(Photo courtesy/Broad Leaf Media, Facebook)

By Ben Tompkins

The toe-drag master

The guy who never backs down; Aidyn Hutchinson Player Profile

May 11, 2024 | 8:00 AM

The Melfort Mustangs are 2024 SJHL Champions, which means their nine 20-year-old players have gone out in style.

While they have all now turned their attention to the Centennial Cup, their final career SJHL game is certainly one to remember.

For Aidyn Hutchinson in particular, his whole playoff run was one to remember, as he led the league in points with 32 in just 18 games.

Having moved on to the National Championship, he’ll be trying to replicate that, as he knows just a few games remain in his Junior A hockey career.

“It hasn’t even really settled in yet that we won, I’m still enjoying it and I’m still in awe of what we did. Now that we’re at the Centennial Cup though, it’s settled in a bit, because we’re going for the big one now,” Hutchinson told northeastNOW.

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“It’s amazing that we’re here and I’m getting to compete at the highest level in my final year. As a rookie and as a 19-year-old, you don’t really realize how hard it is to be in this position, but our group was so good this year that we knew we had a chance, and ever since then we’ve just stepped on the pedal and got it done.”

Hutchinson arrived in Melfort ahead of the 2022/23 season, after spending parts of two seasons in the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL).

An Alberta product himself, hailing from St. Albert, Hutchinson never even expected to play in the SJHL, never mind having the time of his life.

“When I played in Alberta, I said to myself I’m never coming to Sask, I’m never going to Manitoba, I’m never going anywhere and then I got traded here and I had to decide if I was going to show up or not and I did and I trusted (Trevor) Blevins and he trusted me, so it turned out amazing,” Hutchinson added.

Another thing that helped, is just how well he was welcomed by the community itself.

“From my billets to my teammates, to the coaches and the rest of the staff, just everyone has been amazing, and to top it off with a win is even better with this group, especially as a 20-year-old, it’s crazy,” he explained.

“I can’t even believe we’ve had our last practice at the Palace, it doesn’t feel real. To win it at home though and to have a last few practices was great and we’re just excited for what’s next.”

In a combined 114 games of SJHL action, the 2003-born forward registered an astonishing 150 points, to go along with 269 penalty minutes.

Whether it was scoring a big goal, setting up one of his teammates, standing up for one of his teammates, or getting under the opposition’s skin (possibly after a sick toe drag), Hutchinson did it all unlike any other and refused to back down, no matter the situation.

He is very grateful to be a part of this year’s Mustangs group, alongside his fellow 20-year-old teammates in Ryan Duguay, Clay Sleeva, Leith Olafson, Chase Friedt-Mohr, Nolan Henderson, Logan Cox, Hayden Prosofsky, and Tye Evans.

“We’re kicking the can and it was our last go at it, so to be part of that and for us to do that together is pretty special and I’m sure everyone would say the same.”

The toe-drag master had a fantastic start to his Centennial Cup, scoring a pair and adding an assist against the Miramichi TImberwolves in the team’s first game.

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Ben.Tompkins@pattisonmedia.com

On X @BenTompkins_8