September each year brings Moose Jaw into welcoming a new season of hockey, Warriors style.
After the Moose Jaw Warriors’ epic win last season taking home the Western Hockey League championship after 40 years, the community is anticipating another great season of hockey.
Optimism is in the air with big dreams for the franchise and although changes have been inevitable with over-age players streaming out and new players joining the fold, it’s sure to bring a lot of excitement to the city.
With optimism comes hope, “the state of mind based on an expectation of positive outcomes” says Wikipedia. As all good Warrior fans, we embrace hope in the team based not on blind-sided good luck but that of proven performance, although the end outcome isn’t just the all-and-all in the competition but much more about the journey to get there.
Any journey in life is not for the faint of heart. For the team, it takes perseverance, trust, team-cooperation, understanding, encouragement, leadership, and a desire to rise above challenges by learning from mistakes. As a player, some of the most important qualities a player can have are said to be confidence, fearlessness, discipline, visualization and emotional control.
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These young hockey players have met the requirements in their desire to invest time and effort into their dreams, and now will have the chance to perform to the best of their ability and prove their worth. An inspirational hockey quote found online at https://hockeytraining.com/motivaional-quotes/ says, “You will never perform to the highest level of your capability until you match your inner drive with your physical ability.”
The team players are just a part of the whole, as coaches and staff invest their time too in making these young men shine on the ice.
Head coach Mark O’Leary had good things to say about the players during training camps, saying he was “really happy with the pace, the effort and the compete being there…”
And to emphasize the journey to the end result, O’Leary said, “We want to be stacking good days… you don’t need to be playing your best hockey in September, but you want to make progress. That was the goal; you stack a bunch of good days and they add up to a really good finish.”
As a community, we all need to get into the game too by supporting the franchise, by being encouraging and by cheering our beloved Warriors team on through another year of possible wins and losses. Not every game will be stellar, but with hope and optimism, let’s make the best of a great opportunity!
From Moose Jaw to the NHL: A look at former Warriors who became NHL stars
The Moose Jaw Warriors have a long and storied history of producing professional hockey players throughout their 41 years in the Western Hockey League. Here’s a look at some who reached the highest levels of the National Hockey League and remain some of the most beloved players in team history
Theoren Fleury
One of four players with their number (9) retired by the team, Fleury played for the Warriors from 1984 to 1988, dressing in 274 games. He holds the franchise record for goals (201), assists (271), and points (472) while also racking up 551 penalty minutes.
Drafted by the Flames in the eighth round in 1987 and utterly fearless despite being undersized, Fleury would go on to play 1,084 games in the NHL, scoring 455 goals and 1,088 points over 17 seasons.
In the process, he became the model for how smaller players could find a way to succeed in an NHL that had become dominated by larger skaters.
Fleury won the World Junior championship with Team Canda in 1988 and later that same year claimed the Stanley Cup with the Calgary Flames, putting down one of the most famous goal celebrations in the process when he scored an overtime winner against Edmonton.
Fleury also won gold with Canada at the 2002 Olympic Games, making him one of only a handful of players with a World Junior gold medal, Stanley Cup and Olympic gold. Fleury was inducted into the Warriors and Legends Hall of Fame in 2010.
Mike Keane
One of four players with their number (25) retired by the team, Keane played for the Warriors from 1984 through 1987, playing in 185 games, Keane scored 76 goals and 196 points while racking up 238 penalty minutes and developing the hard-nosed style of play that would lead to an incredible NHL career. His best season for the Warriors was 1985-1986 when he had 34 goals and 83 points.
Keane played for Canada at the World Juniors in 1987 and would be signed as an undrafted free agent by the Montreal Canadiens prior to the 1988-89 campaign. He’d go on to play 16 seasons in the NHL, playing 1,161 games, scoring 168 goals and 470 points to go along with 881 penalty minutes. Along the way he’d win three Stanley Cups, with Montreal (1993), Colorado (1996) and Dallas (1999).
Keane is currently a development coach with the Winnipeg Jets and was inducted into the Warriors and Legends Hall of Fame in 2008.
