Making the most of it: Former Tigers captain Mark Rassell enjoying time in Halifax after having hopes of second straight U Sports title dashed by COVID-19

By RYAN MCCRACKEN on March 16, 2020.

rmccracken@medicinehatnews.com@MHNMcCracken

With a second consecutive David Johnston University Cup within his grasp, former Medicine Hat Tigers captain Mark Rassell watched the world unravel.

Waking up in Halifax with his University of New Brunswick Varsity Reds, ready to make their debut at the U Sports men’s hockey championship tournament the following afternoon – the news started rolling in. The National Hockey League announced it was suspending the season, Major League Baseball stepped in to cancel spring training, the Canadian Hockey League quickly followed suit.

Over the course of just a few hours, the U Sports hockey championships became some of the only sporting events on the planet still hoping to carry on through the growing concerns surrounding the spread of COVID-19. With no confirmed cases in Nova Scotia, there was reason for optimism – then U Sports joined the rest of the world, and pulled the plug.

“It was just so sudden,” Rassell said in a Sunday phone interview. “It was the night before our game and it was about 9:30 p.m. when we saw a tweet from Victor Findlay – he’s like the one U Sports insider – and he said he was hearing rumours that the tournament may be canceled. When you see that there’s rumours, you just kind of know.

“We all understand the preventative measures and we have nothing against U Sports or Hockey Canada, they probably made the right decision in the big picture. It’s just disappointing. There were no cases here at the time that they canceled it, right now no one’s really freaking out. It hasn’t hit the Maritimes too hard yet – everything is open. If I didn’t have social media I wouldn’t think anything is different.”

Despite an earlier announcement from U Sports suggesting the tournament – as well as its female counterpart in Prince Edward Island – would go ahead as planned, the season was over. For some of the tournament’s graduating players, it meant the end of a career.

“Our coach made the announcement, he said it sucks, and then our fifth-years kind of broke down,” said Rassell. “When I saw those guys cry, that’s what hit the boys the hardest, just seeing the guys who don’t have another chance. Some of them, their hockey careers are over just like that, because they’re in university and they might not want to go pro. So the fact they don’t even have a chance to try was awful. We all kind of agreed, we’d rather have lost and embarrassed ourselves than just not even had the opportunity.”

In the days since, Rassell says he and his teammates have been making the most of their time together, as well as with their respective families, while taking in a few of the sights in Halifax.

Nova Scotia announced its first presumptive case of COVID-19 Sunday afternoon, however Rassell says the city remains lively.

“I think there are about 10 guys on the team who stayed with their families and we’re all just kind of doing our thing. Right now we’re walking downtown Halifax and we’re going to go for a nice brunch,” said Rassell. “It’s just kind of filling time. Classes are cancelled. We have no reason to be back in New Brunswick. Minute by minute, something else is getting cancelled. Now I’m here and our exams will be online. It almost feels like purgatory – just not knowing what we’re going to do and how we’re going to do it – so we’re just trying to make the best of it in downtown Halifax. It really is a lot nicer than downtown Fredericton.”

Even Rassell’s classes at UNB have been postponed or cancelled, with many moving toward an online component to close out the semester. Thankfully, the campus remains open, allowing Rassell and his teammates to continue off-season training when they return to Fredericton.

“From what I heard our campus isn’t closed. The classes are suspended or cancelled and moving online, but the campus is still open because the campus still has essential services for students that live there,” he said. “It’s not like those schools that are telling people to go home. I think I can still go hit the gym, work out and do all that.”

Rassell racked up 14 goals and 18 assists over 29 games as a sophomore with the Varsity Reds this season. While a professional career is still the goal, the 23-year-old Calgary product says he’s already dedicated his next season to UNB.

“After winning your first year and thinking you’re going to win your second year, then having it taken from you, it’s kind of motivating,” he said. “It’s driving me right now. I know next year we’re going to come back and be all wound up and ready to finish off what we started this year.”

Rassell added he’s been thoroughly enjoying the academic portion of his time in New Brunswick as well. With a Bachelor of Business Administration on the horizon, he has plenty of options – but for now he’s just enjoying the ride.

“I’m on schedule to get my undergrad next year, after my third year. That puts me in a position where I can choose to either leave and go play pro with my undergrad or come back and do a Master’s program,” said Rassell. “You go to school and you think it’s going to be like high school and you think you’re going to hate it, but honestly, university changes your mindset. Academically, it’s been awesome for me. I’m studying finance, that’s something I’m really interested in and I could see myself having a career in. It kind of opens your eyes.

“A lot of people say junior hockey is a bubble. When you get out of that bubble you realize there’s more to the world than just playing hockey. But the hockey is an unreal part of university and the fact I get to do both is a dream come true every day.”

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