Outer Cove Marines re-entering Newfoundland's top senior hockey league after 2-decade hiatus

It's been over two decades since the blue and gold jerseys of the Outer Cove Marines hit the ice as part of Newfoundland's senior hockey circuit, but that extended hiatus is set to end this month.

The Wexford Estate Rob Roy Outer Cove Marines are the sixth team to join the Avalon East Senior Hockey League. The AESHL is Newfoundland's top senior hockey league, but has seen teams come and go in recent years — highlighted in 2017 when only one team was enrolled in the league.

Tommy Beckett, the team's general manager, says the last time the Marines hit the ice as the Marines was in the mid-1980s.

The team temporarily rejoined the league as the Northeast Eagles — who folded from the league in 2018 — in order to retain the rights to some players before returning to the Marines brand.

Beckett said it's exciting to bring Outer Cove and the Cape St. Francis region back into the top flight of senior hockey.

"There was community rivalries, as you can imagine. And some great hockey, and a lot of great hockey players have come through that league," Beckett told CBC News in a recent interview. 

"We're trying to bring all of these communities together. We want to have a very community based-hockey club for Friday night home games."

Beckett, a former player for the Marines, fondly remembers his time wearing the blue and gold. The local crowd was key in creating a home ice advantage, he said.

"When it came playoff time, those arenas don't hold a huge amount of people. But I can guarantee you every single person was squat in there as best they could. It was just a great feeling, and that's exactly what we're trying to bring back now with this team," he said.

The team is partnering with the Ron Cadigan Foundation for their return to the