Dayson Martin leads Swan Valley Stampeders to MJHL preseason win over Waywayseecappo

 

The Swan Valley Stampeders picked up their first win of the MJHL preseason Tuesday night, beating the Waywayseecappo Wolverines 4-2 in Swan River.

The teams traded goals in the opening period, with Max Dawson putting the Wolverines ahead before Hunter Toth tied it just over two minutes later on a breakaway.

Swan Valley took control in the second, getting goals from Swan River product Dayson Martin and veteran Dylan Ruff just 1:40 apart to take a 3-1 lead.

Mikey Thomas pulled Waywayseecappo within one early in the third on the power play, but Ryder Woods restored the Stampeders’ two-goal lead with just over four minutes to play.

The Wolverines outshot Swan Valley 34-26, while both teams went 0-for-5 on the power play.

The Stampeders visit the Northern Manitoba Blizzard Friday, while Waywayseecappo travels to Dauphin to face the Kings.

Swan Valley Stampeders drop MJHL preseason opener in Waywayseecappo

The Waywayseecappo Wolverines opened their preseason schedule Monday night with a 5-1 victory over the Swan Valley Stampeders in the annual Rookie Game.

The Wolverines jumped out to a quick start, scoring three times in the opening 13 minutes.
Winnipeg product and 2008-born forward Liam Flett led the way with two goals and an assist, while his linemate Holden Wasacace added a goal and two assists.

Tucker Derkach also scored in the opening frame as Waywayseecappo outshot Swan Valley 13-3.

The Stampeders got on the board with 4:40 left in the first period when Cooper Gair cut the deficit to 3-1 heading into the intermission.

Wasacace added his second of the night early in the second, while Carter Polanski also scored to give the Wolverines a 5-1 lead after 40 minutes.

Neither team scored in the third period.

Waywayseecappo split its goaltending duties, with DJ Mecas stopping four of five shots and Riley Foster turning aside all 19 shots he faced.

For Swan Valley, 2010-born netminder Eddy Person allowed four goals on 19 shots, while Kipton Slaney made 15 saves on 16 shots.

The two teams will meet again Tuesday night in Swan River to close out the home-and-home preseason set, with puck drop scheduled for 7 p.m. Manitoba time.

Yorkton Terriers ready for 2026 SJHL fall camp to open

 

The Yorkton Terriers officially hit the ice Tuesday as they open their 2026 fall training camp, with four teams of players competing for spots on the roster ahead of the upcoming SJHL season.

Head Coach and GM Emery Olauson expects the competition to be fierce, with more than 20 junior-aged players looking to earn a spot.

“The competition at camp is going to be fierce,” Olauson said. “We know that there’s going to be hard decisions to be made here Thursday before our top-40 game even, and then taking a roster into exhibition season.”

The Terriers will hold practices and fitness testing Tuesday before beginning game action Wednesday. The Top 40 game is scheduled for Thursday night, followed by an exhibition matchup in Virden Friday, before Yorkton hosts the Virden Oil Capitals Saturday at 7 p.m.

Olauson says four full teams will eventually have to be narrowed down to one roster.

“We’ve got four full teams of players that are going to have to be filtered down into one,” he said. “More than 23 to 25 of them are junior age and here to earn a spot on this year’s team.”

The Terriers enter camp following a very successful season where they finished second overall in the SJHL during the 2025-26 regular season and captured the Bunge Division title before advancing to the Canterra Seeds Cup Final for the first time since 2014.

Along the way, Yorkton eliminated rival Melville in six games before defeating the Battlefords North Stars in a dramatic Game 7 to reach the league final.

The Terriers ultimately fell to the Flin Flon Bombers in four games, but Olauson believes the experience gained from the last two playoff runs can help the group moving forward.

“We’ve played five rounds of the playoffs in two years, and I think we’re getting better at that time of year,” Olauson said. “Growing from it, learning from it and being able to draw on that experience, I think it’s going to be huge.”

Yorkton is eligible to return several key pieces from last season including the likes of SJHL defenceman of the year Thomas Ries, netminder Callum Creig and SJHL rookie of the year Cash Lanigan 

The Terriers will also welcome newcomers to camp, creating another opportunity for returning players to help establish the team's culture.

“They’re also going to have some great teammates that have been here before and know exactly the way that we want to play,” Olauson said, “and what is expected of a Yorkton Terrier.”


Audio with Terrier Head Coach and GM Emery Olauson below: 

bennywalchuk2 · Terriers Coaches Show - AUG 31, 2026

SJHL’s Yorkton Terriers post profit at 2026 annual general meeting

 

The Yorkton Terriers are heading into the 2026-27 season on much stronger financial footing.

The organization held its annual general meeting on Monday night and reported a profit of just over 35-hundred dollars for the past year.

More importantly, the Terriers have eliminated nearly 170-thousand dollars in debt. 

When president Curtis Malysh took over, the organization had set a three-year plan to eliminate the debt.

They accomplished that goal in just two years.

