Manitoba Junior Hockey League Superthread

[jetsmooseice]

havent been to a MJHL game in a long time now.. thinking of going to a WInnipeg Blues or Niverville Nighthawks game this season, depending on my work schedule and etc.. would be nice to check out the MJHL once again after a long time (last time I think was wayyyy back in 2014 or so ehhh)

As much as I hate to say it as a fan of the (Winnipeg) home teams, the experience in Niverville is better, they have the classic small town junior hockey vibes with a good-sized, very engaged crowd most nights, and a pretty exciting team to watch on top of all that.

It's funny, but if you live in the eastern half of Winnipeg as I do, it takes practically the same length of time to drive to Selkirk (from NE Winnipeg) or Niverville (from SE Winnipeg) as it does to get out to a Blues/Freeze game at HFAC.

Oh, and regular season starts in two days!!!!!!!!

 

[Tom ServoMST3K]

havent been to a MJHL game in a long time now.. thinking of going to a WInnipeg Blues or Niverville Nighthawks game this season, depending on my work schedule and etc.. would be nice to check out the MJHL once again after a long time (last time I think was wayyyy back in 2014 or so ehhh)

Seconding going to Niv over Winnipeg games - Really any franchise over Winnipeg games -The HFA centre is a neat facility, I've seen some really amped up and cool events there, but it's where junior A atmosphere goes to die.

I'd also probably avoid Selkirk too, but that's just based on what I've heard, not personal experience. I can say Selkirk is just terrible for Junior B games when I've gone there.

Speaking of, CRJHL appears to be turning the tide in the MB junior B battle after getting off to a tough start in their war with the KJHL - CR is expanding (La Broquerie) this year while KJ has two teams going away for at least one year.

Message from president:

"...A brief update on the KJHL, due to unfortunate and unforeseen circumstances, the Waywayseecappo Wild and the Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation Selects will be taking a leave of absence for 1 year and will be back next season. Business will go on per usual and the KJHL will operate with 5 teams, OCN Storm, Peguis Juniors, NCN Flames, Norway House Northstars and Cross Lake Islanders..."

Also, nobody cares but me, but the junior C HTJHL is expanding to 10 teams this season - Adding Ste Anne, Grunthal and Mitchell.

High School Hockey is about to start too - you're seeing a big increase in quality over the past few years IMO in the High School ranks - Top player in the league last year is in the MJHL now.

 

[jetsmooseice]

Interesting post @Tom ServoMST3K . A few thoughts:

-I have also heard bad things about Selkirk. I have been to the SRC several times but never for a Steelers game... the venue is showing its age but it's still pretty nice and has a certain grandiosity you rarely see in the MJ. Back in the day Selkirk had a reputation as a solid junior hockey town but that has kind of faded. Regardless, I am going to for sure make it out to a game there this season and I'll report back on my findings.

-I have to admit I don't follow the Jr. B/C ranks, but I wonder why two KJHL teams are going on hiatus? That's quite a hit for that league to take. But that said, the province is big enough for two Jr. B leagues, especially ones drawn on regional lines to limit travel.

-Speaking of Jr. C, I don't know much about it nor do I get where it fits into the hockey universe. I assume it is basically the "house league" version of junior hockey? i.e. you're 18, not making the Dub or MJ, don't want to take on the hassle of jr. B, so you join jr. C as a last hurrah before moving on to the beer leagues? Jr. C is so rare, I wonder why it's thriving the way it is in southern Manitoba?

-Interesting observation about high school hockey, I wonder what is behind the upswing in player quality? Is it an economic thing, i.e. mom and dad don't have the big $ it takes to send junior to RHA or Pilot Mound so they end up taking a less expensive route like high school? Or is something else behind it?