The 2024-25 Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League campaign begins Friday, and for the Flin Flon Bombers, fresh off another disappointing end to the league final, it cannot come soon enough.
Head coach and general manager Mike Reagan and his squad dominated from the start a year ago with an array of talent not often seen in the league; they finished with a full 11 more points in the standings than second-place Melfort and gave up a remarkable 29 fewer goals by year-end than anyone else in the league. Although the pain of falling three times in a row in the championship must be intense, the credit for consistently getting there and icing one of the best Junior A clubs in Canada year after year is even more well deserved.
League all-star fixtures like Jacob Vockler, Alexi Sylvestre, Harmon Laser-Hume, and Noah Houle are gone, as are one-year stars like Justin Lies and Adam McNutt, but Reagan has proven year after year to retool in more-than-impressive fashion, and this beloved club’s reputation is as impressive as any in Canada.
Carter Anderson is back and was one of the most dynamic and dangerous offensive threats in the league a season ago; expectations for him should be off the charts. Anthony Piccininno and Koen Senft are also returners looking to thrive in larger roles, while dependable defender Cole Tanchuk is one of the very few in the SJHL lately expected to play a fourth full season in the league.
As always, the expectations are for the Bombers to be there or thereabouts at the end of the season.
Let’s look at some key numbers from the last regular season for Flin Flon.
Record: 44-9-2-1 (91 pts, 1st place)
Special Teams: PP: 26.1% (1st); PK: 87.7% (1st)
Goal Differential: GF: 244 (3rd); GA: 129 (1st); Diff: +115
Special Teams Frequency: Power-Play Opportunities: 283 (1st); Times Shorthanded: 244 (12th)
Goaltender Stats from 23-24
Harmon Laser-Hume, 28-6-2, 2.20 GAA, .930 SV%, 3 SO
Kenneth Marquart, 16-3-1, 2.17 GAA, .931 SV%, 4 SO
Top Scorers from 23-24:
Justin Lies: 55GP, 41G, 35A, 76PTS
Jacob Vockler: 53GP, 22G, 51A, 73PTS
Alexi Sylvestre: 56GP, 32G, 40A, 72PTS
Noah Houle: 52GP, 12G, 56A, 68PTS
Carter Anderson: 40GP, 36G, 26A, 62PTS
Reagan has been quoted as saying he genuinely loves his recruiting class this year, led by big-time young prospects Rhett Ewen up front and Emerson Clark on the back end. Kenneth Marquart had a terrific season a year ago and should be considered an early candidate for SaskTel Goaltender of the Year in the campaign ahead.
SJHL Co-Director of Media Clark Munroe sat down with Coach Reagan ahead of the 24/25 season and asked his thoughts on the upcoming year.
