The Humboldt Broncos will be looking for a new Head Coach and GM for the upcoming season as Scott Barney has accepted a position with the Sudbury Wolves of the OHL.

Barney will head back to his home province after six years at the helm in Humboldt since  2018. He started in Humboldt as the Assistant then took over midway through the season after a coaching change was made.

Barney has gone on to make his mark in the SJHL and right across the country guiding the Broncos to six straight playoff appearances, two division titles and a winning percentage of .692.

He was also Head Coach of Canada West who won a Gold medal at the most recent World JR A Challenge.

Scott has a great hockey pedigree which includes 4 seasons in the OHL with the Peterborough Petes including a Memorial Cup appearance. He was also drafted by the LA Kings, 29th overall in 1997.

Unfortunately back injuries kept his career short and he was only able to dress in 27 games.

Scott  is considered one of the best recruiters and coach's in the SJHL and has left the Bronco's in good shape and on paper look like the team to beat heading into this season, so there will be big shoes to fill.

I had the opportunity to chat  and interview Scott on many different occasions the past few years  and want to wish him all the success in his new coaching venture. 

Gridstone is an organization that is able to provide funding for girls who want to play minor hockey.

They have put together an association for girls and their families to make playing hockey affordable. Grant applications are now  available for the 2024-25 season.

The deadline to apply is July the 31st.

You can get the details by going to grindstoneaward.com/apply.

The Norman Northstars are now taking registration for their Conditioning Camps.

The camps will take place at the CA Nesbit Arena in Thompson

They will take place between August the 12th to the 16th and 19th to the 23rd.

Age group times (subject to change):

7-9 years old (2015-2017): 9:00 a.m. - 10:15 a.m.

10-12 years old (2012-2014): 10:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

13-14 years old (2010-2011): 12:15 p.m. -1:45 p.m.

Goalie Session (all ages): 6:00 p.m. -7:00 p.m.

15+ years old (2007-2009): 7:15 p.m. - 9:15 p.m.

All on-ice sessions will be ran by Head Coach Justin Valentino!

You can sign up by clicking on the link on the Norman Northstars facebook page.

What can be better than one Showcase to promote your players and league? How about two Showcases , the SJHL and MJHL announced a new  partnership earlier this week.

The SJHL/MJHL have been featuring one Showcase head to head the last few seasons, but with the way the junior hockey landscape is changing they have decided to add another.

The first event will take place in early November 2024 in Saskatchewan and will act as an elite identification camp for the upcoming 2024 World Junior A Challenge (WJAC).  

The second event will be the annual MJHL – SJHL Showcase which will be held in Winnipeg at the end of January 2025.  The annual Showcase welcomes 60 elite players from each league where 3 teams from each league will be formed to compete against each other during the event. One team will consist of players 18 and under, while the other two teams will consist of players 20 and under.

These events are heavilly attended by NHL,NCAA,Major Junior and University programs right across North America.

Both Noah Houle and Alexi Sylvestre of the Bombers were both offered scholarships after attending this Showcase.

More details will be announced at a later date.

Congratulations to Flin Flon Bomber forward Matt Egan who is going to get a chance to further his hockey career at Minot University.

Egan has spent the last 3 years with the Bombers and has been a popular player both on and off the ice.  Matt dressed for 98 career regular season games and picked up 28 points including 14 goals.

He was a member of the Bombers that reached the SJHL finals three years in a row that included a trip to the Centennial Cup in Estevan in 2022.

Matt is one of the most inspirational players to come along in a long time and has had to battle injuries and sickness throughout his career,  and was able to make it back into the lineup just before the playoffs.

Egan is the 8th player off the Bombers that is moving on to play college/university hockey for the up coming season.

The Phantom Lake Golf Club will be holding their annual Trout Festival Golf Tournament this Saturday.

It will start at 11 am with a shotgun start and will cost $50.00 for members and $60.00 for non members.

Your entrey fee will include 18 holes of golf, dinner and prizes.

