The U-13 AA  Norman Northstars  have announced their tryout schedule for the fall.

The U13AA Norman Northstars will represent Northern Manitoba in the U13 AA provincial league.  This team is new to our region and will be joining the U13 regional league that has been established by Hockey Manitoba.  

Deadline to register is Monday  August the 31st.

The try-outs will take place on September the 12th and 13th at the Whitney Forum and is open to all players born in 2014-15.

All players that register will be broken up into four practise groups with a game Saturday night at 7pm and a game on Sunday at 11am.

For more information you can contact Tanner Brough at 431-346-1404 or tannerbrough22@gmail.com.

You can register by clicking on their link on their facebook page. 

The Emma Lake Golf Course is holding a Hole In One Tournament to support the PA Wildlife Federation.

This takes place on Friday July the 24th with a shotgun start at 1pm.

Entry fee is $185.00 per person  which includes  a 4 person scramble, steak supper and prizes.

For more information and to sign up you can call 1-306-982-2054. Payment must be made at the time of booking.

The Hudbay Aquatic Centre is planning on having their grand opening in early October, but there is already a lot happening.

The new Aquafit program is underway and there are also lots of public swims and lap swims scheduled for the summer. The Aqua Fit takes place on Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings as well as Tuesday and Thursday evenings.

The summer price list is also  posted for prices for both drop in and monthly passes.

You can also rent the pool for Birthday Parties and other get togethers on weekends and evenings.

They are still looking for more Life Guards and if you are interested you can reach out to cityofflinflon.perfectmind.com.

You can also view the Aqua Centre full schedule on the Flin Flon Recreation page on Facebook.

According to a recent post from The Pas Sweatshop, its weekly boxing class schedule will look a little different throughout July and August.

Adult Fitness Boxing classes will be held on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. The cost to participate is $60 per month.

Meanwhile, the Weekend Warriors program will run on Saturdays and Sundays from 11:15 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. The monthly fee is $40.

The updated schedule took effect this past Monday.

For more information, contact Jenn at 204-627-9208 or Jodie at 204-620-0418.

The Flin Flon Bombers Early Bird Season Ticket Campaign is underway and tickets are available for the commemorative 100th season.

Early Bird prices include $200.00 for Youth, $350.00 for Seniors and $400.00 for Adults.

These prices will remain in effect til August the 31st. An extra incentive this year for anyone who purchases a season ticket they will receive a special commemorative coin celebrating the Bombers Championship Season.

You can purchase tickets online at bombers.ca or by stopping by the Bomber Office on Flin Flon's Main Street. The hours are 1 to 5pm on Thursday and Friday and 12 to 4pm on Saturday.

Congratulations to former Laronge Ice Wolves Coach, Kevin Kaminski on being selected the new Head Coach and Player Development Consultant for the Sask Super Selects.

Kaminski is no stranger to hockey circles in Saskatchewan as he was born in Churchbridge and played his U-18AAA hockey with the Saskatoon Blazers before going on to a lengthy career with the WHL'S Saskatoon Blades.

Kaminski then went on to play in the NHL for a number of seasons after being drafted by the Minnesota North Stars 48th overall in the 1987 Draft. He also suited up for the Quebec Nordiques and Washington Capitals.

After his playing career was done, Kevin went on to a successful coaching career and has 26 years of experience behind the bench in lots of different leagues.

Kevin most recently coached the Laronge Ice Wolves of the SJHL for the last 7 seasons and was awarded SJHL Coach Of The Year in the 2019-20 season.

Kaminski loves to work with young hockey players and the Sask Super Selects are excited to have his experience and knowledge in helping develop these players both on and off the ice.

Later this month, Halcrow Lake Golf & Country Club will host a Men's Open Tournament for golfers from across the tri-community.

Registration begins at 10 a.m., with a shotgun start scheduled for 11 a.m.

The entry fee is $100 for club members and $125 for non-members. A delicious supper will be served, and cash prizes will be awarded to top performers.

For more information, call 204-627-2300 or stop by the clubhouse.

The Province of Saskatchewan has announced a Free Fishing Weekend for you and your family this weekend July the 11th and 12th.

