NEUGSIE’S AROUND THE SJHL RETURNS!
By: Jamie Neugebauer
Voice of the Notre Dame Hounds
1. And we’re back! Neugsie’s Around the SJ is back, coming at you weekly with the thoughts of yours truly concerning the beautiful, often electrifying, often infuriating entity known as the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League. I cannot not say how much I appreciate Rod Pedersen having me on this website the last three years, the league for the opportunities they’ve given me, Notre Dame, and even moreso, how much I appreciate all of you that have read it! So here goes nothin’!
2. When will WE be back? It’s all really speculation as to when the season will actually begin. We’ve had the Alberta League turn all sorts of heads when they say Sept. 18, then change that. We’ve had the Manitobans say, in a relatively definitive way, that they’ll drop the puck on Oct. 9, prompting only wild guessing that we in Sask will follow suit. That being said, that notion has come from absolutely nobody in any sort of control of the situation. The general sense is that the Saskatchewan Health Authority, who truly has the ultimate power over when we start the season, is waiting to see how we as a society handle the return of kids to schools, and if there is any sort of outbreak. So I don’t expect any real news for a couple of weeks on that front.
3. Americans Another layer to all this is American kids. The only definitive thing I’ve heard on the subject is that dual citizens will be allowed to play; but if you’re only American, you can’t play in an officially-sanctioned Hockey Canada or Canadian Junior Hockey League game, until the border opens. If the border isn’t open anytime soon, will that effect when Junior A leagues in Canada receive the true green light? I’ll say one thing for sure: there are lots of American junior hockey players in Canada right now.
4. There is at least one coach in the league who feels it’s his duty to promote the average Canadian kid over the American, in order to help develop our national game; so having a league that at least starts completely Canadian wouldn’t make anyone weep. To me, the hope is that kids land in the league – and the situation they should – at the level they should play at, regardless of their nationality. I just want to see kids get scholarship money, and play some hockey at the university level, or move on in the game and their lives.
5. Okay enough of the questions surrounding what we don’t know; let’s get to some player talk! Spoke to new Melville Millionaire centreman Cole Stevenson the other day and he is truly optimistic about the job he expects Mike Rooney will do in turning that ship around. There are plenty of new signings and question marks still, as with everyone, but the Mils at least look to start with a bunch of kids in whom they’ll know what they have: Stevenson, a potential league superstar in Luke Nkwama, and local boy Zach McIntyre. Lots to build around there, but lots of building to do too. That fan base in Melville deserves a good product though.
6. Closer to home for me, I really, really like the work Brett Pilkington is doing as the new head coach/GM of the Notre Dame Hounds, and I’m not just saying that because he’s one of my bosses. It is looking like a bit of an older team than we all thought (including me), but still should be on the younger side of the league. That being said, there should be lots of guys that can skate, and a lot of excellent leadership, so I am genuinely excited. Stay tuned!
7. Where will Flon play? I am also hearing that crossing the provincial border back and forth to Manitoba might not come off for the Bombers, so the rumble is that they’ll be playing their home games on the Saskatchewan side of the border in Creighton, minutes away. Not a big deal I guess, but who doesn’t love going to games at the Whitney? Stupid Covid.
8. Welcome to the rest of the world. More and more teams in the SJHL are now on the pay-to-play model, and it’s only going to keep increasing … so get used to it. Most Junior A leagues in Canada work that way, and when I moved here from Ontario, I was just tickled that, by and large, the SJ hadn’t gone that way yet. P-to-P was the absolute normal for years where I’m from (Toronto).
9. Interesting kids. The Top Shelf Prospects Twitter account rightly pointed out the bounty of intriguing 17-year-olds (2003-birth years) expected to at least start the year with SJ teams. https://twitter.com/TSPhockey/status/1300943918213652480 Mike Rooney is already flexing his connecting muscles in Melville, reportedly bringing in the well-thought-of Winnipeg Ice prospect Chase Bertholet, while all NCAA eyes, and perhaps Kamloops Blazers eyes, will be on the Humboldt centre man Karter McNarland, who was outstanding as a 16-year-old a year ago. Long list of interesting guys on that list, including Notre Dame Hound Kevin Anderson, who has all the skill and skating ability he needs to make an impact right away.
10. Can’t wait. Whenever the SJ gets going, and hopefully it is as many seem to expect in mid-October, I think it’ll be a fantastic year with tons of parity, and all sorts of intrigue. Let’s get it going!
(Follow Jamie on Twitter at @Neugsie)
