequently, the team’s GM and Head Coach Reed Watts was suspended.

On November 3, the team travelled to Bentley for a game against the Blackfalds Wranglers. On the ice, the Eckville Eagles, wearing Lacombe General’s uniforms, defeated the Wranglers 6-0. An investigation by Hockey Alberta resulted in the discovery of an unregistered participant in the Eagle’s line up, thus make the game a forfeit for the team.

On November 4, an application for a name change was received by Hockey Alberta to change the name of the Eckville Eagles to the Lacombe Generals, which was approved on November 8th.

The NCHL, Wild Rose Athletic Corp (Lacombe Generals), and all of our fans are now hopeful we can get back to the business of hockey and put all of the management issues behind. The new Lacombe Generals have no where to go but up.

The Lacombe AA Generals actually started out as the Big Valley Oil Kings in the Battle River Hockey League. Big Valley, as well as Daysland Northstars, Bonnyville Pontiacs, and Tofield Satellites all joined the NCHL for the 2015-2016 season. Big Valley only played that season in the NCHL before they were moved to Eckville as the Eagles in 2016-2017 where they played until this season.

Now that the move is official, the NCHL would like to welcome the City of Lacombe and the new AA Generals into the North Central Hockey League family.

-Submitted by the North Central Senior Hockey League