“I know when I took over as president, we were probably close to $170,000 in debt and we kind of had set out with a three-year plan to get that all cleared off,” Malysh said. “We accomplished that after year number two, and that was because of the playoff runs over the last two seasons.”

The Terriers’ run to the SJHL’s Canterra Seeds Cup Final also helped the organization’s bottom line, with strong crowds throughout the playoffs.

“We’re kind of sad that we didn’t win the league, but at the end of the day, very proud of the players and the coaching staff for what we accomplished last year,” Malysh said. “It was nice to see the rink pack most playoff games, which also helps the bottom line.”

There will be some changes to the board of directors heading into the new season.

Kurt Karcha and Josh Garbutt announced they will not seek another term, while Jon Collins returns after a one-year absence.

Malysh says both Karcha and Garbutt played important roles with the organization.

“Josh was a former player, so he kind of brought a different dynamic to the board,” Malysh said. “And Kurt was a long-time board member, did a lot of stuff behind the scenes that nobody knows about like he was our IT guy, our music man, and it’s stuff like that that people don’t notice, and he will also be missed.”

The Terriers are also launching a new fundraising initiative called the Legacy Lottery Series.

The series will feature six lotteries over three years, with the first one getting underway September 8th.

“It was approached by a gentleman to have a coffee with him, and it transpired into our Legacy Lottery Series,” Malysh said. “We have four businesses involved and a couple of private families that have donated us some money.”

The 2026-27 executive will see Malysh remain as president, with Stephanie Buckle as vice-president, Acacia Bushenlonga as secretary, and Sarah Nelson and Becky Dutchak serving as co-treasurers.

Grant Ottenbreit remains governor and a board member, while Dean Depape will serve as alternate governor and board member.

Scott Hoffart, Ed Witherspoon and Collins round out the current board, with one position still vacant.

The Terriers are holding their hockey school this week, and kick off their 2026/27 Fall camp next week at the Westland Insurance Arena.  

Audio with Terriers president Curtis Malysh below: 

bennywalchuk2 · Curtis Malysh - Terriers AGM (Aug 25, 2026)

Swan Valley Stampeders hope to rally the valley as MJHL training camp set to begin this weekend

The Swan Valley Stampeders are hoping a strong second half last season can carry over into the 2026-27 Manitoba Junior Hockey League season.

With training camp set to begin this weekend, Director of Player Personnel Darren Webster says the off-season was a busy one as the Stampeders looked to replace several graduating players and those moving on to the CHL in the likes Trace Langan and Crosby Harrison. 

“We need to bring in the next generation of talent to come in to replace our 20s that we had to graduate and move on,” Webster said.

Much of the recruiting focused on the forward group, but Webster is also excited about the experience returning on the blue line.

The Stampeders return most of their defensive core from last season, with Wiley Smith and Karson Connelly expected to once again handle big minutes.

“That was a real strength to our season,” Webster said of the defence.

Swan Valley also returns both goaltenders from last season, giving the team some stability between the pipes with Easton Falls and Samuel Bastien

“We had two rookie goaltenders last year that did exceptionally well,” Webster said. “They’re such good friends together and push each other.”

Offensively, the Stampeders will be looking for several returning players to take another step.

Ben Groome and Jake Giacobbo are entering their third seasons with the team, and Webster expects both to have big years after battling injuries early last season.

“We expect a big year for Groome and Giacobbo,” he said. “Both came in very healthy right now and we’re expecting in their 20-year-old years to put up big numbers.”

Ryder Woods is another player Webster believes could be in line for a breakout season.

“He’s going to be really elevated to an offensive role and going to be big on the power play,” Webster said. “For us, we see a big breakout season for him.”

But while there are plenty of reasons for optimism, the Stampeders know they need to avoid another slow start.

Swan Valley has finished strongly over the past few seasons, but slow starts have put the team behind the eight-ball in the playoff race.

“Our starts are going to be critical,” Webster said.

That will be especially important this year as the Swan Valley community looks for something positive following a difficult summer of flooding.

The flooding affected several billet homes, with the Stampeders losing roughly seven or eight beds because of the damage.

“It’s been a different summer. There’s a lot of devastation with the floods and the valley has been affected,” Webster said.

Now, the Stampeders are hoping hockey can provide the community with a much-needed release.

“Hopefully hockey season can be that release,” Webster said.

Training camp will be the first step as Swan Valley looks to turn a strong finish last season into a strong start this time around.

Audio with Stamps Director of Player Personnel Darren Webster below:

bennywalchuk2 · Darren - SV Camp (Aug 2026)

Waywayseecappo Wolveriens ready for 2026 MJHL training camp to begin

The Waywayseecappo Wolverines are just over a week away from opening their 2026 training camp, and head coach and general manager Landon Cochrane likes what he sees heading into his third season with the club.

Cochrane says the Wolverines had a productive off-season, staying in close contact with their returning players while adding depth and experience to the lineup.

“Yeah, I think we had a very successful off-season,” Cochrane said, “We had a lot of good communication with the returning guys. We’re excited for a lot of the guys I’ve brought in heading into my third year.”

The Wolverines added veteran experience up front, including Manitoba product Ian Buors and Ryder Duchon.

