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They're now known as the Monarchs.
Starting in the 2025-26 season, the Winnipeg Freeze will now be known as the Winnipeg Monarchs. The announcement was made on Thursday. The original Winnipeg Monarchs played in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League from 1930 to 1978. They were renamed the Winnipeg South Places in 1978 and later the Winnipeg Blues.
Chet Pickard is the team's governor.
“We wanted to pay homage to the long hockey history that we have in Winnipeg and the MJHL,” said Pickard.
Since joining the league in 2020-21, the Freeze have gone 24-189-13-3. They've lost at least 40 games in each of the last four seasons. They played only five games in their first year because of the pandemic and lost all five.
They will continue to play at the Hockey for All Centre.
“On behalf of the MJHL Board of Governors, we are excited about the new direction that the organization will be taking as they embark on this new era of Monarchs Hockey in Winnipeg and the MJHL,” shared MJHL Commissioner Kevin Saurette. “With this change, the expectation is that the standards will be raised both on and off the ice, to help ensure positive progress and success for the organization moving forward, for the benefit of all involved.”
Earlier this year, the Winnipeg Blues announced a move to the Rink Training Centre for next year.
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- Contributed by Darnell Duff
Many were shocked.
The Melfort Mustangs were not. In 56 regular-season games during the 2023-24 season, the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) club finished with 38 wins and an extremely respectable 80 points, the second-most in the league.
The only team ahead was the Flin Flon Bombers, who finished with 44 wins and 91 points. The Bombers swept Kindersley and Battlefords to advance to the league final. Melfort beat Estevan in five games and Humboldt in a dramatic seven-game series. It was the top two teams in the league, squaring off for a league title. The Bombers were favourites after an incredible regular season.
On the Mustangs' blueline was Bo Eisner of Swan River. The Mustangs scored nine goals in game one and 17 in the first three games to take a commanding three games to none lead over the Bombers. Flin Flon bounced back with two straight wins before Eisner propelled the Mustangs to a game six win as they captured the SJHL championship and the right to compete at the Centennial Cup.
Back with the Mustangs this season, the 20-year-old Swan River star was a key cog as the team won 46 of 56 regular-season games and finished with a league-leading 94 points. They were 13 ahead of Flin Flon, and the separation between them and the eighth-place Kindersley Klippers was 39 points.
"A bit of a different roster this year, we're a bit older, with quite a few returning guys from last year," said Eisner. "It's a great group, we got off to a great start, and kept our foot on the pedal all season."
Eisner and the Mustangs had little trouble beating Kindersley in the first round this year, needing five games to do so. Then came a tough test as they played the Yorkton Terriers, a team that won 33 games and finished fourth in the league.
The Mustangs expected a push, but they never really got one. They scored 16 goals and swept Yorkton to advance to their second straight league final, this time against a new team.
"Yorkton is a very good team, we just stuck to our systems, and played well," offered Eisner.
The Bombers met the Weyburn Red Wings in the other semifinal, and after winning the first three games, the Red Wings won the series in six games to advance to the final. The Parkland Ranger alum is thrilled to play for another league title.
"Yeah, it's awesome. Not many guys are still playing at this time of the year," commented Eisner. "To get the chance to do it two years in a row is awesome. There is a ton of fan support, and everyone around town is fired up. It's an awesome experience, can't wait to get it going on Friday.
Eisner and the Mustangs beat the Red Wings in three of their four meetings, outscoring them 14-11. Game one is Saturday in Melfort, followed by game two on Sunday. Games three and four move to Weyburn before alternating for games five, six, and seven, if necessary.
And while Eisner is a star on the team, another star from Swan River will look to help the Mustangs win a championship, as Will Munro is on fire. He has nine points in nine playoff games, ranking third in team scoring.
Munro is also a former Ranger, and the two grew up together in Swan River.
