SJHL Showcase a chance to get noticed by scouts

The SJHL expects to have about 200 scouts from various levels of hockey in attendance at its annual Showcase in Warman.

The Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League s hosting its annual SJHL Showcase in Warman Sept. 25-28. skynesher / iStock / Getty Images Plus / Getty Images

WARMAN — The Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League is ensuring its players are in the spotlight next week.

The Junior A hockey league is hosting its annual SJHL Showcase in Warman Sept. 25-28. The SJHL expects to have about 200 scouts from various levels of hockey in attendance. All 12 league teams will play two games at the Legends Centre. The contests count in the regular season standings.

“The Showcase is always a great event early in the season,” Humboldt Broncos head coach Scott Barney said. “It gives all our players an opportunity to be noticed by (NCAA) D1, D3 and U Sports. It also gives the coaching staff an opportunity to see all the teams in the league live, which is way more beneficial then watching video. Anytime our players can be involved in an event like this it’s positive and many benefits come out of it.”

The SJHL Showcase attracts scouts from a variety of higher levels of hockey, including the U.S.-based NCAA and the Canadian U Sports and Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference. Scouts from the National Hockey League and the major junior Western Hockey League will also be in attendance. Sometimes scouts identify players at the Showcase and then monitor their development over the season. In some cases, the event provides the place for the first meeting between a player and a team that later on leads to a scholarship offer.

“Last season almost 25 per cent of our players successfully transitioned to a post-secondary hockey opportunity. This is outstanding,” said SJHL commissioner Kyle McIntyre on the SJHL website. “It is my hope that the SJHL provides an opportunity to assist all of our players to make successful transitions to post-secondary hockey opportunities including at the U Sports, ACAC and NCAA levels and more successful transitions from hockey to the world of work and life. This season many of our teams are celebrating 30, 40 and 50 years of SJHL hockey. Hockey is alive and well in our 12 communities.”

Fans across the province can watch the Showcase thanks to partnerships with SaskTel and Bamboo Shoots. Games will be broadcast live on SaskTel maxTV and maxTV Stream channels 48 and 34.

In Warman, 400 elementary students from the community will attend games on Monday morning and create a unique atmosphere. Throughout the event, players form the Saskatoon Minor Hockey's U15A division will be in attendance.

During the Showcase, the league will highlight its new partnership with the U15A division. As well, there will be player safety presentations during the event.

Bethune’s Trenton Curtis has played in various showcase events over the years, including during his time with the U18 AAA Tisdale Trojans and now with the Melfort Mustangs.

“It’s definitely a very exciting couple days,” he said. “It usually happens at the start of the season, so you get to watch all the other teams and kind of get a good look at the league. Also playing in that rink is pretty cool. It’s definitely one of my favourite rinks to play in and they usually have a pretty good atmosphere at all the games. It’s for sure a fun way to start off the season.”