The SJHL Power Rankings are decided each and every week by a group of SJHL broadcasters and will be released each Tuesday. This week marks the final week of the Power Rankings for the 22/23 SJHL season.
1. Battlefords North Stars 45-5-2-1 (Last Week 1st) – It was a great weekend of hockey between the Battlefords North Stars and the Humboldt Broncos as the two clubs split their home and home this weekend. Battlefords has officially locked up the Global Ag Risk division and 1st place in the SJHL, so there isn’t anything to play for in the final week of the season for the Stars. However, they will be busy. They host Nipawin on Tuesday and then play a home and home with the Kindersley Klippers this weekend.
2. Humboldt Broncos 37-14-1-0 (Last Week 2nd) – The Humboldt Broncos will be the only team to finish the regular season with a winning record against every team in the SJHL after they earned a 5-3 win on the road Friday night. Unlike the Stars, the Broncos have lots to play for in the final week of the season. They are currently battling with the Flin Flon Bombers for 2nd place in the SJHL. They will be home to Weyburn Wednesday, play a home and home with Yorkton this weekend, and then wrap up the season against Notre Dame on Tuesday.
3. Flin Flon Bombers 33-16-2-2 (Last Week 3rd) – It’s an important week of games for the Flin Flon Bombers as they look to secure 2nd place in the SJHL standings. They host the Melfort Mustangs Tuesday and then face the La Ronge Ice Wolves in a home and home to close out the regular season. The Bombers locked up the Sherwood division over the weekend and will finish either 2nd or 3rd in SJHL standings going into the playoffs.
4. La Ronge Ice Wolves 31-18-3-2 (Last Week 5th) – It was a statement game for the La Ronge Ice Wolves Friday night as they blew out the Melfort Mustangs 6-1 at the Northern Lights Palace in Melfort. The Ice Wolves and Mustangs will meet in the first round of the playoffs, but where that series starts has yet to be determined. La Ronge will close out the season with a home and home with the Flin Flon Bombers beginning on Friday.
5. Melfort Mustangs 29-16-5-4 (Last Week 4th) – After a win over the Kindersley Klippers Wednesday, the Melfort Mustangs missed a golden opportunity to secure 4th place in the SJHL standings over the weekend as they fell to the La Ronge Ice Wolves in regulation Friday and then the Nipawin Hawks Sunday in a shootout. As a result, the Mustangs and Ice Wolves are tied for 4th going into the final week of the regular season. Melfort will be in Flin Flon Tuesday and then close the season in Nipawin on Friday.
6. Estevan Bruins 27-22-3-2 (Last Week 6th) – The Estevan Bruins split their games against the Notre Dame Hounds this week and now they are on the verge of locking up both the Viterra division and 6th place in the SJHL standings. With a point on Wednesday against Melville or a Weyburn loss, the Bruins will secure the Viterra division crown. The Bruins will then finish the campaign on Saturday when they visit the Weyburn Red Wings.
7. Nipawin Hawks 26-23-4-1 (Last Week 7th) – A playoff spot was secured for the Nipawin Hawks over the weekend and going into this week the Hawks could finish anywhere from 6-8 at the end of the regular season. However, that picture will get much clearer depending on how Tuesday night’s game goes between the Hawks and the 1st place North Stars. Nipawin will then wrap up the regular season at home Friday against Melfort.
8. Weyburn Red Wings 25-25-2-1 (Last Week 8th) – The Weyburn Red Wings are on the verge of clinching a playoff spot. The earliest they can get an “X” beside their name is Tuesday night if the Notre Dame Hounds lose in regulation to the Yorkton Terriers. If not, the Wings could clinch a playoff spot when they return to the ice Wednesday in Humboldt. Weyburn also still has an outside shot of finishing 7th, if they win their last 3 games and Nipawin loses their last two. The Wings will also be home to Notre Dame Thursday and Estevan Saturday.
9. Notre Dame Hounds 19-26-4-2 (Last Week 9th) – It’s do or die for the Notre Dame Hounds this week. They need to win out for their best shot at making the SJHL playoffs. It all begins Tuesday night when they visit the Yorkton Terriers. Other games over the next 8 days for the Hounds include Thursday in Weyburn, Saturday in Melville, Sunday at home to Melville and next Tuesday (Mar 14th) against Humboldt.
10. Yorkton Terriers 18-34-0-1 (Last Week 11th) – It was a feel good weekend for the Yorkton Terriers as they swept their final weekend series against their Highway 10 rivals, the Melville Millionaires. Pavel Mackenzie had an excellent weekend, netting 4 goals and adding 3 assists, which earned him SGEU MVP of the Week honours. The Terriers will wrap up the season this week with a home game against Notre Dame Tuesday and a home and home with Humboldt.
11. Kindersley Klippers 13-32-4-5 (Last Week 10th) – The Kindersley Klippers probably deserved a bit of a better fate this past weekend in two losses to the Weyburn Red Wings. Despite being eliminated from the playoffs, the Klippers continue to play hard down the stretch as they build for next season. The Klippers finish the year with a home and home against the North Stars.
12. Melville Millionaires 13-34-5-1 (Last Week 12th) – Despite the two losses to the Yorkton Terriers over the weekend, the Melville Millionaires ended up claiming the “Parks Cup” which the two Highway 10 rivals compete for each and every year. Melville will wrap up the year this week with games in Estevan Wednesday, at home to Notre Dame Saturday, and on the road in Wilcox Sunday.
