REGINA, SK – With the 2026 Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) Draft under a week away, we looked at the first overall picks taken since the first one back in 2015.
FIND OUR TAKE ON THE TOP PICKS OF ALL-TIME FROM LAST SUMMER HERE.
No matter the nature of a draft, going first overall is always a special milestone.
Here are the Top 5 first overall SJHL picks in the opinion of this writer.
5) Cash Arntsen, Kindersley Klippers/La Ronge Ice Wolves
Picked first overall by the La Ronge Ice Wolves in the 2018 draft out of his hometown Swift Current Broncos U15, he was moved to Kindersley just before the 2021-22 campaign.
The power forward played exactly 100 regular-season SJHL games, posting 53 points while playing a rugged style, all for the Klips.
Concussions ruined his final campaign back in 2023-24. Still, his character and leadership were evident throughout his time in the league, leading then-head coach/GM Clayton Jardine to add Arntsen as an assistant coach that same season.
4) Austen Flamen, Yorkton Terriers/Nipawin Hawks/Humboldt Broncos
Taken first in the first-ever draft, Flamen went on to play as a call-up in the 2016-17 post-season before even suiting up in a regular-season game for the Terriers.
The former Balgonie Prairie Storm and Moose Jaw Generals U18AAA star went on to play in 141 regular-season SJHL contests, scoring 32 goals and adding 84 points between 2016 and 2021.
He also added two playoff points in his career.
A skilled right-winger, he played two seasons for Simon Fraser University in the British Columbia club college league before returning home to play senior hockey for his hometown Balgonie Bisons.
3) Preston Baerwald, Melville Millionaires
The 2007-born Baerwald, who went first in 2023, has always played far bigger than his frame and was a prominent piece for the Saskatoon Blazers in the 2023 Saskatchewan U18 championship.
A terrific centreman with a nose for the net, the Mils were a far better team with him in the line-up last year, and he is a massive reason for optimism heading into 2026-27 for the Moneymen.
Baerwald also represented the SJHL and Melville at the 2025 Western All-Star Challenge in Martensville, SK.
Despite having two more years of eligibility remaining, he has already played in an impressive 86 regular-season games and 11 postseason contests, posting 30 and 8 points, respectively.
Look for the Saskatoon, SK native to be a breakout star in the league next year.
2) Tristan Shewchuk, Melville Millionaires/Humboldt Broncos
Currently the captain of the College of St. Scholastica in NCAA Division III, Shewchuk went first overall to the Mils in 2016, following big brother Jaden to Melville.
A pure finisher, the Saskatoon native poured in 30 goals atop of a fearsome Humboldt Broncos attack in the 2019-20 season.
The winger was also part of one of the biggest ‘what-ifs’ in SJHL history this millennium, as the 2020-21 Broncos were as loaded as any team in the 2000s, but were foiled when the campaign was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Shewchuk’s impact was affected by the pandemic, but still managed 87 points in 113 regular-season games, and was a point-per-gamer over four postseason contests.
1) Mason Bueckert, La Ronge Ice Wolves/Kindersley Klippers
There haven’t been too many heavier shots in the SJHL this decade than Bueckert, who just finished second in goals and third in points as a rookie for the Red Deer Polytechnic Kings of the ACAC this past year.
Selected first overall by the Wolves in 2019 after a monster goal-per-game season in U15 for his hometown Saskatoon Generals, he went on to be the Wolves MVP and top scorer in the 2023-24 season.
He also won the SJHL’s Most Sportsmanlike Player award that campaign.
The electric winger was dealt at the 2025 CJHL deadline to Kindersley, making waves, and ended his SJHL career with 47 goals and 121 points in 146 regular-season games.
He also added three playoff points in 11 games.
Bueckert represented Team SJHL and the Klippers at the 2025 SJHL/MJHL Showcase in Winnipeg.
We salute all 14 men to have been named first to date, and we look forward to who is next on June 9 this year!
