The BCHL made a subtle change to the rule-book last week, one that Chilliwack Chiefs head coach/GM Jason Tatarnic is very happy with.
The league’s board of governors voted to expand rosters from 22 to 23. Starting next season Tatarnic will be able to carry one extra player.
“If you look at all the games players miss due to injuries and all the games we play short-staffed, there’s quite a bit of wear and tear on their bodies,” Coach T noted. “There are times when you should probably give a guy a day off because he’s so banged up, but you can’t.”
The Chiefs were one of the teams pushing for the change, acknowledging the toll the BCHL’s compressed schedule takes on a player.
“We just played seven games in 11 days here, and going with a 23 man roster should help us manage that a bit better,” Tatarnic said.
You’d think the roster spot would be best used on a younger player who won’t mind (as much) shuttling between the ice and the press box.
But Tatarnic isn’t thinking that way.
“If I go through the game sheets, having guys miss games because they’re hurt outweighs the guys who miss games as healthy scratches,” he explained. “I think that’s true throughout the league.”
“Big picture, we’re adding 17 players to our league who might go elsewhere and there are times when you want to add a good player but you can’t because of the 22 man roster.”
“So I like this.”