Ryan Smyth
One of four players with their number (28) retired by the team, Smyth played for the Warriors from from 1992 through 1995 and in 188 regular season games put up 110 goals and 224 points, making him one of the top career scorers in Warriors history.
Smyth was drafted sixth overall by the Edmonton Oilers in the 1994 NHL Draft and remains the second highest Warrior selected in the Draft. Smyth went on to have a storied NHL career, playing in 1,270 games with four teams over 19 seasons and finishing with 386 goals and 842 points while playing a gritty style with no fear of the hard areas of the ice.
He added to his legend by representing Canada in international competition no less than 13 times through World Junior, World Championship and Olympic competition. Smyth earned the nickname Captain Canada for his dedication, and wore the C for Canada six times.
Smyth won Olympic gold in 2002, world titles in 2003 and 2004, the World Cup in 2005, Spengler Cup in 2013 and was inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame in 2019. Smyth was inducted into the Warriors and Legends Hall of Fame in 2017.
Kelly Buchberger
the Atlanta Thrashers captain before joining the L.A. Kings and wearing an ‘A’ in his two seasons there.
All told, Buchberger played 1,182 games over 18 NHL seasons, scoring 105 goals and 309 points while racking up 2,297 penalty minutes -- 34th all time in the NHL.
Buchberger made his NHL debut in the 1987 Stanley Cup final and won his first Cup, repeating the feat with Edmonton in 1989-90. He also played for Canada in three World Championships, winning in 1994.
Buchberger was inducted into the Warriors and Legends Hall of Fame in 2009.
Lyle Odelein
Odelein joined the Warriors for the 1985-86 season and would quickly develop into a solid offensive defenceman with a bit of grit to his game.
Odelein would play three seasons and 189 games with Moose Jaw, putting up 33 goals and 163 points to sit fourth alltime in defenceman scoring with the Warriors.
One of four players with their number (24) retired by the team, Buchberger played for the Warriors from 1984 through 1986 and suited up in 123 games. A renowned enforcer, Buchberger put up 26 goals and 65 points to go along with 320 penalty minutes in his WHL career, 206 of those in his final season in Moose Jaw during the 1985-86 campaign.
Buchberger was selected in the ninth round of the 1985 NHL Draft by the Edmonton Oilers and would evolve into one of the most respected leaders in the league, serving as the Oilers captain for five years and spending one year as
That production led the Montreal Canadiens to select Odelein in the seventh round, 141st overall in the 1986 NHL Draft and he’d join the team full time for the 1990-91 campaign.
That would lead to a 16-year NHL career that saw Odelein play in 1,056 games, scoring 50 goals and 252 points while racking up 2,136 penalty minutes. He played seven seasons in Montreal and won the Stanley Cup in the 1992-93 campaign, emerging as a fan favourite with the Habs in the process.
Odelein was the first player selected by the Columbus Blue Jackets in the 1999 expansion draft and would serve as their captain for their first two years in the league.
Odelein also played for Canada in the first World Cup of hockey and won silver.
Odelein was inducted into the Warriors and Legends Hall of Fame in 2013.
Curtis Brown
Selected sixth overall by the Warriors in the 1991 WHL Bantam Draft, Brown would play for Moose Jaw from 199293 through the first half of the 1995-96 season, developing an offensive game that saw him drafted in the second round, 45th overall by the Buffalo Sabres in 1994.
Brown would play 257 games with Moose Jaw scoring 111 goals and 236 points to sit 14th overall in team career scoring. His best season in Moose Jaw was 1994-95, where he put up 51 goals and 104 points while also playing his first NHL game, where he recorded a goal and assist.
Brown would win the 1996 World Junior Championship with Canada and helped the Rochester Americans win the Calder Cup that same year.
Brown would go on to play 13 seasons in the NHL, playing 736 games with 129 goals and 300 points, with seven of those seasons with the Sabres.
Brown is currently the pre- and post-game analyst for the San Jose Sharks on NBC Sports California.
Reed Low
One of the toughest players to ever put on the Warriors jersey, it was estimated by former Times-Herald sports editor and long-time Warriors writer Rick Moore that Low never lost a fight in the Western Hockey League.
