Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League

Source Embroidery Power Rankings, Jan. 21, 2025

Deep into January! Here we go.

A group of SJHL media decides the power rankings.

1. Melfort Mustangs (31-5-0) (Last week 1st)

Another two games, another two wins. The Mustangs had to rally from down 3-1 midway through the second in Yorkton, but they found a way. This train isn’t slowing down.

2. Flin Flon Bombers (25-9-3) (Last week 2nd)

A two-game home set vs. Kindersley yielded two more victories, and the Bombers’ streak of not losing in regulation is now at 21. Wild. Liam Hunks is a point-per-game since being acquired from Notre Dame and has turned this D-corps from good to great.

3. Weyburn Red Wings (23-11-2) (Last week 3rd)

Friday’s loss to the resurgent Melville Millionaires was their first of 2025, but they responded the next night with a thunderous home victory over the La Ronge Ice Wolves. Josh Sale has been a magical addition from the trade deadline.

4. Battlefords North Stars (20-13-5) (Last week 6th)

Battlefords got a much-needed three of a possible four points from Humboldt this past weekend, including a nice bounce-back performance from new goaltender Thomas Samborski. The best news is that Nikita Ivaschenko is back from a gold-medal-winning performance at the Division IB World Juniors.

5. Yorkton Terriers (22-14-1) (Last week 4th)

The Terriers have dropped five of six but didn’t play poorly this past weekend despite letting two-goal leads slip in both contests. Shout out to Terriers nation for showing up big-time at the neutral-site game in Canora vs. Notre Dame. Many of the rest of January and February are at home, so there is no need to panic in Yorkton.

6. Melville Millionaires (18-18-3) (Last week 8th)

Melville outscored the opposition 8-2 this past weekend in two big divisional wins over Weyburn and Estevan. The trade deadline adds have been money, and rookie Nick Genette is as hot as any goaltender in the SJHL.

7. Humboldt Broncos (17-17-3) (Last week, 7th)

A three-game week yielded five of six points for the Broncos, who desperately needed a few good results. A sloppy overtime win in Wilcox mid-week was followed by three of four points in a home-and-home on the weekend with Battlefords.

8. Kindersley Klippers (19-18-2) (Last week 5th)

The Klippers would have wanted to avoid an 0-3 week, but they faced Melfort in Melfort and then a pair against the Bombers in Flin Flon. Clayton Jardine is not big on excuses, but who in the league IS getting good results from that road trip right now?

9. La Ronge Ice Wolves (16-20-2) (Last week 9th)

A four-games-in-five-nights southern swing would always be tough, but they have it out of the way, only three points out of a playoff spot. That race for the last playoff place will be fierce, and the Wolves look like they’ll be right in the thick of it.

10. Notre Dame Hounds (11-20-4) (Last week 10th)

Five games into 2025, and the young Hounds have only one more defenceman over 18 years old and have only a single regulation loss. They bounced back from an overtime loss at home Wednesday to Humboldt before an epic four-goal third-period rally to down the Yorkton Terriers in Canora.

11. Estevan Bruins (12-18-4) (Last week 11th)

The biggest news in the SJHL this past week was the decision of the Estevan board to part ways with head coach/GM Jason Tatarnic after four years with the club. The Bruins lost to La Ronge and Melville over the weekend after beating the same Wolves Wednesday. Interim head coach Drew Kocur has plenty to work with, including league Top 5 defenceman Kieran Ronan, who stayed on past the trade deadline.

12. Nipawin Hawks (7-24-5) (Last week 12th)

Nipawin had a quiet week with no games, which was needed after 2025, and it has been tough so far. The month does not end easily, so the rest and recovery from the injury bug should be big for Tad Kozun’s men.