The Nipawin Hawks have signed defenseman Jack Mitchell to a Letter of Intent. (Submitted photo/Nipawin Hawks)

By Clark Stork

Hawks Hockey

Hawks sign another prospect; in La Ronge Friday

Jan 26, 2024 | 10:26 AM

The Nipawin Hawks continued their building process for next year this week signing another defenseman to a Letter of Intent for the next Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) season.

The team announced on Thursday that they have recruited Jack Mitchell from Hanton, Alta. to come play for the club next season. Nipawin Associate General Manager Dana Dirks said the six-feet, four-inch-tall blueliner should fit well with the team’s defenseman group.

“A big-bodied guy, blocks shots, plays hard, just plays the game the right way,” Dirks said of the Hawk’s second defenseman signing of the week.

A much different player than Logan Denton, who the team signed on Tuesday for next year, Mitchell has a goal and four assists in 29 games played this year with the U18 AAA Okotoks Oilers in the Alberta Elite Hockey League. Dirks said Mitchell’s attributes are something the team didn’t have much of going into next year.

“He brings something that we don’t have signed on for next year, a lot of that size and physicality. He will be a beast to handle in the SJHL,” Dirks said.

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Mitchell was the captain of his under-17 Okotoks Oilers group that won the Alberta provincial championship in 2022 – 2023. The Hawks have added three other captains in this year’s recruiting class. Mitchell wears an assistant captain’s letter in Okotoks this year. Those qualifications are something the Hawks staff are also watching.

“It’s definitely something we’re taking a look at,” Dirks said. “He’s definitely captain material. Jumping into your first year of U18 AAA and get a letter right off the bat speaks a lot to a kid’s character and what he brings to the table.”

On the ice, the Hawks will look to snap a four-game losing streak in La Ronge against the Ice Wolves on Friday. Despite the consecutive defeats, Nipawin is coming off a pair of 4-3 shootout losses that have earned the club a pair of points. The Hawks are tied for sixth in the SJHL playoff race with the Kindersley Klippers, Nipawin has a game in hand on the Klippers.

Nipawin has met the Ice Wolves four times this year, the Hawks have a pair of wins and two shootout losses against La Ronge including last Saturday’s matchup in Kinistino as part of Hockey Day in Saskatchewan.

The game will be broadcast on 750 Beach Radio beginning with the pregame show at 7:15 p.m., and the faceoff is at 7:30 p.m.

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clark.stork@pattisonmedia.com

On X: @ClarkStork