The Battlefords North Stars will be the hunted instead of the hunters in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League this season.
After winning their first league title in 17 years back in April, the other 11 teams in the SJHL will be trying to knock the North Stars off their perch and prevent them from repeating as Canalta Cup champions.
“We’ve been one of the top teams in the league for the last two years, so we’re kind of used to that,” third year North Stars defenceman Levi Kleiboer said during the team’s annual golf tournament at Jackfish Lodge Friday.
“We have hard practices throughout the week and we’re a team that always works hard during games, so we know what it takes to have a chance for a championship.”
This year’s North Stars squad will be looking to have a much better outcome than the last time the franchise looked to defend the SJHL title, as they missed the playoffs for the first time in seven years back in 2001.
They will be doing so with a new coaching staff behind the bench, as Brandon Heck takes over the head coach and general manager duties from Nate Bedford and Boyd Wakelin has been brought in as the new assistant coach to replace Braeden Johnson.
“We’re kind of used to the coaching changes a little bit after Nate took over from Kevin [Hasselberg] last year,” Kleiboer said.
“We have a good group of veterans that are here now so I’m sure we’ll help guide the guys a little bit as they get used to things.”
Kleiboer will be among those on the team who will move into a prominent leadership role for the North Stars this season, as captain Kendall Fransoo has moved on from the junior ranks along with assistant captains Reed Delainey, Logan Nachtegaele and Connor Sych.
“They were the best leaders in the league and the lessons that I learned from those guys is something I hope to do with the newer guys joining our team,” Kleiboer said.
Among those new faces joining the North Stars will be Maidstone native Josh Sielsky, who was acquired by the North Stars in June in a trade with the Neepawa Natives of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League.
“I’m honestly so thankful for the opportunity to come here,” Sielsky said. “I’m close to my friends and family and I was extremely motivated to be better for this coming season with the trade happening right at the start of the off-season.
In his first year in Junior A, the 18-year-old forward had a busy season he as started the year with the SJHL’s Nipawin Hawks before getting dealt to the Portage Terriers prior to joining the Natives.
He finished the season with 17 points in 39 games and got a taste of the pressure packed situations that comes with playoff hockey as the Natives made a late run just to make it to the post-season for the first time since 2010.
“We had to win seven out of our last 10 games to get the final playoff spot and we were able to sneak in there,” Sielsky said.
“I think that experience helped me out a lot going forward, especially as I join the North Stars. I know a lot of the guys that are on the team and I think it will a pretty fun year.”
The North Stars will open up their fall camp with fitness testing on Wednesday, Aug. 30, with on-ice scrimmages taking place Thursday and Friday at the Civic Centre.
The team will hold their black and white game Saturday at 1 p.m. before opening up their pre-season schedule a night later with a visit to the Bonnyville Pontiacs of the Alberta Junior Hockey League.
Both sides will then square off at the Civic Centre on Monday, Sept. 4 at 7:30 p.m.
In other North Stars news, the team made a minor trade this past week in addition to the deal that saw Ben Allen dealt to the Penticton Vees.
Forward Keelan Saworski, who suited up in just two games for the team last year after a deal with the Melfort Mustangs last November, was dealt to the Kindersley Klippers for future considerations.