Deadline to enter is Friday at 3pm.

PLSC finished off their competitive divisions this week with the U11, U13 and U15+U17 windup tournaments over the weekend at Phantom Lake, Creighton and Foster Park.

Here are the results

U11

Champions - Credit Union

Second - Victoria Inn

Third and Fourth - Orange Toad and McKeens

U13

Champions - Victoria Inn

Second - FORAN

Third and Fourth - McKeens and Credit Union

U15+U17

Champion - FORAN

Second - Hudbay

Third - Credit Union

The CIBC Soccer Fest begins tonight with U9 at Creighton Field at 5pm.  U5 and U7 on Tuesday at 5pm at Creighton Field.  

The Flin Flon Bombers have completed the futures deal with the Dauphin Kings of the MJHL.

Dawson Karol was dealt to Dauphin to complete the futures that brought veteran defenseman Anthony Bax to Flin Flon on January the 10th.

Dauphin then flipped Karol back to the SJHL and Kindersley for a PDF.

Dawson was a very popular player for the Bombers and suited up in 56 games for the maroon and white where he picked up 12 points including 6 goals.

The Klippers are excited to add a player with Karol's experience which included two deep playoff runs with the Bombers the past couple of seasons.

Flin Flon wishes Dawson all the best in Kindersley  and appreciate his commitment and hard work in a Bomber uniform the past couple of seasons.

The countdown to a new SJHL season is on and the Flin Flon Bombers continue to sign quality prospects as they look to build on what has been a very strong program in the league for a long time.

Flin Flon has added 06 d-man Jonah Marshall from the Warman Wildcats of the SMAAAHL.

Marshall hails from Saskatoon and has three years of Saskatchewan Triple A under his belt.

The past two seasons in Warman he has 16 points in 80 games and also suited up for the Moose Jaw Warriors U-18 AAA where he put up 6 points in 44 games including two goals.

Marshall will be at  main camp in late August and the Bombers look forward to adding this physical defenseman and  helping rebuild their blue line.

The Flin Flon Extreme Hockey School will be returning to the Whitney Forum in August.

Programs will take place August the 19th to the 22nd for Juniors 6 to 9, Intermediate 10 to 13, Skill Development 12 to 15 and Conditioning for 14 and up.

Specialty Clinics take place August the 25th and 26th, and  will focus in on Power Skating and Shooting and Stick Handling.

Mike Reagan the Head Coach and GM of the Bombers returns as the Head Instructor and lots of Bomber players will be helping out including Carter Anderson, Joey Lies. Cole Tanchuk, Kylynn Olafson, Kenny Marquart and Pierce Yakimchuk,

There will be a registration skate on August the 18th at 7pm and for more information you can reach out to Mike Reagan at 204-271-1407 or e-mail mikereagan39@hotmail.com.

The Flin Flon Bombers have a great opportunity for kids as they will be offering an evening Dryland Conditioning Camp.

The camp will focus in on skills,speed and agility.

This is open to any athletes born in 2015 and over.

The camp will feature Justin and Joey Lies from the Bombers and Nolan Rideout from the Fort Frances Lakers.

This will take place July the 2nd, 3rd and 4th and 9th,10th and 11th.

You need to register by June the 27th at Rideoutnolan@gmail.com. Include your full name and birth date. You will get six 45 minute sessions for $75.00.

Groups and times will be emailed once registration has closed.

The National Disc Golf Tour is once again holding a disc golf tournament at Creekside Park on Saturday June the 29th.

This will be held in conjunction with the Trout Festival.

There is a $50.00 entry fee and divisions for every skill level. Your $50.00 entry fee includes NAGDT Canada Premium Disc, custom pair of Micro Crew Socks, Towel and Birdie Tag. 

There will be a chance to win lots of great prizes and you can sign up at www.discgolfscenecom/tournaments.

The Manitoba Hockey Hall Of Fame announced their inductees for 2024 at a press conference in Winnipeg last week.

