The 2024-25 Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League campaign begins Friday, Sept. 20, and for the Melville Millionaires, after a terrific turnaround campaign a year ago that saw them make the playoffs for the first time since 2018, it cannot start soon enough.
Head coach and general manager Doug Johnson enters his second season at the helm of the Mils with a cupboard full of returning impact players. The club’s momentum was building midway through last year’s campaign, and by the time the club was sealed as the No. 5 team in the league and the Viterra Division champions, the rink was full.
Few teams can boast five defencemen back, plus two of their top three scorers in Caden Drury and Jadon Iyogun, so if they can find a goaltender to replace the magnificent season Will Dyke gave them, the sky should be the limit for the Moneymen.
Let’s take a look at some key numbers from the last regular season for the Millionaires.
Record: 32-23-0-1 (65 pts, 5th place)
Special Teams: PP: 16.9% (10th); PK: 77.2% (9th)
Goal Differential: GF: 183 (8th); GA: 179 (4th); Diff: +4
Special Teams Frequency: Power-Play Opportunities: 266 (6th); Times Shorthanded: 254 (7th)
Goaltender Stats from 23-24:
Will Dyke, 24-13-1, 2.88 GAA, .908 SV%, 5 SO
Ethan Rau, 8-10-0, 3.51 GAA, .890 SV%, 0 SO
Top Scorers from 23-24:
Caden Drury: 55GP, 17G, 35A, 52PTS
Luc Bydal: 52GP, 23G, 24A, 47PTS
Jadon Iyogun: 48GP, 23G, 21A, 44PTS
Colby Ball: 52GP, 12G, 25A, 37PTS
Kole Keen: 52GP, 10G, 25A, 35PTS
SJHL Co-Director of Media Clark Munroe sat down with Coach Johnson ahead of the 24/25 season and asked his thoughts on the upcoming year.
