By Derek Holtom
The MJHL is doing a better job these days of advertising their successes, including pointing out how many of their players are moving onto higher levels.
Heading into training camps last week, there were several players who shone in the MJHL last year and are looking to make the jump to the WHL this coming season.
In Swan Valley, the three players starting the year at WHL camps were Crosby Harrison (Everett), Trace Langan (Everett), and Dayson Martin (Prince Albert).
The three members of the Northern Manitoba Blizzard who were in WHL camps this fall are Atticus Cruz (Penticton), Kasen Harrold (Seattle), and Trystyn Sidor (Seattle).
Waywayseecappo has Cole Hunter at the Brandon Wheat Kings camp.
The two teams with the most players at WHL camps come from the two MJHL finalists last year – the Steinbach Pistons and Virden Oil Capitals.
The Pistons are missing four players - Ben Chornomydz (Penticton), Fenton Mann (Penticton), Ryker Arran (Swift Current), and Jaden Mah (Victoria).
The Oil Capitals have the most players at WHL camps, a whopping seven. That list included Micky Gross (Brandon), Jett Deschamps (Regina), Colten Worthington (Brandon), Cohen Lewko (Saskatoon), Lincoln Black-Greaves (Swift Current), Carson Wright (Edmonton), and Tyson Ulmer (Regina).
Selkirk, Portage, Dauphin and Winkler also have players at WHL camps.
It’s a double-edged sword for the MJHL. One on hand it’s great to be seen as a development league, and that players can succeed and move onto higher levels from here. On the other hand, it makes it more difficult to count on players returning year after year.
That’s something the WHL is still adjusting to, now that their players can make the jump to the NCAA. The American college system has taken to scooping up top WHL talent before they graduate, which in turn forces the WHL to look to leagues such as the MJHL for talent to fill the gap.
It’s also interesting to see how many players are attending the camp of the Penticton Vees. Formerly the top franchise in the BCHL., the Vees are entering their second year in the WHL, making the jump to major junior last year in record-setting fashion, winning 44 games – the most ever by a WHL expansion team.
Also, two of the owners of the Vees are quite well known – current Winnipeg Jets forward Mark Scheifele and former New York Rangers goaltender Mike Richter.
Having the Vees move up to the WHL is good for them, but for junior A leagues such as the MJHL, that’s just less players available to them.
Millionaires. The first game goes tonight (Sept. 8) in Melville, while the return match is tomorrow, Wednesday night, with puck drop at 7:30 p.m. at the Waywayseecappo Arena Complex.
CLAW MARKS – The Wolverines faced the Dauphin Kings twice on the weekend. Due to the long weekend, results were not available at press time.