Boers, who has two years of junior experience, is expected to step into a top-six role.

“We expect to place him right there in the top six and let him do his thing,” Cochrane said. “Hopefully, he can produce.”

Duchon will bring speed and skill to the forward group, while the Wolverines also added a pair of 20-year-old defencemen in Nate Lazarus and Tavon McCorrister.

“We’re very happy about that,” Cochrane said of the additions on the back end. “We’ll rely on those two guys early on to play some big minutes for us.”

Waywayseecappo will also be looking for its returning players to take on larger roles following the graduation of key offensive contributors such as Sebastian Hicks, Ben Roulette and Kurt Rooks.

Cochrane believes the returning group is ready for the challenge.

“I love the guys coming back,” he said. “From the spring to the summer, they’ve been talking about coming back and continuing on from last year, so their mindset’s in the right spot.”

Players such as Max Collyer, Dylan Duzan, Rhett Perrin and newly named captain Treycen Wuttunee are expected to take on bigger roles, while Mikey Thomas, Blake Farthing and Noah Oughton are also in line for increased responsibility.

The Wolverines are also keeping an eye on a pair of younger prospects who could join the team later in the season.

Six-foot-two winger Grady McNish will begin the season in Lethbridge after putting up strong numbers at the U18 AAA level, while defenceman Max Dawson will start with the Swift Current Broncos.

The Wolverines reached the second round of the playoffs last season, earning their first playoff series win, and Cochran says the group wants to build on that success.

“We got a really good nucleus that has been building something for two years here,” he said. “We’re definitely playoff-oriented every year, but just to continue on and have that playoff success.”

That process begins with training camp on August 28.

Approximately 50 players will compete for roster spots, with the group split into three teams for a series of games during the opening days of camp.

The roster will then be trimmed to 40 players for the Top 40 Joe Brandon Game before camp concludes with a rookie game against the Swan Valley Stampeders on August 31.

“It’s going to be a quick three, four-day camp here, but we’re going to get right into it,” Cochrane said. “Our guys returning are going to push the pace and come back ready, so we’re very excited.”


Hear from Landyn Cochrane below:

bennywalchuk2 · Landyn -WAYWAY (AUG 2026)

Melville Millionaires prepare for 2026 edition of Fall training camp

The Melville Millionaires are less than two weeks away from opening training camp, and head coach and GM Doug Johnson believes the organization is in a much better position heading into the 2026-27 season.

Johnson says the off-season has been several years in the making, with a number of draft picks now ready to make their push for spots in the Millionaires lineup.

“It’s been two years, three years in the process where we’re going to finally see some draft picks that we made come in,” Johnson said, pointing to players such as Brodie Bowen and Parker Salisbury.

He also expects the organization could see more of its drafted players return from the Western Hockey League, including Ryland McConnell, Riley Schmeiss and Kohen Volk.

“Just kind of nice to see after the three years, really see the fruits of our labour,” Johnson said.

The Millionaires also addressed some holes in their lineup without having to deal with the significant turnover they’ve experienced in previous off-seasons.

Melville will be without Hudson Binder, who is heading to school on a mechanical engineering scholarship, while Brayden Gourley is moving on to the B.C. Hockey League.

Johnson says both decisions are opportunities the organization supports.

“Hudson Binder going to school early on a mechanical engineering scholarship, it’s pretty tough to question that life choice,” Johnson said. “It’s a phenomenal life choice and very happy for him.”

Between the pipes, the Millionaires have added some insurance with Preston Patenaude dealing with an injury to start the season.

Melville brought in Ontario goaltender Noah Kraus, while Kaleb Page and several other young players competing for the other spot.

“We just didn’t want to put ourselves in a spot where we were scrambling to find some experience,” Johnson said. “We need to make sure that we’re covered for our number one.”

Johnson is also confident in the team’s defensive group and believes the Millionaires have plenty of offensive firepower returning.

He points to Kale Margolis and Rylan Oatman as two of the league’s top returning scorers, while players such as Jaden Kokosha, Grady Carmichael and Wesley Olsen are expected to continue building off their playoff performances.

A healthy Preston Baerwald and Leo Jewitt should also provide a boost up front.

The Millionaires also added two key pieces in Hudson Closson and Cole Brown.

Klassen brings Western Hockey League experience and size at six-foot-three, while Johnson believes there is more offensive ability to his game than his statistics might suggest.

“Watching his game, there’s a high intelligence, there’s a high hockey IQ, a lot more skill there than maybe people have noticed,” Johnson said.

Training camp opens August 28 with the first session scheduled for six p.m.

The opening night will focus primarily on drills and evaluation, while Saturday and Sunday will feature scrimmages as the coaching staff begins making roster decisions.

Johnson says the Millionaires are keeping the camp relatively small, with fewer than 30 forwards, fewer than 20 defencemen and eight goaltenders expected.

“We want to keep it small, want to keep it intimate and then just give everybody as many reps as they can,” Johnson said.

Chat with Doug Johnson below:

bennywalchuk2 · Doug - MELVILLE (Aug 2026)