The 2024-25 Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League campaign begins Friday, Sept. 20. Despite a first-round exit last year against the eventual Canterra Seeds Cup champions, the Estevan Bruins and their head coach and general manager Jason Tatarnic prove year after year that they can rebuild and reload on the fly.
Tatarnic’s team peaked heading into the post-season a campaign ago. Although they lost a lot of top talent to graduation, he has also shown that his contacts North America-wide to restock the Bruins’ cupboards are as impressive as any coach in the SJHL.
Still, Estevan lost its Top nine scorers and both goaltenders from a year ago, so it will be up to a very fresh group to gel quickly and put on the club’s usual impressive show at the always-gorgeous Affinity Place.
Let’s take a look at some key numbers from the last regular season for the Bruins:
Record: 26-26-2-2 (56 pts, 7th place)
Special Teams: PP: 20.5% (6th); PK: 76.3% (10th)
Goal Differential: GF: 190 (6th); GA: 212 (8th); Diff: -22
Special Teams Frequency: Power-Play Opportunities: 259 (9th); Times Shorthanded: 257 (5th)
Goaltender Stats from 23-24:
Cam Hrdlicka, 13-13-2, 3.37 GAA, .896 SV%, 0 SO
Jackson Miller, 13-12-2, 3.55 GAA, .887 SV%, 0 SO
Top Scorers from 23-24:
Ilia Chmelevski: 55GP, 30G, 37A, 67PTS
Keagon Little: 49GP, 12G, 50A, 62PTS
Felix Allard: 54GP, 20G, 34A, 54PTS
Raine Hodge: 55GP, 15G, 27A, 42PTS
Owen Barrow: 53GP, 18G, 22A, 40PTS
With the excitement around new goaltenders Liam Hallet and Ben Polhill and a fairly experienced defence corps led by returners Owen Simmons and Kaelen Whittingham, the Bruins will expect to do a good job keeping the puck out of their own net. What will have to be proven is on the other side of the ice, where veteran Cade Kennedy will look to lead a group of young and promising fresh faces.
SJHL Co-Director of Media Clark Munroe sat down with Coach Tatarnic ahead of the 24/25 season and asked his thoughts on the upcoming year.
