The 2026 SJHL Playoffs, presented by UPL, begin Friday, March 20, 2026!
Here’s how each team matches up in their respective series going into the start of the post-season, with a few burning questions from each.
#1 Flin Flon Bombers vs. #8 Estevan Bruins
Burning Questions:
- The regular-season series between these two was highly emotional: which team will harness and use that emotion the right way?
- Both teams were offensively very dangerous, but Estevan was ninth in the league in goals-against; what tactics will they use to slow down Flin Flon’s second-highest scoring offence?
- Flin Flon has clinched first for a couple of weeks; how ready will they be for meaningful games again?
- How healthy are the Bombers, who were crushed with injuries late in the season?
- Who on the Bombers will get the assignment to try to slow down the Ewan Rennie line with Rylan Williams and Cash Olson; perhaps the best line in the SJHL?
#2 Yorkton Terriers vs. #7 Melville Millionaires
Burning Questions:
- Whose playing style will be the norm in this series? Yorkton’s high-octane style, or Melville’s more methodical one?
- The key match-up will be Melville’s top defence-pair of Boston Harkness and Wesley Golden up against Yorkton’s top line centred by Gabriel Courchesne…who has a better series?
- Both No. 1 goaltenders, Yorkton’s Callum Creig and Melville’s Matt Spencer-Dahl, proved to be elite in the regular season. At the same time, neither has been the main man on a playoff run, so who will emerge the better?
- The Highway 10 rivalry is always emotional, even more so in the playoffs: who will maintain discipline and use that emotion the right way?
#3 Battlefords North Stars vs. #6 Melfort Mustangs
Burning Questions:
- Which of these teams are actually the favourites/underdogs? The No. 3 seed, who have been terrific all year, or the No. 6 seed, who are the two-time defending champions and have been white hot since the trade deadline?
- Will Melfort run in net with Madden Mulawka and his experience, or the younger Kason Kobelka and his regular-season magnificence?
- The North Stars’ top pair of Gavin Granger and Linken Fisher have been brilliant all year, but how will they withstand the pounding they are going to get from Melfort’s forecheck?
- Does Melfort, who scored the third fewest goals in the whole league in regular season, have enough offence to make the high-powered Stars?
#4 Nipawin Hawks vs. #5 Weyburn Red Wings
Burning Questions:
- How much does Weyburn’s playoff experience from last year’s run to the final matter, especially when up against a Nipawin team with limited experience?
- Both teams had terrific seasons and proved able to beat anyone on a given day, but both have also struggled to hit their top form consistently down the stretch: who will show up more often?
- Who will win in the matchup between Nipawin’s top line centred by Eric Hoiness with Mason Karakochuk and Sean Shiels, and Weyburn’s top pair featuring Rylan Pearce and Josh Karman?
- The Hawks were totally dominant at home, and .500 on the road; will they be able to win in Weyburn? Will they need to?
- Which Joey Rocha will show up in Weyburn’s net?
Be sure to follow the SJHL on X (@theSJHL), Instagram (@sjhlhockey), and on Facebook today for all your SJHL Playoff content, and get your FloHockey subscriptions to catch all the action at FloHockey.TV.
Be sure to tune in to SJHL Weekly’s Playoff Preview Show at 1:15 P.M. ST as our co-Directors of Media Jamie Neugebauer and Clark Munroe break all down all the Round 1 matchups and present the season awards!
