Two teams, Weyburn and La Ronge, with legendary coaches at the start of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League season are on the outside of the playoff picture and both will have different coaches next season.
Weyburn's Dwight McMillen was relieved of his duties in December and last week La Ronge's Bob Beatty announced he will be stepping down from the Ice Wolves. Beatty has coached the Ice Wolves for nine seasons and led them to their first SJHL championship in 2010. They won it again in 2011.
As for the playoff teams, they are set to get started. The Battlefords North Stars hold the seventh spot in league rankings heading into their playoff series with Melfort. The Mustangs were ranked 10th overall.
In the Sherwood Conference Survivor Series, Kinderlsey has home ice advantage against Estevan.
Humboldt remains the top ranked team in the league followed by Melville, Yorkton, Nipawin, Flin Flon and Notre Dame.
Along with Humboldt being the top ranked team and the co-winners of the regular season championship with Yorkton with 76 points, the SJHL announced the individual winners of the league awards.
Two Melville Millionaires, two Flin Flon Bombers and a Bronco earned the yearly honours.
Melville's Ian McNulty earned the SJHL Player of the Year award, as he led the league in points with 69 in 49 games and helped Melville push for the top spot in the Sherwood Conference. The second place finish puts McNulty and the Millionaires up against Notre Dame in the first round of the playoffs.
McNulty's teammate Alex Wakaluk was named the most valuable player. The Melville goalie was third in the league in goals-against average and had a league-high 28 wins on the highest scoring team in the SJHL. Wakaluk had five assists this season as well. He was second in saves and minutes played in the SJHL.
The Goaltender of the Year award was presented to Humboldt's Matt Hrynkiw. He led the league in goals-against average, save percentage and shutouts. Hrynkiw helped the Broncos to a first place finish in the Bauer Conference after playing 40 games and earning 27 wins.
Former Bronco, Josh Roach was the hands down favourite for the Defenceman of the Year award and it was no surprise the Flin Flon Bomber was the 2012-13 recipiant. He was regularly in the running for defenceman of the week and monthly praise throughout the season. He ended the year with 54 points in 50 games. Roach was second in the league with 41 assists and ninth in overall points. He came up just one vote shy of winning the SJHL MVP award this season as well.
Flin Flon's Brett Boehm was the winner of the Rookie of the Year honour. He led all first year players in points with 54 in 49 games. Boehm was seventh overall in points. There are reports that the rookie's strong play has not only earned him a scholarship to attend Minnesota-Duluth, but that he has a chance to be drafted in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft.
SJHL Players of the Week
Battlefords North Stars defenceman Spencer Gosselin saved his best week of hockey for the final week of the regular season, as he was named the Rookie of the Week. Gosselin had three points in three games last week and ended the year with six goals and 10 assists in 45 games.
Matt Saunderson of Melfort was named the Defenceman of the Week, as he had four assists in two games and helped the Mustangs clinch the final playoff spot in the Bauer Conference.
Flin Flon's Devin Buffalo was named the Goaltender of the Week after two wins over the desperate Ice Wolves. Buffalo's impressive week moved him back into the top five in goaltender stats and gave him his second straight goaltender of the week honour.
Russell Trudeau of the Melville Millionaires was the player of the week. He came within a point of catching teammate McNulty in the league's scoring race with two goals and four assists in the final three games of the season.
