Millionaires (SJHL) hire Di Paolo as their new Assistant Coach

 


The Melville Millionaires are pleased to announce that they've hired Antonio Di Paolo as their new Assistant Coach. 

The 25 year old Saskatoon product steps into the position left vacant after Geordie Wudrick accepted a job as Head Coach of the Creston Valley Thunder Cats of the KIJHL.

Di Paolo is no stranger to the SJHL having played 139 career games from 2015 to 2019 split between the Humboldt Broncos and La Ronge Ice Wolves.

He then spent one season in the North American Hockey League then one season in each with Alaska-Fairbanks (NCAA Div I) & Wisconsin-Superior (NCAA Div III).

Full Chat with Di Paolo below:

bennywalchuk2 · DI PAOLO - MILS (May 31, 2024)

Chat with Mils Head Coach & GM Doug Johnson

bennywalchuk2 · Doug Johnson - MLV (May 31st 2024)

2024 MJHL Draft set to take place on Sunday

 

The 2024 Manitoba Junior Hockey League draft is set to take place on Sunday as the thirteen-member clubs will select 2008-born prospects in Manitoba to join their organizations. 

The Swan Valley Stampeders have six total selections in the draft including the third overall pick in round number one.

Meanwhile, the Waywayseecappo Wolverines go into the weekend with 5 picks including their first round, fourth overall.

The defending MJHL champion Winkler Flyers will select first overall after acquiring the pick from the Winnipeg Freeze last season. 

Follow along with each pick on Sunday in real-time at https://mjhldraft.rinknet.com/.

2024 SJHL Draft set for June 11th

                                      

REGINA- The date has been set for the 2024 edition of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League Draft. 

The draft will start at 3:00 PM on June 11th and be presented live from the IKS Media studios in Regina on the SJHL’s Facebook and X pages, and YouTube channel.

It will be an eight-round draft, with two rounds of selections for 2009 birth-year players, followed by six rounds for 2008 birth-year players.

Here is that draft order, subject to change as teams may have already, or will trade picks.

1. Notre Dame Hounds
2. La Ronge Ice Wolves
3. Yorkton Terriers
4. Nipawin Hawks
5. Kindersley Klippers
6. Estevan Bruins
7. Weyburn Red Wings
8. Melville Millionaires
9. Battlefords North Stars
10. Humboldt Broncos
11. Melfort Mustangs
12. Flin Flon Bombers

 “The SJHL Draft is an exciting time for the players, their families, and for SJHL teams and we are extremely excited to welcome these prospects to the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League and look forward to seeing many in our SJHL communities in the future”, said league commissioner Kyle McIntyre. 

(Will files from the SJHL)

Swan River's Sauder commits to Wisconsin-Superior for 2024/24 season

Swan River product Trey Sauder will be advancing his hockey career at the collegiate level starting this Fall. 

The 20-year-old announced yesterday (Mon) his commitment to the University of Wisconsin-Superior Yellow Jackets (NCAA Division III) for the 2024/25 campaign. 

Sauder suited up in 154 career games with his hometown team compiling 48 goals, 72 assists for 120 points before being dealt to the Steinbach Pistons this past January. 


He will join fellow Stampeder alumni Kobe Grant on the Yellow Jacket roster. 

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The Swan Valley Stampeders are excited to announce their two auto-protected players ahead of this year’s Manitoba Junior Hockey League Draft.

The Stamps have selected Swan River products Forward Alex Campbell (08) and Forward Trace Langan (08).

Campbell collected 10 points in 43 games with the Parkland Rangers this past season, while Langan netted 10 goals and 16 points in 30 games with the Prairie Hockey Academy (CSSHL).

Team Manitoba edges Saskatchewan to capture their first Challenge Cup in Foam Lake

                               

Team Saskatchewan had their three-game Challenge Cup win streak snapped on Monday afternoon.

The Saskatchewan squad comprised of graduating 9 – a side football players from across the province dropped a 44-33 decision to Team Manitoba in Foam Lake.

The Saskatchewan contingent will look to get back into the win column next year in the game which will take place in Mantioba in May 2025.

