Moose Jaw Express Pedersen Column

Rod Pedersen’s 10 Sports Things (& More) – Reprinted with permission of the Moose Jaw Express newspaper:

1 – IN THE HANGAR: It’s been a slow-going, but successful, start to the WHL season for the Moose Jaw Warriors. They’ve been playing one game per week and at press time, are chugging along with a 2-1-0 record. That puts them sixth-place in the Eastern Conference, but just two points back of the first-place Calgary Hitmen (3-0). The Tribe has opened with home wins over Saskatoon (7-6 in OT) and Brandon (3-1), but lost their only road game of the season 4-2 at Swift Current. If you can win all your home games, the fans are happy, so there should be lots of smiles around the Band City. This is a playoff team.

2 – STOCKING UP: The Warriors announced the signings of 2011-born defenceman Michael Puddicombe (North Vancouver, BC), 2010-born defenceman Owen Grassick (Cochrane, AB), and 2010-born forward Charlie Tobin (Calgary, AB) to WHL Scholarship and Development Agreements. “We are continuing to build around a strong group with our 2010s and 2011s,” said General Manager Jason Ripplinger. “Charlie, Owen, and Michael add to that age group, and we are excited to see their growth and development.”

3 – POWER RANKINGS: Here they are for the East three weeks in – 1) Calgary, 2) Saskatoon, 3) Swift Current, 4) Medicine Hat, 5) Moose Jaw, 6) Regina, 7) Swift Current, 8) Red Deer, 9) Prince Albert, 10) Edmonton, 11) Lethbridge.

4 – PLAYERS OF THE WEEK: RW Beckett Hamilton (4-1-5, 2 GP) of the Red Deer Rebels has been named WHL Player of the Week. He’s a Saskatoon product. Rookie of the Week honours go to Calgary Hitmen forward Artem Katsuro (2-1-3, 1GP), of Moscow. The Goaltender of the Week is Seattle’s Grayson Malinoski (again). The Saskatoon product went 1-0 with a 0.00 GAA and 1.000 save percentage.

5 – THEO RETURNS: Please join us in my hometown December 5 for the annual Milestone, SK Memorial Centre Sportsman Dinner. I’ll be hosting the event with guest speakers Theoren Fleury, Swift Current Broncos all-time scoring leader Todd Holt (Theo’s cousin) and long-time NHL announcer Peter Loubardias. This event always sells out! Last year we were joined by Roughriders coach Corey Mace and former Warriors coach Lorne Molleken. To buy your table, please call Ali at 306-436-7421.

6 – NAWMIE: Who remembers the last-ever coach of the SJHL’s Moose Jaw Canucks? I do. My brother was on that team. That coach’s name is Norm Johnston and he went into the SJHL Hall of Fame last weekend (sort of). Normie coached the 1992-93 Flin Flon Bombers to the SJHL championship and they went into the HOF as part of the Bombers 100-year anniversary celebrations at Whitney Forum. Also going into the SJHOF were Bomber icons Mike Reagan, Tim Madarash and broadcaster Rockin’ Rob Hart. Congrats gentlemen!

7 – SJ POWER RANKINGS: 1) Warman, 2) Flin Flon, 3) Weyburn, 4) Humboldt, 5) Melville) 6) Yorkton, 7) Battlefords, 8) Melfort, 9) Kindersley, 10) Nipawin, 11) La Ronge, 12) Estevan.

8 – TITAN UP: Kudos to Moose Jaw Miller Express greats Eric Marriott and Austin Gurney who helped the Ottawa Titans win the Frontier Baseball League championship last weekend. Ottawa, ON beat Evansville, Indiana in three games in the Best-of-5 final. Marriott is an assistant coach on the squad while Gurney was a late-season call up. The pair helped the Millers to WCBL East Division titles in 2022 and 2024.

9 – CFL POWER RANKINGS: 1) Montreal, 2) Edmonton, 3) BC, 4) Saskatchewan, 5) Toronto, 6) Winnipeg), 7) Calgary, 8) Hamilton, 9) Ottawa. … NOTES: The Roughriders re-acquired kicker Brett Lauther from the winless Ottawa RedBlacks on Wednesday, prior to the CFL Trade Deadline. The Riders didn’t attempt to re-sign the longtime Saskatchewan veteran during free agency last winter, coming off the worst statistical season of his career. Lauther was the lone bright spot for Ottawa this season.

10 – RANDOM THOUGHTS: Stanley Cup Final pick – Colorado vs Florida (a rematch of 1996). … If we don’t make mistakes we’ll never learn anything. … American country star Riley Green has been named the halftime show act for the 2026 Grey Cup in Calgary. … I still think that act should always be Canadian. … Elbows Up. Right! (Haha). … The Vegas Golden Knights were voted the most hated NHL tea in a fan poll. … Be good to each other, and especially to each other.

Y’er welcome,
RP

(For Moose Jaw sporting tips and scoops, email Rod at pedersenmedia@outlook.com)