"It's awesome to have someone familiar by my side battling," continued Eisner. "He's one of my best friends, so it's an amazing feeling to experience this with him. Hopefully, we can get the job done against Weyburn."
The Melfort Mustangs and the Weyburn Red Wings. A spot in the Centennial Cup is on the line.
"They have some excellent scorers," ended Eisner. "They're well balanced and play to structure. It should be a great battle."
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- Contributed by Darnell Duff
It's all set.
Two teams remain; both are from the MGEU West Division. The Dauphin Kings and the Northern Manitoba Blizzard. The winning team advances to Calgary to represent the Manitoba Junior Hockey League (MJHL) at the Centennial Cup from May 8 to 18.
With Dauphin finishing higher than the Blizzard in the regular season, Dauphin has earned home-ice advantage to open the series. Game number one will be Friday night at Credit Union Place at 7:30 p.m.
The meeting marks the first time Dauphin and Northern Manitoba have played in the league championship series. Dauphin downed Waywayseecappo in five games before dispatching Portage in six after Havryil Simchuk played the hero on Monday night. Dauphin's most recent trip to the finals was in 2022, when the team beat Steinbach in seven games in the finals before advancing to the semifinal at the Centennial Cup in Estevan.
The Northern Manitoba Blizzard, meanwhile, beat Neepawa in five games and swept the defending champion Winkler Flyers in the last round. They've won eight straight games. The Blizzard last won the championship in 2003.
Dauphin and Northern Manitoba played six times in the regular season, splitting those meetings.
December 3 @ Northern Manitoba - Dauphin won, 4-2
December 11 @ Northern Manitoba - Dauphin won, 5-4
December 17 @ Northern Manitoba - Northern Manitoba won, 3-1
February 1 @ Dauphin - Dauphin won, 3-1
February 18 @ Dauphin - Northern Manitoba won, 2-1
March 4 @ Dauphin - Northern Manitoba won, 1-0
Darnell Duff & Jeff Henson will have the call of every game. The Parkland Source for Sports pregame show opens the series on Friday night at 7.
The Kings have also announced ticket details for the series and when you can purchase them.
TICKET PRICES:
Adults - $20.00
Students (13-17) - $15.00
Children (6-12) - $10.00
5&Under - $0.00
TICKET OFFICE HOURS:
Thursday, April 17 - 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Friday, April 18 - 10 to Game Time
Monday, April 21 - 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Tuesday, April 22 - 10:00 a.m. to Game Time
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- Contributed by Darnell Duff
The Dauphin Kings are set to play for a Manitoba Junior Hockey League championship.
The Ukrainian Sensation, Havryil Simchuk was the hero in overtime, as the Kings downed the Portage Terriers, 3-2, on Monday night. It was Simchuk's second goal of the game as he also opened the scoring in the first period.
Shortly after Simchuk opened the scoring, Portage scored back-to-back goals as Portage took a 2-1 lead, however, Ethan Williment scored 12:07 into the period to tie it.
No goals were scored in the second nor the third. Then in overtime, Ethan Stewart found a dashing Simchuk down the left wing and he did the rest, sending Dauphin to the championship series.
Cole Sheffield was incredible as he made 38 saves to steer Dauphin.
The Kings will open the final this weekend on home ice against the Northern Manitoba Blizzard.
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Game six is needed.
The Dauphin Kings came out slow and never gathered any steam. They were heavily outshot, outchanced, outworked, and because of it, the Portage Terriers have forced a game six which will be played on Monday night.
Mitchell Kathler turned away all 20 shots he faced and the Terriers scored three times in a 3-0 win in front of their home fans at Stride Place.
Cole Sheffield made 28 saves and gave Dauphin a chance to come back, however, it just wasn't to be. Dauphin will look to reset, refresh, and recharge ahead of Monday night at 7:30.
The Speedy Glass South Ticket Office will be open from 12 to 5 on Sunday afternoon.
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- Contributed by Darnell Duff
It was a fantastic weekend for the Parkland Vipers 13U volleyball team as they played in the Bison tournament in Winnipeg this weekend.