Manitoba Players of the Game:

Manitoba

OFF- #15 Max Funk (St. Vital)

DEF- #86 Quinton Favel (Interlake)

Saskatchewan

OFF- #8 Easton Ottman (Humboldt)

DEF- #28 Jordan Klenk (Melfort)

Yorkton Terriers Celebrity Sports Dinner a Huge Success

                        


The Yorkton Terriers Celebrity Sports Dinner presented by the Yorkton Kinsmen was held last month, and it was a resounding success with $81,000 raised from the night.

Yesterday (Tues) the Terriers were presented with a big cheque for $60,000 from the fundraising dinner committee while the remaining balance of $21,000 will remain in the committee operating fund that will help our committee to plan future fundraising events

Board Member Pat Koskie brought forward the idea and originally expected to raise $30,000 but was blown away by the community’s support for the event.

A major event sponsor was Yorkton Kinsmen, and President Elmer Hollinger says it didn’t take them long to agree to partner with the event, as he says the Terriers are a huge staple in the community, and they are always eager to give back.

The night included cocktails, a supper, and former NHLers Jeff Odgers and Terry Ryan served as Guest Speakers.

At the start of the new year, the Terriers shocked the community with their financial position and needed the fans and community more than ever, holding a 2024-25 Season Tickets blitz. 

The community rallied around the Terriers and purchased nearly one thousand Season Tickets for next year.

May 13th Local Sports Notes

NORTH VALLEY DUO CAPTURE SHSAA PROVINCIAL BADMINTON SILVER IN NIPAWIN

The Saskatchewan High School Provincial Badminton Championships were held this past weekend in Nipawin. 

After capturing Bronze last year, Jake Mayo & Saren Petrychyn from North Valley High School in Lemberg, earned a Silver medal after falling in two sets in the Gold medal match to Walter Murray's Jenna Xu and Owen Dobrowolsky. 

For full provincial results CLICK HERE 


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TEAM SASKATCHEWAN MALE EARNS SILVER AT NATIONAL ABORIGINAL HOCKEY CHAMPIONSHIPS IN GRANDE PRAIRE 

Saskatchewan's male squad will return with a silver medal from National Aboriginal Hockey Championships wrapped up over the weekend in Grande Prairie, Alberta. 

Ontario powered their way to a 4-0 win over Saskatchewan in Gold medal game on Sunday afternoon. 

Yorkton products Shaden Duliak, Dylan Brass, & Cameron Allard, Whitewood's Hudson Breahut, Ochapowace's Connor Bear and Melville Millionaire prospects Henry Thunderblanket and Raiden Zacharias were on the Saskatchewan roster. 

Local players selected in the 2024 WHL Prospects Draft

 

The 2024 WHL Prospects Draft was held on Thursday as the 22 member clubs selected 2009-born players to join their organizations. 

Six local players were selected with the highest picked being Yorkton product Aiden Wagner selected in the 2nd round, 25th overall by the Regina Pats. 

Wagner played in 24 games with the Northern Alberta Extreme (CSSHL) this past season scoring four times while adding 19 assists.

Meanwhile, four members of the Sask East Oilers U15 AA team were selected including D Cooper Bratton (Moosomin, SK) selected in the second round, 41st overall by Prince George, F Trae Peterson (Sturgis, SK) in 3rd round by Tri-City, F Maxon Johnston (Round Lake, SK) in 5th round by Moose Jaw and goaltender Kaleb Page (Whitewood, SK) selected by Calgary in the seventh round.

Dauphin product Forrest Karlson was also selected going 98th overall to the Red Deer Rebels.

