By John Ploszay Photos by James Carey Lauder , Jeff Miller , Bruce Fedyck and Laurie Anderson
Goalie Hunter Ploszay Stonewall Jets
STONEWALL – The 2016-17 Manitoba Major Junior Hockey League season was one of the greatest in the league ’ s long , glorious history . And it all came down to one sensational evening on April 21 , 2017 .
That night at the Seven Oaks Sportsplex , the Raiders Junior Hockey Club , settled into Game 6 of the Manitoba Major Junior Hockey League championship series and with a huge crowd of enthusiastic supporters cheering them on . In what was a truly dominant effort , the Raiders , a team that had finished fifth during the regular season , beat the favored Stonewall Jets 5-1 to claim the Jack McKenzie Trophy in six games .
“ They talked the talk and walked the walk ” a jubilant Raiders President , Ned Sanders said . “ I ’ d call our team ’ s playoff run epic . The players , our fans , the coaches , they put it all together , and man was it exciting .”
Indeed , it was , but now a new season beckons and while the Raiders will be champions until they raise the Jack McKenzie Trophy again or are dethroned by one of nine talented challengers , this might be an even better season than the one we all enjoyed last year .
We went around the league and talked with team presidents , coaches , GMs and owners just to give you a look at what to expect this season and there is no doubt the MMJHL has come a long way and is continuing to change with the times . The modern player-athlete wants more than just a chance to play competitive hockey . He also wants the opportunity to combine a well-rounded life , his education and / or a shot at a good job . Today ’ s junior-aged hockey player wants a high quality of life and that ’ s what the MMJHL offers and that ’ s why so many high-quality players are attracted to the league .
The result has been parity and for the fans , very exciting , competitive hockey and based on what we got last year , the 2017-18 MMJHL season might just be the tightest ever . Let ’ s take a close look at all 10 teams as they get set for the opening games – five of them ! – on Sept . 17 .
“ Based
on what we got last year the 2017 / 18 season might just be the tightest ever ”
Stonewall Jets
The runners-up last season , the Jets were solid in 2016- 17 and had great production from team MVP and firstteam MMJHL All-Star Chase Faulkner . Plus , they got strong goaltending from Hunter Ploszay , who won the Ron Smith Memorial Trophy as the league ’ s MVP goalie and was named to the first All-Star team , as well .
The Jets will lose at least five players to graduation – Robert Smith , Adam Blight , Branden Meier , Eric Swanson and Garrett Bruce .
“ Bruce , who was a league All Star the previous year was a tremendous loss for us on defense , but I give full credit to 16-year-old Brock Bytheway who stepped in and worked hard trying to fill the void ,” said Jets GM Ryan Margetts . “ Bytheway got better each game he played in , although the Raiders really took it to us in the final .”
Margetts hopes Bytheway will re-join the team this year but there is demand for the diminutive defenseman from the Waywayseecappo Wolverines of the MJHL . Another AP , Brendan Labossiere , also did a great job and the Jets are hoping he ’ ll suit up for the team in the coming season .
SEPTEMBER 2017 | GAME ON | 27