The first game of the Showcase is tonight, Nov. 5 at 7:30 p.m. and the second game is tomorrow, Nov. 6 at 11:30 a.m. (Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League/Website)

By Austin Mattes

SJHL VS. MJHL

Western All-Star Showcase gets underway tonight

Nov 5, 2024 | 2:00 PM

With hopes of getting a spot on Team Canada West at the World Junior A Challenge (WJAC) in December, 40 of the best players from the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) and Manitoba Junior Hockey League (MJHL) are gathered this week, Nov. 4 – 6 in Warman for the Western All-Star Showcase Challenge.

Each league will be represented by a team of their 20 best players who are 2005-born or younger and will be put through their paces in a training camp format. This includes four practices and two full-length games where Team SJHL and Team MJHL will face off against each other. The Showcase is expected to bring in tons of interest from scouts at all levels, including the National Hockey League, and give either league the chance to bring home bragging rights.

Of the 40 players, the top 20 prospects from the Showcase will get to attend Team Canada West’s main camp in late November for the WJAC, which is an annual event held by Hockey Canada that brings in some of the top national teams from around the world to compete against each other. This year, the tournament is being held in held in Camrose, Alberta.

Selected to represent Team SJHL from the Battlefords North Stars was Forward Rylan Williams. From the Humboldt Broncos was Jacob Strizzi, Connor Miller and Oakley McIlwain. From the Nipawin Hawks was Will Whitter, who is also from Prince Albert. And Thomas Reis from the Yorkton Terriers, who is a Humboldt product was also selected.

The whole purpose of the Western Showcase is to give players the best opportunity and exposure to play hockey at a post-secondary level, said SJHL Commissioner Kyle McIntyre.

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“Over the last couple of years, by getting to know many scouts, we wanted to talk about the best opportunity to promote our players. We found they wanted to see the younger guys, so (Manitoba Junior Hockey League Commissioner) Kevin Saurette and I collaborated and discussed having a physical training camp for Team Canada West this year. We wanted to have the best players from Saskatchewan and Manitoba compete for positions at Camp, and that was our goal. I am hopeful we’ll have SJHL staff on the tournament as well, and I know we’ll be able to showcase the top and brightest players from our Prairie leagues.”

“We are always looking for ways to grow, change, and develop,” McIntyre added.

The first game of the Showcase is tonight, Nov. 5 at 7:30 p.m. and the second game is tomorrow, Nov. 6 at 11:30 a.m.

You can watch both games on FloHockey via subscription.

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Austin.mattes@pattisonmedia.com

On X: @AustinMattes