A product of the Moose Jaw Minor Hockey Association, Low played only 123 games over two seasons from 1996-98 with the Warriors, but racked up 449 penalty minutes in that span to sit 12th all-time in team totals. His physical skills led the St. Louis Blues to select Low in the seventh round of the 1996 NHL Draft and set up a fouryear whirlwind of an NHL career. Low showed no fear when it came to facing the toughest the NHL had to offer, successfully going toe-to-toe with the likes of Bob Probert, Brad May, Darren McCarty, Craig Be-
rube and Stu Grimson while staking his place as a top NHL enforcer.
Low would have nine fights in his first nine NHL games and cap his career with 81 fights over four seasons. Low ended up with 256 games played in the NHL, scoring three times with 19 points and 725 penalty minutes, twice recording 50 penalty minutes in a game.
Low has since gone on to become an important member of the St. Louis Blues community, working as an officer with Alumni Association for several years and becoming a charity auctioneer and motivational speaker.
Deryk Engelland
Throughout his time with the Moose Jaw Warriors from 1999 through 2003, Engelland was one of the most feared enforcers in the league, but it was what he did in the final years of his NHL career that made him one of the most respected players of the modern era.
Engelland played four seasons and 243 games for the Warriors, scoring 14 goals and 48 points in that span. It was his physical abilities that attracted the NHL’s attention, as seen by his 520 penalty minutes.
Engelland was drafted in the sixth round, 194th overall by the New Jersey Devils in 2000 and spent several years in the minors, winning the Calder Cup with Hershey in the 2005-06 season.
Signed by Pittsburgh prior to the 2010-11 campaign, Engelland would become a full-time NHLer and would play 11 seasons, covering 671 games where he scored 30 goals and 127 points.
Engelland was selected in the first round of the NHL expansion draft by the Vegas Golden Knights, and immediately become a team legend when, as the team’s assistant captain, he gave a heartfelt speech on ice prior to their first-ever home game. His address to the crowd came after 58 people were killed in a mass shooting only days before, and his tireless efforts to help the community recover led to Engelland winning the NHL’s Mark Messier Leadership Award that season.
Engelland retired in 2020 and remains in the Vegas Knights organization,
Troy Brouwer
One of the greatest leaders in Warriors history, Brouwer carries the mantle as the only captain to bring the Warriors all the way to the Western Hockey League championship final. It took a few seasons for Brouwer to get to that point, though, as he had 117 points through 199 games leading into what would become the storied 200506 Warriors campaign. Still, the Chicago Blackhawks had taken notice of his overall game and made him their seventh-round selection in the 2004 NHL Draft. Named captain heading into the 2005-06 season, Brouwer would put up 49 goals and 102 points to win the WHL scoring title before battling through injury and recording another 10 goals and 14 points in 17 playoff games. The Warriors would go all the way to the WHL final before falling to Vancouver in four games.
Brouwer’s 219 career points are 18th overall in Warriors history.
Brouwer would crack the NHL full time in 2009-10 with Chicago and won the Stanley Cup that season. He’d play 14 NHL seasons, playing 851 games with 182 goals and 363 points to go along with 595 penalty minutes.
Brouwer retired after the 2019-20 season and has since served as a scout for the St. Louis Blues.
Morgan Rielly
Rielly hasn’t been out of a Warriors uniform all that long, but it’s safe to say he’s one of the team’s most respected current NHL players thanks to his time with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Before he even set foot in Moose Jaw, the high-scoring defenceman had a winning pedigree, winning the Telus
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Cup with the Notre Dame Hounds. His preternatural skill as a 16-year-old rearguard in the WHL immediately drew NHL attention, and despite suffering an injury that limited him to only 18 games in his draft year, Rielly would become the highest-ever Moose Jaw NHL pick in history when he was selected fifth overall by the Maple Leafs in the 2012 Draft. Rielly would play one more season with the Warriors -- finishing with 21 goals and 100 points in 143 games -- before joining the Leafs full time for the 2013-14 campaign. The rest, as they say, is history.
Rielly is currently one of the NHL’s top defencemen and one of Toronto’s assistant captains, with seven goals and 58 points over 72 games during the 2023-24 season. His NHL career has spanned 12 seasons, where he’s played 791 games with 80 goals and 472 points.