That means any residents or visitors can cast a line without having to purchase a fishing licence.

There are a few things to keep in kind including all regulations still apply, including all angling limits, size restrictions and sport fishing laws remain in full affect.

The Free Fishing Weekend does not apply to National Parks. If you are planning on transporting fish outside the Province, you will still need to purchase a license.

For exact catch limits and any other details you can visit the website saskatchewan.ca and view the 2026-27 Anglers Guide.

Something new will be happening at the brand new Hudbay Aquatic Centre starting tomorrow.

Aqua Fit which is a low impact workout that adapts all all fitness levels and is open to people of all ages will be holding classes 5 times a week.

The classes will happen Monday, Wednesday and Friday between 9and 10am and Tuesday and Thursday from 7 to 8pm.

You can purchase a drop in  pass for $10.50 or a monthly pass for $94.50.

Don't forget to follow the Flin Flon Rec page on Facebook to stay up to date with all the programs and changes at the new Hudbay Aquatic Centre. 

A family member of one of Northern Manitoba's own is asking for the community's help.

It has been announced that beloved local player and hometown product Isaac Tomchak has recently been diagnosed with Severe Aplastic Anemia (SAA), a rare blood disorder that causes bone marrow to stop producing enough new blood cells and platelets .

A relative of Isaac has created a GoFundMe campaign, with 100% of the funds going toward supporting Isaac and his family throughout his road to recovery.

Everyone at Arctic Radio wishes Isaac and his family all the best during this difficult time. The GoFundMe link can be found on our official Facebook page.

The 2026 Flin Flon Trout Festival Month Long  Fishing Derby has wrapped up with over 100 entries submitted in the Trout, Northern Pike and Walleye categories.

Cash prizes were awarded to the top two entries in each category with $1,000.00 being awarded for first place and $500.00 for second place.

Here are the 2026 winners.

Northern Pike.

First- Dale Brightnose-46.25"( Kiciwapa Cree Nation)

Second- Jayden Oulette- 45" ( Town of Creighton)

Trout

First- Leon Wiebe-43.25"(Flin Flon Credit Union)

Second- Troy Dease- 41"( Town of Creighton)

Walleye

First- Brett Muench-31.625" ( Kozar Construction, Frontline, FF Insurance, The Hooter)

Second- Al Roschuk-31.25 ( Town of Creighton)

Biggest Fish in the Youth category for $150.00 from the Flin Flon Rotary Club went to :

Forest Ritchie- 43" in the Pike category, Beau Fidierchuk 31.25-Trout category and Shaun Ranks 28 " in the Walleye category.

Along with the open soccer tournament, the 12th annual Big Eddy Sports Days committee has announced a co-ed slo-pitch tournament that will run at the same time.

The tournament will take place from July 24 to 26 at both the Fisher Island and Joe A. Ross fields. The entry fee is $500 per team and must be paid by July 20.

Cash prizes will be awarded to the first-, second-, third- and fourth-place teams on both the A side and B side of the tournament.

For more information, contact Kristen Young or join the tournament's official Facebook group. E-transfers can be sent to accounts.receivable@opaskwayak.ca.

The SJHL has released their schedule for the up coming 2026-27 season.

Once again each team will play 56 regular season games and play their division opponents 8 times.

The Flin Flon Bombers play in the UPL Division, so they will face the Melfort Mustangs, Nipawin Hawks and Laronge Ice Wolves  8 times.

The season will begin on Friday September the 18th with the Bombers making their way to the Jonas Roberts Memorial Community Centre to face the Laronge Ice Wolves. The Bombers will host the Ice Wolves in their home opener the following Friday September the 25th at the Whitney Forum.

Other notable dates include the Bombers first 4 game in 5 night road trip which will start in Melville Tuesday  September the 29th  before making stops in  Weyburn, Estevan and Yorkton.

The October 3rd matchup in Yorkton will be the Bombers first stop at the Westland Arena,  since winning their first SJHL Championship in 33 years last April.

The Bombers will play their final two games before Christmas against Laronge on December the 18th and 19th before opening up the new year against Melfort at the Whitney Forum on New Year Day  at 7:30pm.

