This Season’s First Source Embroidery SJHL Power Rankings

Welcome to the first power rankings of the 2024-25 campaign! Although the season is two games old for all teams, the action has already been red hot!

The power rankings are decided by a group of SJHL media.

1. Melfort Mustangs (2-0)

The defending champions might have lost their top line, top pair and starting goalie, but they certainly haven’t missed a beat. They found a way on opening night to rally and win in overtime against a determined La Ronge Ice Wolves club up in La Ronge and then stepped it up, even more, to hammer the Flin Flon Bombers at home Saturday in a finals rematch. Melfort’s balanced attack was led by Logan Belton’s five points and was backstopped by terrific goaltending from Kristian Coombs.

2. Humboldt Broncos (2-0)

The new-look Broncos, freshly led by club legend, head coach, and general manager Brayden Klimosko, maintained their dominance in the decade over the Notre Dame Hounds. Boris Kofman’s six points paced Humboldt to 6-3 and 7-1 wins in their home-and-home with the Hounds to open the campaign. They did not appear to miss a beat after Scott Barney’s departure.

3. Yorkton Terriers (2-0)

The Terriers promised to be as loaded this year as they have been this decade and wasted no time showing it with two wins over Viterra Division rival Weyburn Red Wings. Friday’s home opener went all their way, as newly minted captain Jaron Desnoyers scored four times in a dominating 6-1 win. Sunday afternoon in Weyburn was tighter, but despite going down 2-0 after one, roared back with four straight goals en route to a 5-3 victory. Renovations look great at the Westland Arena.

4. Melville Millionaires (2-0)

Just like their Highway 10 rivals 30 minutes up the road, the Mils look to be flying after Week 1. Two wins over their Viterra Division rival Estevan Bruins this past weekend were highlighted by five goals from the newly arrived Ryan Roethke in the two games. Linemate and captain Caden Drury also counted six points, the mostly-returner-based defence corps looks terrific, and the arrival of Raiden Zacharias from Everett of the Western Hockey League looks to be paying off right away. Times are good in the Parkland Region.

5. Kindersley Klippers (2-0)

The post-Logan Linklater/Tylin Hilbig era is underway in Kindersley. After two hard-fought wins over their west-Sask rival Battlefords North Stars, it has to be considered ‘so-far-so-good’ at the Inter Pipeline Arena. Alex Mack’s three goals led the way, but contributions came from all over the line-up of third-year head coach/GM Clayton Jardine. The victories are even more impressive given the apparent long-term injury of No. 1 goaltender Cody Jaman, though deputy Brett O’Halloran did very well in his absence.

6. Flin Flon Bombers (1-1)

Head coach and general manager Mike Reagan’s men blasted shot after shot at the Nipawin net in the home opener Friday. They overcame a tremendous performance from Hawk netminder Tyson Endall with a 4-3 victory. Saturday’s trip to Melfort’s Northern Lights Palace, where the campaign ended for the Bombers in Game 6 of the final a year ago, was not the revenge trip it was hoped to be; Flin Flon gave up four goals in the second period, and could not stop the bleeding en route to a 6-2 defeat. The season is young, and while not ideal, certainly Reagan will use this early wake-up call to good effect.

7. La Ronge Ice Wolves (1-0-1)

The Wolves gave the defending champs all they could handle in La Ronge’s home opener Friday, where they held a 2-1 lead late into the second period and received an outstanding goaltending performance from Logan Falk. The next night in Nipawin, the Wolves needed an even better night in net from Graham Brown and got it, as the new Ice Wolf and SJHLer helped La Ronge to a tight 3-2 win at the Cage.

8. Nipawin Hawks (0-2)

Tyson Endall was spectacular at the season opener in Flin Flon’s Whitney Forum Friday and made an incredible 59 saves in the effort. It was not enough to earn the young Hawks any points, and they could very well be considered the hardest-luck squad in the league to start the year as they dropped another one-goal game despite a strong performance the next night at home to the La Ronge Ice Wolves.

9. Battlefords North Stars (0-2)

Two losses to their west-Saskatchewan and Nutrien Division rival Kindersley Klippers were not at all what the perennial powerhouse North Stars had in mind, even given the departure of long-time head coach/general manager Brayden Klimosko in the off-season. On both legs of the home-and-away tie, the Stars went down 2-0 in the first but showed all sorts of character and resolve to try to rally and get something from the games. On both occasions, the Klips could hold on, but there was still something to build off at the Access Communications Centre.

10. Weyburn Red Wings (0-2)

The Weyburn Red Wings made all sorts of roster moves in and out in the off-season and pre-season, so it stands to reason that this is a work in progress. Two losses to their Viterra Division rival, Yorkton Terriers, were not ideal. Still, the club played much better in Sunday afternoon home-opening defeat, and head coach/GM Cody Mapes won’t stop tinkering with this roster until he gets it right. Few teams bounced back from setbacks a year ago, like the Wings, so they will be ones to watch for sure next weekend.

11. Estevan Bruins (0-2)

With the club’s Top 9 scorers, Top 4 defencemen and both goaltenders gone, it should not be a surprise that there might be a feeling out process at the Affinity Place this year. Two losses to Melville to start the year hurt, but club boss Jason Tatarnic has already brought in two new defencemen since the weekend, so expect this team to keep morphing as the season goes on. New Bruin Rorey Elson led the way, as the southern Ontario-born forward notched two goals over the weekend.

12. Notre Dame Hounds (0-2)

Two heavy losses to the far more experienced Humboldt Broncos to start a regular season are somewhat par for the course for the Hounds since the beginning of the 2020s. Still, the positive performances of the young line of Hudson Kerr between league rookie-scoring leader Ian Bours and Neka Jean have to be a source of hope in Wilcox. It does not get any easier for the Hounds, though, as a home-and-home with Melville looms next week.