Brayden Point
Quite possibly the most respected and beloved member of the Warriors in the modern era, Point burst onto the scene as a wildly undersized 15-year-old in the 2011-12 WHL playoffs and has done nothing but put up points since. Using his unbelievable skill and agility, Point put up 57 points as a 16-year-old, racked up 91 the following sea-
son, had 87 points in 60 games as a 18-year-old and capped his career with 88 points in only 48 games in the 2015-16 season, his final in the WHL, All told, Point had 134 goals and 324 points over 252 games in Moose Jaw to sit third all time in career scoring behind Theo Fleury’s 472 points and Chad Hinz’ 332 points.
All that production led to the Tampa Bay Lightning selecting Point in the third round, 79th overall, taking a flyer on the skilled but undersized forward being able to find his way in the land of giants that is today’s NHL.
How has it turned out?
Nine NHL seasons, 580 games, 264 goals, 553 points, two Stanley Cups and absolute, bona fide superstardom. Point put up the best season of his career in 2022-23, scoring 51 goals and 95 points, and he followed that up last season with another outstanding campaign, scoring 46 goals and 90 points over 81 games.
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PARTY TIME: Moose Jaw turns out in force to celebrate Warriors’ WHL championship
Thousands of fans line Main Street for parade, pack ice surface at Moose Jaw Events Centre to hear from team as city officially celebrates first-ever Western Hockey League title
It was a celebration 40 years in the making. Thousands of fans lined Main Street and later packed the ice surface at the Moose Jaw Events Centre to join the Moose Jaw Warriors in celebrating their Western Hockey League championship on the afternoon of Sunday, June 9. The players themselves walked the entirety of Main Street high-fiving fans before the entire crowd marched their way to the MJEC, where team staff and players addressed the huge throng that gathered one last time to celebrate their historic 2023-24 season.
“It’s very special,” Warriors captain Denton Mateychuk said when asked about the parade and all the cheering fans. “We’re super glad to have all the fan support we were able to have and the way they came out to support us, it’s awesome. They’re the best fans in the league for a reason and we love ‘em.
“It’s a surreal opportunity and moment and all that, we wish we could have brought home the Memorial Cup, but we have a lot to be proud of this year.”
The team was escorted down Main Street by the Moose Jaw Police Service, and while players were originally going to ride the Tourism Moose Jaw trolley, they quickly decided they’d rather get up close and personal with their supporters.
Once at the rink, fans heard from general manager Jason Ripplinger and head coach Mark O’Leary before Lucas Brenton, Martin Rysavy, Brayden Yager, Jagger Firkus, Atley Calvert and, of course, captain Mateychuk all took their turns with the mic.
The players and staff then mingled with the crowd, while fans could also get photos with the Ed Chynoweth Cup, “It’s special to get this opportunity and get our fans and players going in one spot one last time and celebrate what has been the most fun I’ve ever had in hockey,” said O’Leary shortly after the official part of the festivities wrapped up.
“The players will say the same thing, and so will the fans. Forty years is a long time to wait and they deserve it,”
Now that the season had officially come to an end, O’Leary admitted that things were finally starting to sink in.
“There’s so much pressure and so much competitiveness and it’s always about the next game and next game, but now we can put our feet up and relax a little bit and let it sink in how special this really was,” he said.
Mateychuk was of much the same opinion, especially looking back on how far the team came in what will likely be his final year in a Warriors uniform.
“There are lots of good teams in this league, and we knew coming into it we were one of them. We had a real chance of having an opportunity to hoist the Ed Chynoweth Cup, we built during the regular season and once the playoffs came, we were ready to go and we got the job done.”
The Moose Jaw Warriors celebrate with their fans during the WHL championship parade and ceremony.
“We’re going to be brothers forever”
Winning a WHL Championship, in their own words
A season filled with promise, expectations and hope paid off in the most incredible fashion possible. For the first time in franchise history, the Moose Jaw Warriors are Western Hockey League champions. On the ice with the players as they celebrated their championship, here’s a selection of what they had to say about a magical night in Moose Jaw.
Denton Mateychuk, Team captain and WHL Playoffs MVP
Winning the championship
“It’s the best feeling I’ve ever had, it’s crazy. Just feeling that thing, lifting it up, it doesn’t get any better than that.