The regular season will come to a close on the weekend of March the 12th and 13th with the Bombers once again facing the Laronge Ice Wolves.

Playoffs will start the following weekend March the 19th.

Complete regular season schedule for all the teams can be seen at sjhl.ca. 

The Flin Flon Bombers are in need of volunteers for  lots of different capacities over the summer and up coming season.

It is a chance to get involved for the historic 100th Anniversary season.

The Bombers recognize their many dedicated volunteers that have been helping them out for a number of seasons,  but are in need of  more help especially with this being their 100th season.

The Bombers would not be able to remain successful  and continue to operate without all the tremendous volunteers,  and appreciate all the help and support that  they continue to get.

If you are interested in helping out this season,  the hockey club would like you to fill out a volunteer survey which is on their website at bombers.ca or their facebook page.

They will then pass on the information to the applicable coordinator for the areas you selected. FYI, if you would like to help out with game day volunteering,  you won't have to be at every single game, even a few games will make a difference.

The survey will only take a couple of minutes.

Before you know it we will be back at the rink and preparing for another hockey season.

Flin Flon Minor Hockey will be opening their online registration in August and are also planning for their 3 on 3 Jamboree.

The different divisions involved include U-9,U-11 and U-13 and will take place on August the 29th at the Whitney Forum.

Details will be coming very soon.

Late next month, the Northern Manitoba Blizzard will invite golfers of all skill levels to sign up and take part in their first golf tournament of the season.

The entry fee is $75 per person, and participants can choose between a chicken or pork tenderloin meal.

The summer event is limited to 30 participants and will be held at Halcrow Lake Golf & Country Club.

Anyone interested in learning more or registering can contact Bob Kerslake at 204-978-1515.

The Hudbay Aquatic Centre is offering a Bronze Medallion Swim Course between July the 3rd and 5th.

This is open to anyone who is interested in learning essential life saving skills, practising your swim techniques and taking steps to becoming a Life Guard.

You can earn an award from the Life Saving society and become a Life Guard.

The hours are Friday 12 to 4pm, Saturday 9 to 5pm and Sunday 9am to 5pm.

You must be 13 years old and have your Bronze Star to take the course. Sign up by contacting kandersen@flinflon.ca.

More excitement out of Bomber country as the hockey club has made another signing.

The Flin Flon Bombers are pleased to announce the signing of 2008 born forward Luca Martyniuk who comes to Northern Manitoba from the Burnaby Winter Club U-18 Prep Program of the CSSHL U-18 League. 

The 5'11 forward born in Vancouver had a great year offensively putting up 30 points in 30 games including 10 goals. That included three game winning goals and two powerplay goals.

The Bombers are excited about Luca's speed, long reach and tremendous offensive skills.

Flin Flon looks forward to welcoming Luca to Main Camp in late August.

Tomorrow, The Pas, OCN and the R.M. of Kelsey will be celebrating Canada Day with plenty of festivities across the North.

For those looking to have some fun and break a sweat on our nation's birthday, an outdoor pickleball tournament will be held just outside the Wellness Centre. The action gets underway at 1:30 p.m., and it's completely free to participate.

Players of all skill levels are welcome to join in the fun. Prizes will be awarded throughout the tournament, and food will be available for anyone who works up an appetite.

For more information, call 431-355-1517.

The Northern Manitoba Blizzard have a new head coach for the upcoming season.

Coach Josh Gratton comes from a hockey family and grew up playing in southwestern Ontario. After being drafted to play in the U.S, he went on to play professionally for 17 years before turning to coaching to continue his hockey journey.

Gratton says he fell in love with coaching immediately and enjoys passing on his knowledge to younger players. Most recently, he spent two seasons with the Winnipeg Blues. After a tough first season, the team showed significant improvement in his second year behind the bench.

Gratton says he's excited for the opportunity to coach in The Pas.

"It's a great opportunity that everybody wants to win...and the small community is very exciting for me to be a part of....I was ready to move on and take the next step and get that small junior hockey town feel and have that pride in the community is something to work towards." 

He describes himself as a structured and disciplined coach.

