By Aaron Schulze

Nipawin Hawks still hungry after championship season

Sep 1, 2018 | 10:11 AM

Repeating back-to-back championship victories is a challenge in any sport, let alone for a Junior A hockey club, where teams can quickly go from contenders to rebuilders and vice versa in a few years.

But it seems someone forgot to tell the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL).

Since 2005, the SJHL has had five clubs pull off the repeat. The Humboldt Broncos, La Ronge Ice Wolves, Yorkton Terriers (twice), and more recently the Melfort Mustangs, have each achieved the feat. If the odds were ever in the Nipawin Hawks’ favour to retain the Canalta Cup, this would be it.

Unfortunately for the Hawks, they won’t have the same roster to contest those odds, with only seven players returning from last year’s squad. Doug Johnson, head coach of the Nipawin Hawks, told northeastNOW his team will have to replace some of the production that’s gone, including their top six scorers and top defenceman.

“It’s not going to be the same team but we’re going to be a strong team,” Johnson said. “We may have to win games differently than we did last year.”

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Johnson mentioned Jake Tremblay and Jordan Simoneau up front, Gage Misskey and Ante Mustapic on defence, and Declan Hobbs in goal, as players who will take on larger roles this year. Tremblay and Simoneau are intriguing players to help fill the scoring gap from last year. Tremblay scored 30 points in 49 games as a 17-year-old on a veteran-heavy team, while Simoneau in his 18-year-old season was just behind with 24 in 42.

Johnson believes some of the newcomers will surprise Hawks fans and didn’t rule out the possibility of any of them beating out a returning player for a job.

“If somebody beats out a returner they beat out a returner,” Johnson said. “Do we expect that? No. But, you go into camp and if you’re looking to fill six or seven spots, that’s probably the number you’d like. The last 12 spots you probably put down in pencil instead of pen and making sure that guys took care of their summers and worked hard. So far all the recruits did a good job in the summer and it’s going to be a battle for them. We’ve given them an opportunity and what they make of it is up to them.”

Some of those recruits come thanks to new assistant coach Gavin Brandl, who is replacing TJ Millar after taking an assistant coaching position with Bonnyville of the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL). Newcomers such as Eric Sorensen and Carson Erhardt played in the AJHL, where Brandl worked as a scout for the Whitecourt Wolverines.

“Gavin’s done a phenomenal job trying to find guys we didn’t know about,” Johnson said. “And now they’re here. He’s been a head coach and he’s ran a program, so he knows what it’s all about.”

While excitement fills Centennial Arena again with players looking to earn their spot on the Hawks bench, a more unique and emotional challenge is around the corner to start the season.

The Hawks will travel to Humboldt on Sept. 12 and play the Broncos in the first regular season game since the April bus crash. This would be challenging for any junior hockey team, but it’s something Johnson said will re-open old wounds, as the Hawks were playing the Broncos in the semifinals before the crash.

“I know it has to happen,” Johnson said. “In a lot of ways, I wish it wouldn’t because a lot of the wounds have started to heal. We all lost friends, colleagues, people we respect a lot, and it’s tough… Last year during the playoffs, after it happened, the motto was ‘just keep moving forward’ and that’s what we’re going to have to do again.”

Johnson said the Hawks haven’t talked about the season opener during training camp weekend but will mention it Monday as the roster trims down.

After a rollercoaster of emotions from the regular season grind, the Broncos tragedy, and ultimately winning the SJHL championship, Johnson doesn’t believe motivation this season will be an issue.

“I think the guys will be hungrier because they went through the euphoria of winning a championship,” Johnson said. “They also understand the process a lot better. It’s the small details, getting better every day, and making sure you’re taking care of yourself.

“I think there’s still a lot of guilt with our players, whether you call it survivor’s guilt. It should be nice to let them win a championship when you don’t have that hanging over your head.”

The Hawks begin their pre-season on Sept. 2 at home against the Flin Flon Bombers, with their regular season home opener on Sept. 14 against the Humboldt Broncos.

Nipawin Hawks 2017-18 Season (wins, losses, overtime losses, shootout losses): 48-8-3-4, first in Sherwood Division, first in SJHL standings, won SJHL Finals over the Estevan Bruins in seven games, lost the Anavet Cup to the Steinbach Pistons from the Manitoba Junior Hockey League in six games.

aaron.schulze@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @SchulzePANow