Coming into the event ranked ninth, the Vipers showed they can compete with the best in the province as they finished in fourth place. In the round-robin, the Vipers downed Selkirk Grey, 33-31, 25-21. They then split with the Pilots Navy, 25-23, 19-25.
The Parkland based club ended their round-robin perfectly with a dominating straight set win over the Junior Bisons 12U Gold, 25-11, 25-13.
In their first playoff game, the Vipers beat the Junior Bisons 12U Brown, 25-15, 25-15. In the quarterfinals against the Junior Bisons 13U, it was an incredible comeback. After splitting the first two sets, the Vipers were down 12-6 in the third set. They scored nine straight points to win the set, advancing to the semifinals.
They played the powerhouse Junior Bisons Gold and lost, 13-25, 15-25. Then in the third place match, the Vipers showed signs of brilliance, however, they ran out of gas. The final score was 24-26, 20-25.
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The Dauphin Kings are one win away from playing for a league championship.
2:50 into double overtime while on the power play, the NCAA Division 3 defender, Matthew Haun slapped a shot past Mitchell Kathler as he won the game for the Kings, to give Dauphin a three games to one series lead over the Terriers. The final score was 4-3.
The Kings found themselves up 2-0 after 20 minutes as Matthew Thomas and Rylan Gage scored. However, the Terriers bounced back as they tied the game after 40 minutes. Matthew Thomas scored early in the third to give Dauphin a 3-2 lead and they were up by that same score with less than three minutes.
That's when Jonah Lemoine jumped on a puck in the crease and batted it past Cole Sheffield to force overtime. The Terriers outplayed the Kings in the first overtime, however, they couldn't find the back of the net. That led the Kings into the second overtime and Haun did the rest.
The Kings can advance to the league final with a win on Saturday when the two teams play at Stride Place. Parkland Source for Sports pregame show with Darnell Duff and Jeff Henson at 7:15.
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- Contributed by Darnell Duff
It was a different year for Aiden Ziprick and the Moose Jaw Warriors.
Last year, Ziprick helped the Warriors win 44 of their 68 games and finish in third place in the Eastern Conference. They swept the Brandon Wheat Kings in round one, dispatched the Swift Current Broncos in five games, and downed the Saskatoon Blades in a thrilling seven-game series in the Eastern Conference final.
In the final, Ziprick faced off against his close friend, Ryder Thompson, and the Warriors were unstoppable. They scored 16 goals in just four games, sweeping the Winterhawks to clinch the Western Hockey League (WHL) title. At the Memorial Cup, Aiden led Moose Jaw to the playoffs with a clutch performance.
With less than two minutes remaining in their final round-robin game against the Drummondville Voltigeurs, Ziprick scored the game-winning goal, propelling his team to the semi-finals. Though they fell short against the host Saginaw Spirit—who went on to beat the London Knights to claim the national title—Aiden’s unforgettable moment marked the pinnacle of an incredible run.
Back with Moose Jaw this year, it was a much different roster. The Warriors won 15 games and finished at the bottom of the Eastern Conference. This isn't something out of the normal. After going on a championship run and winning it all, a team often graduates their top talent and goes through struggles the following season. That happened in Moose Jaw, but Aiden showed up at the rink every day and gave it his all.
"We lost a lot of our key players. I would say guys got a better opportunity this year with more ice time," said Ziprick. "Guys stepped up and took on a bigger role this year. It was tough not winning a lot of games, but we went into every game trying to win, help the coaches, and get the community going as best we could."
Ziprick served as an assistant captain, a testament to his hard work and dedication.
"Yeah, that was a huge honour to have that patch on my jersey," offered Ziprick. "It was a special feeling to be a leader and role model for the young kids and the community. It was a huge thing for me."