The Josh Gratton era is set to begin on Sept. 18 when the Blizzard host Swan Valley in their home opener.

The Manitoba Hockey Hall Of Fame has announced their inductees for the 2026 class.

Flin Flon will be well represented as Ken Baumgartner will be one of 6 players inducted, as the product of the Flin Flon Minor Hockey system played 696 career games in the NHL with five different teams.

After finishing his junior career with the Prince Albert Raiders of the WHL which included a Memorial Cup, Baumgartner was drafted by the Buffalo Sabres in the 12^th round and 245^th overall in the 1985 NHL Draft.

Baumgartner never played a single game for the Buffalo Sabres and he made his NHL debut for the Los Angeles Kings in 1987. Ken would also play for the New York Islanders, Toronto Maple Leafs, Anaheim Mighty Ducks and wrapping up his career with the Boston Bruins in 1999.

Baumgartner ended up playing in 696 career games with plenty of trips  to the penalty box amassing 2,242 penalty minutes while serving as the NHL Players Association Vice President. He finished his career with 13 career goals.

Following his playing career Ken earned an MBA from Harvard University.

The 1968/69 Flin Flon Bombers are also being inducted into the team category.

This was a dominant power house of the WCHL finishing with a record of 47-13 and went on to beat the Edmonton Oil Kings for the President’s Cup. Flin Flon then went on to knock off  the ST Thomas Barons for the National Championship the James Piggot Cup.

The roster was packed with incredible players led by former NHL Hall Of Famer Bobby Clarke.

The home town product was the Team Captain and led the team in points with 137 in just 60 games.

Flin Flon had plenty of other weapons including the Riverton Rifle, Reggie Leach. Leach was a massive offensive contributor and only suited up for 22 games that season but put up 46 points including 36 goals.

7 players from that team were born in Flin Flon and other key contributors  included forwards Brian Marchinko, Steve Andrascik, Wayne Hawrysh, Defensemen Murray Anderson, Ron Wilson and stand out netminders Cal Hammond and Ray Martyniuk.

The team was coached by Paddy Ginnell who coached the Bombers for 7 seasons in the WCHL winning the League Championship twice including  the 1968-69 season.

Ginnell was also player for the Flin Flon Bombers and was part of the Memorial Cup winning team in 1957. He would scout for the ST Louis Blues of the NHL  for a number of seasons when his coaching career ended.

Paddy was inducted into the Manitoba Hockey Hall Of Fame in 2009 as a builder.

This year’s induction ceremony has not announced a date, but an announcement is expected before Fall.

The Norman Wild U-15AAA Team have announced their try-out schedule for the up coming season.

They will take place on Saturday and Sunday September the 5th and 6th at the Roy H Johnson Arena.

The hours on Saturday are 1:00pm-2:30pm & 4:30pm-6:00pm and -8:30 am-10:00am & 12:00pm-1:30pm on Sunday.

If you need more information you can contact Rene Gagnon by 204-358-0492 or Renegagnon96@gmail.com

Registration deadline is July the 1st and there is a $175.00 try out fee to complete registration. You can send an e-transfer to nrmha@mymts.net.

Something new and fun from the Phantom Lake Golf Club.

Grab your partner and come out to the Phantom Lake Golf Course  for the 2026 Couples Classic on Saturday July 25th.

Golf will include a Scramble, Play Your Own Ball and Alternate Shot Format.

Prices are $50.00 for members and $65.00 for non members and that includes golf, prizes and a supper. Tee times will start at 3pm.

Book your spot by calling 306-688-5555.

No rest for the Flin Flon Bombers who continue to sign prospects from  all over the country and this time have landed a player from Victoria BC.

The Bombers have signed 2008 born forward Carter Stamp Vincent who suited up for the Island HC 18U Program of the JPHL 18U League.

Carter had a very good year offensively where he put up 41 points in 29 games including 20 goals.

Bomber Head Scout John Klassen is very excited about Carter's speed and his ability to create offense and is a very powerful skater.

Carter should have the tools to be a very good Bomber for years to come and is joining one of the Bombers best recruiting classes in a long time.