There is a lot of excitement in hockey rinks right across Saskatchewan and you can include the Whitney Forum in the mix.
The Flin Flon Bombers will host the Laronge Ice Wolves in their home opener as a brand new SJHL season will begin tonight.
Despite losing a lot of marquee players from last season, there is a lot of optimism in Bomber country who bring back 12 players from last year's team.
Flin Flon looks to be very good on the back end with the return of Pierce Yakimchuk, Natan Meunier, Nash Holmes, Emerson Clark and Kyle Marsden. Marsden will not be in uniform tonight due to injury.
All 5 looked great in camp and look forward to leading this group throughout the season.
The Bombers also bring back a good compliment of forwards including local products Joey Lies, preparing for his fourth season , Wyatt Stinton and Ryder Mucha.
This will be the second season for Stinton and Mucha who look to be poised to become elite players this year. Mucha scored 8 goals in the pre season and has a very deceptive shot and knows how to get to the net.
Stinton picked up three goals in the pre season and can really fly down the ice and doesn't mind playing physical when he has to.
Lies is also coming off a productive pre season which saw him score 4 goals in his last two pre-season games. Look for Lies to have his best offensive season as he gets ready for his last year of Junior Hockey.
Flin Flon will also bring back Leo Seitz, Reid Arberry, Rhett Ewen and Landon Alexander who can all play two way games and will bring a physical presence to the lineup.
The Bombers do not have a returning goalie with both tenders moving on from last year and it looks like 20 year old Devin Peck will be the opening night starter. The 20 year old from Colorado Springs arrived a few days after Main Camp and only gave up one goal in two pre-season starts and looks to be pretty solid.
Laronge looks to start the season with a younger lineup with only 8 players returning from last year but one of them looks to make a big impact.
Starting goalie Graham Brown is back and he was one of the league's best tenders down the stretch last year and was one of the big reasons the Wolves only missed the playoffs by a single point.
Brown plays the Bombers well and he will be tough to beat tonight.
Don't forget to get to the rink early for the Northland Ford Tailgate Party which kicks off in the Whitney Forum Parking Lot at 5pm. There will be free hotdogs and drinks, music from Amisk Sounds, a Beer Garden and free Glow Sticks for the first 300 fans.
You will be able to catch both games between the Bombers and Wolves this weekend including the home opener tonight beginning with the Great North GM Coach's Show at 7:10 and drop of the puck at 7:30.
We will also have the rematch tomorrow from the Ice Wolves new home the Jonas Roberts Memorial Community Centre with the Great North GM Coach's Show at 8:10 and drop of the puck 8:30 MB time.