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The start of the trial of a man charged with the murder of Calgary Stampeder Mylan Hicks has been delayed a week on the chance the team plays in the 2018 Grey Cup.

Crown prosecutor Tom Spark said Friday that although a two-week trial period was available as early as Nov. 26, 2018, he asked Justice David Gates to schedule it to begin a week later.

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“The Grey Cup is the 25th,” Spark told the Court of Queen’s Bench judge.

“There’s a lot of Calgary Stampeders who are going to be witnesses,” he said, adding the team could be in Edmonton playing in the CFL championship.

“Mr. Spark, that’s a new one for me,” Gates replied, of the prosecutor’s reason for delaying the case.

Defence counsel Alain Hepner did not oppose Spark’s request.

Nelson Tony Lugela, 19, is charged with shooting Hicks outside the Marquee Beer Market on Macleod Trail on Sept. 25, 2016.

Photo by Crime Stoppers

He was committed to stand trial on second-degree murder in May, when provincial court Judge Catherine Skene ruled there was sufficient evidence that a properly instructed jury could find him guilty as charged.