While the team struggled to put together winning streaks, Ziprick had a breakout season. Fresh off his game-winning goal at the national tournament, Ziprick scored 12 goals this season, collecting 48 points, an increase of 41 from last season. Ziprick finished second in team scoring and among the rear guard scorers on the team; he had 25 more points than Connor Schmidt. The star from Russell also did a masterful job of staying on the ice as he played all 68 games and had just 16 penalty minutes.
It was a career year for Ziprick and a sign of things to come.
"I was very happy with how things went. Coming off the year we had and watching some top-end guys, I learned a lot from their games and how a professional player takes care of their body," said Ziprick. "Coming in with the confidence wanting to be a player like that and be a top two-pairing defencemen in the league was my goal all summer. I was happy with how the year went for me."
Aiden also landed on the National Hockey League's (NHL) draft prospect rankings. He was 221st among North American skaters.
"It was a pretty cool feeling to see that list," continued Ziprick. "To see my name on a list full of players who will be NHL stars is a special feeling."
While Aiden's season is over, he is still keeping his eyes on the WHL playoffs as the Portland Winterhawks prepare to play the Everett Silvertips in the second round. Portland's roster features another Russell star as Ryder Thompson will look to help the Winterhawks advance to round three.
Aiden and Ryder grew up together and are great friends, and Ziprick hopes the Hawks can go on a run.
"I'm definitely rooting for him from the bottom of my heart," commented Ziprick. "I've been close with him for as long as I can remember. I'm watching every game of his and hope they can pull off something special."
Ziprick will move to Winnipeg for the summer and train at the Rink Training Centre and skate with other top-end players at the Highlander Arena. His sole goal is getting dialled in for the 2025-26 season when he'll return to Moose Jaw looking to help them get back to the dance.
"I'm looking forward to it; we're only losing one guy for next year," continued Ziprick. "A lot of guys are going to get an opportunity to step up, and we have to turn the boat around from where we left off this year. I think we'll have a good chance of making some noise."
For many, the WHL is as far as they get. Not for Ziprick, however. The star from Russell has committed to Bemidji State University for the 2026-27 season. The Beavers are an NCAA Division 1 team that plays out of the Sanford Centre and have been around since the 1947-48 season. They became a Division 1 program in the 1999-2000 season. They play in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association.
Committing to an NCAA Division 1 program has always been Aiden's dream. He decided to put that dream on the back burner when he signed in the WHL, but when the rule changed, allowing players to go from the CHL to NCAA Division 1, his dream was back on the front burner.
Now, it's a reality as Ziprick is heading to Bemidji, Minnesota.
"It's a surreal feeling; not many players get this opportunity," ended Ziprick. "I'm so pumped about it; can't wait to head down there after my final year in Moose Jaw."
Aiden’s story is one of determination and dreams. Growing up in a small town, he fell in love with hockey at a young age and dedicated countless hours to chasing that dream. Now, he’s living proof that hard work and passion can turn dreams into reality.
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- Contributed by Darnell Duff
The Winnipeg Football Club made a profit of $7 million in 2024, a record high.
It was bolstered by an 8.2 percent jump in total revenue to $54.7 million. Since losing $7 million in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Bombers have posted profits each year.
2021: $2.1 million
2022: $4.9 million
2023: $5.7 million
2024: $7.0 million
“Our entire team and organization have been focused on creating an amazing game-day experience, and the numbers prove that,” said Blue Bombers President and CEO Wade Miller. “It’s thanks to the strong support of our fans, our corporate partners, and everyone involved."
Work is underway for a new players' lounge, HVAC and mechanical improvements in football operations, and security enhancements throughout Princess Auto Stadium. The Blue & Gold led the league in attendance last season, averaging 31,166 and selling out five games. This was the third straight year that Winnipeg led the league in attendance.
Winnipeg has compiled a record of 62-24 over the past five seasons, including a 37-6 mark at home.
Winnipeg will host the Grey Cup next season.
