One of the most recognizable championships in Newfoundland and Labrador hockey is officially back.

The long-awaited return of a provincial Herder memorial championship series is over, as teams from western and eastern Newfoundland wind down their respective seasons and look ahead to the top teams from both leagues squaring off on April 14.

It's been three years since the top two Senior A teams from Newfoundland and Labrador regional leagues matched up to play for the historic 87-year-old trophy.

"The Herder is really important to all of our players, all of our coaches," Avalon East Senior Hockey League president Jack Casey told CBC News. 

"Every senior hockey player, every coach of a senior hockey team, when they start out in the fall of the year they're coming back to senior hockey really for one purpose, and that purpose is to hopefully get to a Herder at the end of the season."

The pandemic years saw squashed Herder hopes. Last year, the trophy was awarded to the Southern Shore Breakers as the winners of the AESHL, the only Senior A league in the province in competition at the time. 

But the return of the West Coast Senior Hockey League this year means the return of a traditional Herder series. 

"It's so great to even just have some hockey back. We spent a couple of winters with no hockey in the pandemic. To get our league up and running this year was phenomenal. The response from the fans is phenomenal," said Andy Brake, president of the WCSHL. 

"To get back to provincial play here and compete for the Herder for our fans and our players, we're delighted."

Brake said the honour of winning a Herder title is on the mind of most hockey players coming up through the system in N.L.

He said the dream starts from a young age.

"It's a wonderful title to hold. It's the holy grail of hockey in this province," Brake said. 

"Hopefully this will continue for years and years to come." 

Casey said it'll be a seven-game series with the first two games being played on the west coast before moving to the Avalon Peninsula for three and then back to the west for the final two if necessary. 

"A lot that has to do with ice time availability. It'll start in April on what we would traditionally call in the hockey world the end of the Minor Hockey Week provincial tournaments," he said.

"The east coast rinks aren't necessarily available. It just worked out that the best thing is to get it started on the west coast.

The Avalon league has six teams, playing out of Outer Cove, Conception Bay South, Clarenville, Harbour Grace, St. John's and Mobile. 

The western league has three teams in Port aux Basques, Deer Lake and Corner Brook. 

The winners of both leagues will face off in April for the Herder Memorial Trophy, first presented in 1935 by Ralph Herder of the Evening Telegram in honour of his family, who founded the newspaper in 1879.

"The fans are coming back in slightly larger numbers but the excitement really hasn't gotten there yet. We have to recover still from the COVID hangover, I think," said Casey.

"We're looking at this, really, as being a first step and making sure it's a good step, that we're solid. Then it'll be a building situation."

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