For full list of selections CLICK HERE

Chat with Aiden Wagner below:

bennywalchuk2 · Aiden W - WHL Draft 2024

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D Aiden Wagner - Yorkton, Saskatchewan 

2nd round,  25th overall to the Regina Pats
(22GP 4G 19A = 23 points with NAX U15 Prep (CSSHL))

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D Cooper Bratton - Moosomin, Saskatchewan

2nd round,  41st overall to the Prince George Cougars
(27GP 20G 32A = 52 points with Sask East Oilers U15 AA)

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F Trae Peterson - Sturgis, Saskatchewan 

3rd round,  56th overall to the Tri-City Americans 
(27GP 38G 46A = 84 points with Sask East Oilers U15 AA)


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F Forrest Karlson -  Dauphin, Manitoba

5th round,  98th overall to the Red Deer Rebels 
(27GP 18G 24A = 42 points with Pilot Mound U15 Prep (CSSHL))

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F Maxon Johnston - Round Lake, Saskatchewan

5th round, 101st overall to the Moose Jaw Warriors
(27GP 25G 19A = 44 points with Sask East Oilers U15 AA)

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G Kaleb Page -  Whitewood, Saskatchewan 

7th round, 139th overall to the Calgary Hitmen
(15GP 12-3-0 record  1SO  2.21GAA  0.910 SV% = 19 points with Sask East Oilers U15 AA) 

Balcarres product & Stampeder alumni Fishley commits to University of Regina (USports)

 

Former Swan Valley Stampeder captain Ashton Fishley has announced his post-secondary hockey commitment for the 2024/25 season. 

The Balcarres product will join the University of Regina Cougars men's hockey team of USports starting this Fall. 

Fishley suited up in 171 career MJHL games compiling 16 goals, 57 assists for 73 points combined in his time with the Stampeders and Portage Terriers. 

 

10 years later: Looking back on the Yorkton Terriers RBC Cup National junior A hockey championship

 

YORKTON- "We just always all believed in each other and we never quit."

That's a very common response that players and staff say when asked what made the 2013/14 Yorkton Terriers so special. 

The Terriers led by their general manager Don Chesney and head coach Trent Cassan were coming off an SJHL title the previous season and had some pretty good expectations heading into the new campaign with several returnees coming back.

"We knew that we had a bit of momentum from the previous season but we also knew that it was a new season and we knew we needed to continue to work hard to put it all together to make it all work," said then Terriers General Manager Don Chesney. 

The Terriers finished the regular season with a league-best 81 points and then dispatched the Notre Dame Hounds & Humboldt Broncos in five games before sweeping their Highway 10 rivals the Melville Millionaires to capture their 2nd straight league title. 

After capturing the Western Canada Cup title, the franchise earned their fifth-ever berth in the National Championship.

The Terriers got a wake-up call in Game One of the event dropping a decision to the Toronto Lakeshore Patriots before they went on a roll earning themselves a berth in the National Final. against the Carleton Place Canadians. 

After killing off a late penalty, Yorkton still trailed 3-1 with three minutes remaining before Tanner Lischynsky and Dylan Johnson scored goals just eight seconds apart to keep them alive and force overtime. 

 "It was an exceptional comeback no question and to say we were able to tie it up like that late it was just meant to be, Chesney added. 

Then 15:01 into the extra period, Derek Falloon scored his second overtime goal in four days,  to complete the Terriers’ comeback and give Yorkton its first-ever national Junior A championship.

 "I just remember I won the face-off back, and we got a shot on goal & the rebound came out and I walked it and tried to jam it through and I don't think it even went all the way to the back of the net but it went in," Falloon said reflecting on his OT winner. 

 Audio with Don Chesney below: 

bennywalchuk2 · Ches- Terriers RBC (May 6 2024)

2014 Post Game with Derek Falloon

bennywalchuk2 · Falloon RBC Cup Post- May 18

2014 Post Game with Chase Norrish 

bennywalchuk2 · Chase Norrish- RBC post

2014 RBC Cup Winning Goal Call 

bennywalchuk2 · RBC Winning Goal - May 18

Melville's Severson to suit up for Team Canada at 2024 IIHF Men's Worlds

Hockey Canada has announced the 22 players that will don the Maple Leaf at the 2024 IIHF Men's World Championship in Ostrava and Prague, Czechia.

Among those selected is Melville product Damon Severson of the Columbus Blue Jackets.

This will be the second time that Severson has suited up for the Canadian squad after he helped them win a silver medal in the 2022 event.

"It's a great feeling, anytime you get asked to represent Canada it's special and lets hope we can bring home the gold this time around," Severson said.

The 29-year-old compiled nine goals, 19 assists for 28 points in 68 games this past season with Blue Jackets.