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The Parkland Vipers 14U volleyball team is taking down some of the top teams in the province while building towards a couple of huge weekends.
The Vipers have played in seven tournaments this season, finishing in the top five four times and competing very well against some of the top 15U teams in the province. Chris Wolfenden is the team's head coach.
"We're just a good team, and our social feelings across the team are very good," said Wolfenden. "We have good team dynamics. When we get to the gym, everyone is in it together and supporting each other, it's a great group to be a part of."
The Vipers finished with a silver medal in the 16-team Westman tournament and fifth at the Brandon Volleyball Club tournament. They lost only two sets in that event. They finished first at the Club West tournament and earned a bronze medal at the Interlake 14U event.
They also earned a seventh-place finish at the Phoenix 15U tournament over the weekend.
"I'm proud of these girls every practice and game. To finish second in our pool at a 15U tournament and make the quarterfinals is an incredible accomplishment," added Wolfenden. "It's a fun group to coach because they're as passionate about the game as I am, which is great. We're not trying to motivate each other to keep it going, we're all in it for the same goal."
As the Vipers prepare for the Bison tournament this weekend, they're being recognized as one of the top teams in the province. In the most recent rankings released by Volleyball Manitoba, the Vipers are ranked sixth in the province. This team consistently delivers standout results, driven by a fierce commitment to be the best and fully ready to crush whatever comes next.
"Usually, the top eight are a bit more consistent, so it's nice to be recognized by other coaches," continued Wolfenden. "Six is great, we're proud of that. With that said, we have to sort of park that. It doesn't mean a lot when you get down to the provincials."
The pressure will only intensify as the team climbs the ranks and keeps dominating the province's elite. They're feared for their relentless defense and their ability to close out points with great serves.
Pressure? Bring it on. Chris is confident this team thrives under it and won’t break a sweat when the heat’s on.
"The idea of going into 15U tournaments and putting the girls under pressure at two tournaments this year was part of that strategy," commented Wolfenden. "It's not new for us to feel pressure and push back. We now know how to push back. We have a long-term goal as a group."
The Vipers are in Winnipeg for the Bisons tournament this weekend. The national championships are the biggest tournament of the year, the provincial championships come in second, and the Junior Bisons tournament is next. It features the top teams in the province, including the top-ranked Bison Volleyball Club 14U Gold Girls.
The team's roster includes Brynn Fortin, Ava Thompson, Edie Fleck, Tori Yaciuk, Brynlee Brasch, Scotia Smith, Adi Ledoux, Jetta Larocque, Kennedy Beer, Chayse Paradis, Grace Houle, and Logan Wolfenden. Matt Thompson joins Chris on the coaching staff.
The competition will be stiff. The Vipers are used to it being that way and are ready to make some noise against the province's best.
"We've been talking about these tournaments all year," ended Wolfenden. "It's always nice to measure yourself against the best. We haven't seen some of the top teams because we've sort of been migrating around different paths. Finally, we're all in the same tournament and it's game on. I'm confident in our group, we'll take care of business."
Following the provincial championships, the Vipers will compete in the national tournament, which is being held at the Convention Centre in Winnipeg this year.
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The Portage Terriers held on.
They got some luck from the goaltender's best friend, however, you can't take anything away from Ryan Velan on Tuesday night. The 19-year-old netminder took over for Mitchell Kathler and is the only reason Portage cut their deficit in half.
He made 39 saves including a canditate for save of the year in the third period, Dauphin hit three posts, and the Terriers won their first game of the series, 2-1.
Portage scored two goals in the second period before Dauphin got back in the game with a goal from Gavin Nemis early in the third. The Kings gave it their all and pushed as hard as a team could in the late stages, but their two-goal deficit held them back.
Cole Sheffield turned away 27 saves in the defeat. Dauphin holds a two-games to one series lead heading into game four on Friday night at Credit Union Place. Game time is 7:30 and Dauphin Kings fans, it's time to pack the rink and cheer on the team.
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