There is just over a month left in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League season and things are about to become very fun.
After approximately 40 games each there have been a number of things decided, and plenty more still to figure out.
At this point we can say with almost 100 per cent certainty that the ten playoff teams have already been decided.
Yorkton and La Ronge hold down 11th and 12th place respectively with Yorkton nine points out of the playoffs, and La Ronge ten back.
Of course then we look up the standings only slightly and we see Melville almost assuredly locked into tenth, as they sit eight back of Flin Flon, and Flin Flon and Kindersley left fighting for eighth as they are separated by just one point, but sit 11 back of Weyburn for seventh.
You might be thinking, so how is this going to be fun when all those teams have no where to go?
The fun actually comes at the top with the battle for first and the battle to stay in the top six.
The battle for first is a three horse race, with Nipawin holding the top spot, thanks to an incredible 21-0-1-1 stretch since early November, Battlefords sitting seven points back with four games in hand, and Melfort just eight back with a game in hand and five games left against the Hawks.
Any of those three are more than capable of winning the league.
That will be a fun race.
But the race I am most interested in, as well as other local SJHL fans, is the race for third, fifth, sixth, and seventh.
Four teams currently sit separated by just six points.
Three of those teams will make the playoffs, while the final combatant will be forced to go through the survivor series.
Currently the Estevan Bruins have the inside track on third, as they hold a six point edge on Weyburn, the only team capable of passing them in the standings, due to the division winners earning a top three seed.
Then there is the battle for fifth between the Humboldt Broncos, Notre Dame Hounds, and Weyburn Red Wings.
The Hounds currently sit in fifth place, but are just a single point ahead of the Broncos.
Those two teams play three more times this season, with two of them in Wilcox.
Then there are the Red Wings, who sit just three back of the Broncos, with a game in hand, and two more visits to the EPA still to make.
The race for fifth will not be easy for the Broncos but they do hold all the playing cards.
With three games left against the Hounds, and two against the Red Wings they have plenty of opportunity to try and separate themselves from the pack.
Of course, their schedule is a bit of a gauntlet down the stretch.
The green and gold have 16 games remaining this season, and play the nine of those 16 games against teams ahead of them in the standings.
How the Broncos do in those games will go a long way in deciding their fate.
The stretch drive to the SJHL playoffs is here and if you are a fan of exciting hockey and great finishes, you are in for a treat.
The Broncos and Hounds, and Stars and Hawks wrap their seasons playing each other in their final games.
The SJHL schedule makers knew what they were doing.
This is going to be a fun end to the season.
