Collingwood’s minor hockey teams will be skating under the Blues name next year, according to an announcement by the association’s executive.
Collingwood Minor Hockey Association announced last year it was changing the name and logo from the Collingwood Blackhawks. Collingwood’s Junior A team, the Collingwood Colts, announced last week they would be switching their name and logo to the Collingwood Blues next year and it appears minor hockey will follow suit.
Bob Robinson was overseeing the committee struck to replace the Blackhawks name and logo and he confirmed today in an email to CollingwoodToday the association would be going with Collingwood Blues next year. The logo, however, is still in the works.
In May 2019, Robinson described the logo and name selection process to CollingwoodToday in an interview. He said the association would be reaching out to the public for name suggestions and would put the top three choices (selected by the executive) to a membership vote, allowing each family registered for minor hockey this year a ballot. The process was confirmed again in September.
However, Robinson said today there was no membership vote for the Blues name.
“We did not have a vote from the membership as the selection process was miles away from being ready for a vote,” said Robinson today (Feb. 27). “The [selection] committee was made aware of the Colts changing to the Blues and recommended to the board we go in that direction as this was a name that had been suggested by many of the membership from the beginning.”
Robinson said the board voted unanimously in favour of the change from Blackhawks to Blues.
“It is the right thing to do for our community and the spirit of hockey,” said Robinson. “Won’t it be great to welcome other communities with a united hockey spirit at all levels and continue the historical legacy and a future of development for all ages of hockey?”
Collingwood Colts owner David Steele said on Feb. 22 he hoped the minor hockey association would also adopt the Blues name, and he had offered the use of the Junior team’s logo in some form.
“There are still decisions and discussions underway regarding the logo and how we will differentiate as Collingwood Minor Hockey,” said Robinson.
