The Hawks salute their hometown fans after Friday's final game of the SJHL season. (Clark Stork/northeastNOW Staff)

By Clark Stork

Final game of the year

Hawks cap season with plenty of promise

Mar 15, 2025 | 11:40 AM

The Nipawin Hawks season concluded Friday with a 6-1 loss to the Humboldt Broncos on home ice, but the result isn’t a reflection of the last couple of months for the young Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) club.

The team will end their 40th season in 11th place with 17 wins and 40 points, but they won seven of their last 10 games and had many highlights throughout the season.

After the game, head coach Tad Kozun said he was very proud of how his group grew in the second half despite having one regular 20-year-old on the roster.

“The way we grew and matured and came together after a rough start to 2025 was remarkable,” he said. “We were patient, it took time, but everyone found their spot, the lines gelled and for the last couple of months we have played great hockey to set the table for what we hope can be something special here next year.”

Friday’s result did look like the final in the first half as Nipawin’s special teams struggled, the Hawks were scoreless in five powerplay chances including an extended two-man advantage in the second when the Hawks trailed 1-0. Nipawin couldn’t score allowing the Broncos to answer right back, scoring a couple of powerplay goals of their own, along with a shorthanded marker late in the third frame.

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Kozun said with age and experience special teams will improve even more next year.

“Young teams will struggle on the powerplay and killing penalties, that’s a fact, in any level of hockey, but on the flip side many 18-year-olds, even players at 19 don’t get a ton of time on these units in the SJHL. The minutes all these guys have put in all over the ice at different times is only going to make them better going forward,” Kozun said.

Nik Trakakis started in goal for Nipawin.

The 2004-born Saint Laurent, Que. product was acquired at the trade deadline after one of the Hawks’ netminders left for the British Columbia Junior Hockey League. Also aging out was three-year Hawks defenseman Vito Biondo. The St. Louis, Miss. product played his 140th regular season game with Nipawin.

Kozun said Biondo has been nothing but extraordinary during his tenure with the Hawks.

“Hard to explain what he meant to this group over the last couple of years. There was plenty of trade talk for Vito in January, but to Derek [Hutton, assistant coach] and I the value he provided to our room and town, wasn’t match in any offer. He was a great Hawk and is going to make the Maryville Saints a better team next year.”

On the roster today, the Hawks can return 18 players from their 20-man roster that they concluded the campaign with.

Kozun knows all players won’t be back, that’s the reality of junior hockey but an impressive core led by 19-year-old captain Finley Radloff can hopefully hit the ground running next year according to their coach.

“The top nine forwards, why not just come to camp, start the year with your linemates now and just go,” Kozun said excitedly. “Yes, the current result stings, we want to make Nipawin proud every year, but we needed this rebuild. The guys made the town proud off the ice daily, and many times on the ice despite the result. The Hawks will be back, and we can’t wait to see where this group goes,” Kozun concluded.

Nipawin will hold their awards banquet on Saturday.

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clark.stork@pattisonmedia.com