The SJHL Power Rankings are decided each and every week by a group of SJHL broadcasters and will be released each Tuesday.
1. Battlefords North Stars 44-4-2-1 (Last Week 1st) – It was a 3 win week for the 1st place Battlefords North Stars as they continued their domination at the Access Communications Centre. The team officially locked up 1st overall and the Global Ag Risk Division Friday, and now the Stars have locked up home ice advantage throughout the 2023 playoffs. Kian Bell had an impressive week with 7 goals and 6 assists, including a 5 goal performance against the Terriers Tuesday. The Stars will be on the ice twice this weekend for a highly anticipated home and home with the Humboldt Broncos.
2. Humboldt Broncos 35-13-1-0 (Last Week 2nd) – Speaking of the Humboldt Broncos, they had their 7 game winning streak snapped Friday night in Nipawin, but were able to bounce back the next night at home in the re-match. With 1st place now all locked up, the Broncos have their eyes set on securing 2nd place in the SJHL standings going into the post-season as they currently sit tied with the Flin Flon Bombers with 71 points. The Broncos do have a game in hand though. This week could decide 2nd as the Broncos host the Bombers Wednesday night at the EPA before Humboldt faces Battlefords in a home and home.
3. Flin Flon Bombers 34-13-2-1 (Last Week 3rd) – For the Flin Flon Bombers, they will also play 3 games this week. After winning all 3 of their games this past week, the Bombers will look to make it 4 straight Tuesday night when they visit the Yorkton Terriers. They will then be in Humboldt Wednesday for that crucial game against the Broncos and then close out the week with a home game Friday against the Nipawin Hawks.
4. Melfort Mustangs 28-15-5-3 (Last Week 4th) – It’s more and more likely we will see the Melfort Mustangs and La Ronge Ice Wolves meet in the first round of the playoffs this year, and if this past weekend was any indication, fans will be in for a treat. The two clubs split their home and home over the weekend, with the road team winning both games. The two clubs are separated by just one point, but Melfort does have a pair of games in hand. The Mustangs could solidify home ice advantage in the first round this week with a trio of home games against Kindersley, La Ronge, and Nipawin.
5. La Ronge Ice Wolves 30-18-3-2 (Last Week 5th) – The Ice Wolves only have 3 games left in the regular season and just one of those games will be this week. The club sits one point up on Melfort for 4th in the SJHL and the Wolves will need some help if they want to start the first round at the Mel. The good news for La Ronge is their one game this week is against the team they are battling with for home ice, the Melfort Mustangs.
6. Estevan Bruins 26-21-3-2 (Last Week 7th) – The Estevan Bruins got back on track this week with a pair of wins against the Melville Millionaires and Yorkton Terriers. Reigning Sasktel Goalie of the Week Cam Hrdlicka was superb for the defending SJHL champs, allowing just 3 goals in two games and now the Bruins have officially clinched a spot in the 2023 post-season. Thanks to some help from the Flin Flon Bombers over the weekend, the Bruins control their own destiny when it comes to securing the Viterra division title. The Bruins will face the Notre Dame Hounds in a home and home this week.
7. Nipawin Hawks 23-22-4-1 (Last Week 8th) – In a potential playoff preview over the weekend, the Nipawin Hawks more than held their own against the Humboldt Broncos as they earned a split. Nipawin is now two points up on the Weyburn Red Wings for 7th, and the Hawks are inching closer and closer to clinching a playoff spot. The Hawks will be busy this week as they host Kindersley Tuesday, visit Melville Wednesday, travel to Flin Flon Friday, and have a matinee Sunday against the Melfort Mustangs.
8. Weyburn Red Wings 23-24-2-1 (Last Week 6th) – Despite the Weyburn Red Wings losing both of their games in Flin Flon over the weekend, the team is closer to clinching a spot in the post-season. However, they are now two points back of Nipawin for 7th with 6 games to go in the regular season. Weyburn will be on the road Tuesday for a big game against the Notre Dame Hounds and then will head west to Kindersley for a pair of games this weekend.
9. Notre Dame Hounds 17-25-4-2 (Last Week 9th) – 9 points back with 8 games to go. The Notre Dame Hounds are in must win territory after a pair of losses over the weekend in Kindersley and Battlefords. The Hounds host the Weyburn Red Wings Tuesday night in the 2nd last meeting of the season between the two clubs. They will then have a home and home with Estevan to wrap up the week.
10. Kindersley Klippers 13-30-2-5 (Last Week 11th) – It was a tough start to the week in Kindersley with the news of former Head Coach and GM Ken Plaquin parting ways with the team, but after a narrow loss to Yorkton Wednesday, the Klippers bounced back for Interim Head Coach Tyler Traptow with wins over Notre Dame and Melville. Kindersley will look to make it 3 wins in a row Tuesday in Nipawin against the Hawks. They will then be in Melfort Wednesday, and home to Weyburn Saturday and Sunday.
11. Yorkton Terriers 16-33-0-1 (Last Week 12th) – After suffering a lopsided loss to the Battlefords North Stars Tuesday night, the Terriers responded with a 5-4 win in Kindersley the following night. It was the Terriers first win in regulation since mid December. Yorkton will be back on the ice Tuesday against Flin Flon, before a home and home with the Melville Millionaires this weekend.
12. Melville Millionaires 13-31-5-1 (Last Week 11th) – It was a difficult and rough week for the Melville Millionaires as they lost all three of their games, with two of them being lopsided. The Mills will return home this week for a meeting with the Nipawin Hawks on Wednesday and then begin a home and home with Yorkton on Friday.