Congratulations to Flin Flon's Harvey Bolton who is being inducted as a builder and  has been an official for over 50 years.

Harvey first started refereeing games in Flin Flon in 1972 at the Tom Thumb Rink which was located in the Whitney Forum basement.

Besides refereeing in Flin Flon, Harvey also reffed in Dauphin and Thompson and became Thompson's Referee In Chief in 1977 and the Referee In Chief for the entire Norman Region in 1980 which he still holds.

He has also worked SJHL and MJHL games , organized top level referee clinics and international events. Bolton served as the officiating supervisor for the 2001 Royal Bank Cup which took place in Flin Flon and the U-17 World Hockey Challenge which took place in Manitoba.

In 2003, Harvey was honoured by Hockey Manitoba with the Frank Mckinnon Outstanding Volunteer Award.

Harvey was Hockey Manitoba’s Referee in Chief for five years (1997-2002) . Most recently, Harvey has served as Norman’s Regional Referee Coordinator (2017 to present)
 

Congratulations to a very deserving volunteer and leader and has had one of the biggest impacts on hockey in the North in his 50 plus years.

The SJHL Draft took place earlier today with all 12 clubs making two selections for players born in 2009,  and could make up to 6 selections for players born in 2008.

The Flin Flon Bombers picked 12th overall and made two selections for players born in 2009.

The Bombers picked defenseman Staiden Parenteau a defenseman from Prince Albert with their first selection.

Parenteau suited up for the U-15 AA Prince Albert Pirates and picked up 30 points in 28 games. The Bombers then selected another defenseman in Carter Schmidt out of Regina.

Schmidt has spent the past three seasons with the Regina Aces U-15 AA and is coming off a season where he picked up 20 points in 26 games.

Flin Flon chose 4 players that were born in 2008.

The Bombers were able to jump up to number six and chose Wade Franks a 16 year old out of Scout Lake Saskatchewan.

Franks another defenseman stands 5'10 and played for the Moose Jaw Warriors AAA U-18 and suited up for 38 games and tallied 12 points including 5 goals.

The Bombers didn't get a pick in round two and selected their first forward with Kale Spencer out of Saskatoon in round three.

It was a very good showing for a number of teams from the Phantom Lake Soccer Club who travelled down to Saskatoon for the Harder Avalon Classic.

This is one of the biggest tournaments in all of Saskatchewan and all the teams from Flin Flon battled hard rose to the occasion against some very good competition.

Here are the results for the Flin Flon teams

U9M - 3 wins - 1 loss

U11F - 3 wins and went  undefeated

U11M 2 wins 1 loss

U13F - 0-3 but were very  competitive 

U13M  2 wins - 1 loss

U15F 0-3 and went up  against top tier teams

U17F 1-1-1  Their  final loss in shootout which kept them out of the finals

U15/U17 Boys suffered three losses at their first SaskCup 

The Phantom Lake Golf Club is getting ready for their first big event of the summer.

The Opening Day Tournament will take place on Saturday June the 15th.

There will be a shotgun start at 11 and it is $50.00 for members and $60.00 for non members. Entry includes 18 holes of golf, a meal and prizes.

You can register at the Pro Shop by calling 306-688-5555.

They will also be hosting a Mixed Two Ball on Saturday June the 22nd with tee times starting at 4. It will cost $40.00 per person.

It has all come full circle for Flin Flon Bomber forward Jerome Gilbert.

Gilbert is on his way back to the Yarmouth Mariners of the Maritime Hockey league , where he played before being acquired from the Bombers just prior to the January 10th trade deadline .

Gilbert had a lot of success in Yarmouth where he averaged better than a point per game picking up 53 points in 52 games including 18 goals. He was able to pick up 9 points including three goals in 22 games with Flin Flon.

The Bombers want to thank Jerome for his time and efforts with the club and wish him the best of luck back in Yarmouth. Flin Flon will receive a PDF.