Welcome to a new day.
When the puck drops on Sept. 19 at 7:00 P.M. at the Warman Home Centre Communiplex, it will be the first time since 1993 that a new team makes its Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League debut.
The SJHL Board of Governors approved the relocation of the Notre Dame Hounds to the Saskatoon suburb back in February, and received their official clearance from the City of Warman in June, setting the stage for their opener against the Humboldt Broncos.
Notre Dame’s list players, prospects, and draft picks have been transferred to the Wolverines, as has head coach and general manager Brett Pilkington, who had been ND’s bench boss since the 2020-21 campaign.
Last year was a struggle for a very young Hounds squad, which lost 20 of its final 21 contests. However, its last-placed finish did secure the Wolverines the first overall pick in last June’s 2025 SJHL Draft.
Let’s take a look at some key numbers from the last regular season for ND:
Despite what is sure to be an incredible venue and community for a successful team, Pilkington’s job is still cut out for him to rebuild this squad into a contender, with the noted uptick in pressure and expectations that come with a new franchise, fan base, and ownership group. Speedster Hudson Kerr and last year’s key trade-deadline acquisition Evin Bossel look to play key roles up front, while the hard-hitting Pherson Loehndorf will be a piece for Pilkington to build around on the back end.
SJHL Co-Director of Media Jamie Neugebauer sat down with Head Coach and General Manager Brett Pilkington in the SCSA Coaches’ Show ahead of the 25/26 season and got his thoughts on the upcoming year.
