Over 80 Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League alumni made an impact on Canadian University hockey this past year.
Here is a breakdown of a few of the biggest seasons SJHLers had on USports in 2025-25 by conference.
Up next is CanadaWest Part 2, the non-Saskatchewan schools.
There is a long history of Manitobans playing in the SJHL, and that is reflected in the four league alums currently playing with the University of Manitoba Bisons. Kian Calder was a key piece on the back end of the 2021-22 SJHL Champion Estevan Bruins, and has played 42 games for his home province’s club the last two years. Lucas Fry faced Calder as a member of the Flin Flon Bombers in that year’s league final, and went on a run to the final the next year as well, before he joined the Bisons in 2023. Nipawin Hawks’ alum goaltender Ross Hawryluk represented the SJHL in the 2020 CJHL Top Prospects Game and has gone on to make 36 appearances for Manitoba since 2022. Former Humboldt Bronco and La Ronge Ice Wolf Josh Paulhus is also a regular part of the Bisons’ forward corps.
MacEwan University in Edmonton has a roster that’s mostly all Alberta boys, including ex-Flin Flon Bombers forward Ethan Mercer, who was a solid pickup by Mike Reagan and company during the 2022-23 SJHL campaign.
Mount Royal University is making huge strides as a hockey school these days, and their massive run to the national tournament this year is owed a lot to the brilliant rookie campaign of Flin Flon Bombers’ alum Justin Lies. The Flin Flon local did not miss a beat from his dominant 20-year-old season in the SJHL, posting 36 points in 34 CanadaWest contests a year ago. Notre Dame Hounds alum Tim Gould and ex Melfort Mustangs’ captain Leith Olafson had great years as well on the back end, while former Yorkton man Vaughan Watterodt, ex-Flin Flon and Melville forward Jaxon Martens, and the 2024 SJHL SaskTel Goaltender of the Year Harmon Laser-Hume, formerly of Nipawin and Flin Flon, were all in the MRU mix as well.
The University of British Columbia had an excellent season as well, and was backstopped by former Humboldt ‘AP’ Brett Mirwald. Terrific former two-way Melfort Mustangs forward Tian Rask had another solid campaign in Vancouver, while Humboldt Broncos alums James Form and Ben Kotylak were in the picture too.
To pick a CanadaWest West club to cheer for by an SJHL neutral, Trinity Western might be your best bet. Great Melville and Humboldt alums Luke Spadafora had a breakout season, scoring 11 goals and accumulating 19 points in 28 games, earning a professional spot in the English league. Former Melville Millionaires captain Jonathan Krahn also broke out with 19 points. At the same time, ex-Humboldt and Notre Dame defenceman Zack Whittaker parlayed his great skill and remarkable character into a 14-point campaign from the back end after his transfer from NCAA D3. Nipawin alum Artem Hrabovetskyi, former Melville man Aidan Steinke, and ex-Estevan defenceman Kade McMillen were all productive as well for the Spartans. La Ronge Ice Wolves alumnus Lleyton Shearon took his first steps in University hockey as well, after a tough, injury-filled 2023-24 campaign in the SJHL.
