BY Jonathan Huntington
SASKATOON – The quest is underway to win the SMAAAHL title and advance to the Telus Cup Western Regional in Manitoba in spring 2027.
With the regular-season just one week old, rosters for teams are now solidified and the chase has begun. Below is a preview of every team with comments from nearly every head coach.
BATTLEFORDS STARS: Buckle-up and get ready when the Stars on the ice. Under head coach Martin Smith, Battlefords doesn’t take a night off. A playoff contender.
Coach’s take: “Team speed and skill is one of our assets. Our goaltending is an asset for sure… Cody Marciniak is a veteran netminder who is very athletic and does not give up on a puck. We obviously have a lot to work on but we have a good foundation and a solid core of leadership.
“We also look for added offense from WHL draft picks Kacy Turberfield, Alex Kowalyk, and Klay Weber – as well as returning veterans Jackson Brabant, Nash Coquet and Noah Larre.
“One other person to mention would be defenseman Aiden Harman, who has a lot of offensive upside and is an exciting player to watch as he joins the rush.”
ESTEVAN INNOVEX BEARS: Ryan Pilon might have the toughest coaching task to start the year – after losing his top-six scorers from last year.
Coach’s take: “It’s no secret we’ve had a lot of roster turnover from last season so it is definitely a work in progress. We like our group and our guys are doing a good job at coming together.
“We have liked how our new players have adapted between the two games so far and all have improved so that’s something we are going to build on. One of the bright spots in the first game was definitely the compete level from our goaltender Rylen Daviduk.”
MOOSE JAW WINMAR WARRIORS: Is this the year for Moose Jaw? After four games, they have put the league on notice! A 4-0 record to start with a stunning 27 goals and only three against.
The team lost some key pieces – offensive leader Ryan Gibbs and goalie Steven Wawryk to name just two – but they have a strong core returning: Braden Nowselski (who was matched against Maddox Schultz last year), Maxon Johnston (the league’s premier power forward) and sniper Maxx Fuessel.
Coach’s take (Trevor Weisgerber): “I think early on just the mind set our returning guys brought from Day 1 – how hard they have worked, their compete level and it has been contagious with our new guys. We feel will have to do things by committee for us to be successful and so far they have done that.”
Notre Dame Hounds: Head coach Casey O’Brien isn’t starting from square one. Last year’s club featured 20 new players and a new coaching staff. This year there are returning players, but the start isn’t what they expected – dropping three straight.
Prince Albert Mintos: It’s a new chapter for the league’s northern team with new head coach Tyson Dallman. The Mintos started strong last year, but faded down the stretch. A repeat performance is not acceptable for the new regime this year.
Coach’s take: “We have a group of returning players and a new crop of players to the league that are all eager to learn what it takes to win in this league. The commitment to competing from all 20 of our players has been great so far. Becoming a team, understanding how you can help the team succeed, and developing habits for the future are things that our players are looking to build into their everyday lives.”
Regina Pat Canadians: Yes, Maddox Schultz and Liam Pue are gone, but the Pat Cs have to be considered a top-three team to start the year. The return of Ryker Doka, Nathan Gardiner and Adam Muntain are big additions that weren’t guaranteed in the off-season.
Coach’s take (Ryan Hodgins): “I really like our team this year. We will be different than the last couple of years, but we have a very good mix of veterans and rookies. Obviously getting a few key players back from junior makes our team better. As long as we put in the work, compete and do all the little things needed to get better, we will be fine.
“We have a good culture here and I am excited to work with this group of players and coaches.”
Saskatoon Blazers: Might be the most intriguing team to watch this season. Their young players received tremendous experience against Moose Jaw in the playoffs last year. The west-side Bridge City crew lost some key pieces (Madex Kabrud, Jeremy Wehrens, Eric Grandberg, etc.) but watch for Blaise Baier and Anderson Reschny to lead by example.
Coach’s take (Troy Walkington): “Our staff really like the group we have. We feel we have a good combination of young and older guys. With 13 new players it will take awhile to form our identity and establish roles”
Saskatoon Contacts: Year 2 of the Ryan Keller era starts with optimism. The Contacts improved in the second-half last year and look to build on that with nine returning players this season.
Coach’s take: “What I like most about our hockey team is how close we’ve become in such a short time. We have a group that genuinely enjoys being together and wants to see each other succeed. They’ve embraced pushing and competing with each other, knowing it will make everyone better and ultimately make us stronger as a team.”
Swift Current Legionnaires: As usual, Speedy Creek has front-loaded their schedule with road games and weekend double-headers to give them home-ice advantage later in the year. Swift Current plays six of their first nine games on the road.
Coach’s take (Todd Hornung): “I really like our room a lot right now. The team is starting to get more familiar with each other, and you can see the chemistry building every day. We’re still figuring things out and working to get our systems down, but everyone is buying in. I think we’re continuing to learn from each game and from each other. We just want to keep improving, keep getting better every day, and build on what we’re doing as a team. It’s still early, so there’s a lot of room for growth, but I really like the direction we’re heading.”
Tisdale Trojans: Two late returnees to the club – Jacob Tait and Kash Elke – are very helpful. Another big season from Camryn Aebig is also key to their success.
Coach’s take (Wes Rudy): “With a couple of very late returning players in Tait and Elke our top six should round-out nicely. We have a younger D core that will grow their game with the experience they gain. We have both experience and youth in net which is a great combination.”
Warman Wildcats: Head coach Courage Bear has seen a lot of movies in the SMAAAHL. He will need to mould a new group this year.
Coach’s take: “We lost a lot of key pieces as guys have aged-out and moved on. Our group will be very different this year but I like their eagerness to learn. We are not a flashy team but I think they will make teams earn their points against us.”
Yorkton Maulers: It seems like everything is new off-the-ice in Yorkton. And now the team needs to do the same on the ice after ending last year on a lengthy losing streak. This is an interesting team to watch in the first 10 games.
Coach’s take (Josh Garbutt): We are really excited for all of the changes we have made in a short period of time in Yorkton. From are new dressing room to dry-stall room for the players to all new equipment, jerseys and logo.
“The staff we have also built brings a wealth of hockey experience on and off the ice which is really exciting for a group of young men. We have done an extensive audit on the whole organization and we are proud of what we have done thus far to bring this to a desirable professional destination.
“We went into building the team with long term sustainability in mind. We brought on 15 newcomers with most being 15 or 16 years of age to the league with a full understanding of an adjustment period. We are very optimistic about the youth of our group and they have all been receptive to the process and the plan and bring great attitudes and compete to the rink and the gym, school and community everyday. It is energizing and exciting for everyone involved and we look forward to continuously build on the foundation we have worked so hard at thus far.”
