About The Blues

The Blues Rep B Hockey is a jointly operated hockey program for players registered with the Blackburn Minor Hockey Association (BMHA), the Orleans Minor Hockey Association (OMHA) and the Gloucester Centre Minor Hockey Association (GCMHA). Previously operated by the GCMHA and the OMHA as the GO Blues, this tripartite operation came into effect on June 13, 2015, and reflects the commitment of the three associations to provide a healthy and safe hockey environment for players interested and capable of playing on competitive level teams. The development of hockey skills and the opportunity to do so while having fun is a fundamental premise to The Blues operating philosophy. Governance for The Blues is provided by a six member committee representative of the three associations.

Teams are formed at the minor and major levels for each age division by bringing together players from the three associations and forming combined lineups. Coaches of these teams also are selected from within the three associations and must meet all requirements as set out by Hockey Canada and Hockey Eastern Ontario. Players aged anywhere from 9-10 through to 15-17 (Midget) who are interested in playing competitive level hockey are all invited and encouraged to tryout for positions on one of our Blues teams.

About Competitive "B" Hockey

The Ottawa District Minor Hockey “B” League has been the first level of competitive hockey in our area (the first step up from GHA House League) for more than 30 years.

• Rep B games are with body checking at levels U14 (Minor Bantam) and up.  .
• Rep B games are 90 minutes in length at levels U14 (Minor Bantam) and up.  
• Rep B teams play more league games than at house league level at levels U12 (Minor Peewee) and up, e.g. U12 (Minor Peewee) teams play 50% more games.
• Rep B teams generally practice more than house league teams and also typically engage special “dryland training” for further conditioning and core strength.

What Competitive "B" Hockey is not

Playing Blues DOES NOT cost $5,000 per season more than house league. Extra Blues registration fees, try-out fees and team fees (which are set by the team, after the team has been formed) will add approximately $1,000 to typical house league costs. Added to this still could be if the team should decide to do any extra out of town tournaments – there would then be additional hotel and travel costs.

Playing Blues DOES NOT mean you will be playing weeknight games in Kingston. While many league games are played during the week, almost all of the teams in the league are from within the boundaries of the new City of Ottawa. The few teams that are from beyond our city limits might be as far as Carleton Place. The league does recognize the age of the players, and schedules games accordingly.

Playing Blues DOES NOT mean a commitment of 8 days a week. Blues teams, on average, get together on 4½ occasions per week. This would typically include games, practices, specialty training sessions (power skates), off-ice training, and team functions or fundraisers.

Playing Blues DOES NOT mean you will be down in Toronto for tournaments every month. While most house league teams tend to agree to 1 out of town tournament per season, most Blues teams tend to go to 2.

Playing house league B last season DOES NOT mean you won’t be selected for a Blues team this season. Players develop at different rates and this is why try-outs are conducted in September, at the start of the season, and NOT in April, at the end of the season before. The players that standout most in evaluations are often the same players that were working the hardest, at camps and power skating sessions, through the summer.

• Players are to register with their home association.
• Players may then register to try out for The Blues. There is a try-out fee associated with this which must be paid prior to participation in the tryout process.
• Typically in the week before Labour Day, there will be a player and parent information night. This allows opportunity to meet the coach, hear their plans & philosophies for the season, come to understand the strategy & schedule for tryouts, and follows with a question and answer period.
• Tryouts typically start in early September and run over several days.
• Releases typically start after the second evaluation session and will be communicated via the website.  
• The players who are released are able to participate in their home Association house league tryouts, and are not penalized in any way. Many of these same released players will be the coaches’ choices for affiliation throughout the season, to help cover a position in a Blues game or practice when a regular team player is injured or unavailable.
• Once releases are completed, and the coach is down to his team roster, there will be a parents' meeting to decide on team budget, etc. In simple math, Blues teams commit to about twice the amount of hockey time as do house league teams and, overall, Blues will cost about twice the time and money compared to house league.
• Once a player is selected to play on a Blues team, any additional registration costs would have to be paid prior to participating in further hockey activity.