Winning together
“It’s unbelievable, it’s absolutely great. I grew up with these guys and our goal was to always do this and today we (bleep)ing did it… this city deserved it and we’re glad we can bring it to them.”
Atley Calvert, Moose Jaw product and graduating overager
Winning the championship
“I can’t describe it. So much work has gone into this, highs and lows throughout the year, but at the end of the day I’m going to remember this group of guys and obviously the fans, they really helped us this year.
Winning together
“It was our goal from day one, I knew it was going to be a special year, this is a special group and we’re going to be brothers forever.”
Mark O’Leary, head coach
Winning the championship
“This is unbelievable. I just love this group, everything they’re about and even when I’m mad at them I love ‘em. And to have the opportunity to do this at home is special.”
First team to win championship
“It means everything. Moose Jaw, I consider home now, I came here 12 years ago, I met my wife here, it’s home. To see how much it means to them is unbelievable. I can’t wait to share it with them.”
Martin Rysavy, Two goals in Game 4 and graduating overager
Winning the championship
“I’m just so proud, not just the team, but the whole city. You saw it on social media, the fans were absolutely amazing and they were the engine for us the whole time in the playoffs. It’s just incredible and just don’t have the words to describe it… it’s been a long journey for me and going for a Memorial Cup is just going to be so special.”
Lucas Brenton, graduating overager
Winning the championship
“It’s unbelievable. I grew up with most of these guys, they’re my best buddies in the world except for my brothers and my family and it means so much to win this. It’s the best feeling you could ask for, it’s just amazing.”
Winning with fellow veterans
“Firky, Dents and Yags, we knew anything was possible with those guys and we did it, baby.”
“It’s incredible, it’s an incredible feeling to get that done as a group, and to battle through such a tight game, it was tough. Coming into that third period, we had confidence in our group we were going to come out on top and to make a play you have to throw it at the net.”
Final seconds of Game 4
“The dying seconds the guys were jumping up and down and we were feeling it all season. There’s a lot of bumps and bruises from the grind of the season and the playoffs, and to come out on a positive note is such a great feeling.”
Matthew Savoie, Key contributor throughout playoffs
Winning after being in final in 2023
“It feels unreal, I mean, with how special of a group we had and how special of a run we had, that series against Saskatoon took a lot out of us but we fought the whole way and there’s no group I’d rather do it with.”
Being part of championship run
“I think if you want to go deep in the playoffs, you have to have that brotherhood and that camaraderie to play for each other every night and we had that right from the get go. Right from when I got here, they took me in and it was so much fun coming to rink every day.”
Jackson Unger, veteran goaltender
Winning the championship
“It’s unbelievable. There’s no feeling like this. I feel so accomplished, I built my entire hockey career for this moment and we made it.”
Closeness of the team
“We’ve been brothers since the (2021 COVID) bubble. We’ve been thorough lows, we’ve been through highs, this is the closest we’ve ever been and I’m so happy to share this moment with them.”
Brayden Yager, key playoff contributor and veteran presence
Winning the championship
“It’s crazy. I grew up with these guys the past five years, it’s hard to explain and it’s the best feeling in the world.”
Living the dream
“I think every kid has the same dream, you’re counting down the seconds on the driveway playing road hockey and winning a championship. It’s crazy to think we’ve actually done it.”
Warriors championship trophy
Parker, Schuurman play key role in Warriors’ championship after early-season trade
On Oct. 5, 2023, the Moose Jaw Warriors swung a trade that ended up paying big dividends on the team’s run to its first Western Hockey League Championship.
In the trade, the Warriors landed 19-year-old forward Brayden Schuurman and 19-year-old defenceman Kalem Parker. Both players would play key roles in the team lifting the Ed Chynoweth Cup.
“They both came better than advertised,” Warriors general manager Jason Ripplinger said.
Schuurman and Parker came to the Warriors without a game of playoff experience with the Victoria Royals, but both players ended up showing their big game capabilities over the rest of the regular season and 20 games in the post-season.
“Parker played in all situations, he brought character to our club and Schuurman was Mr. clutch for us on our third line,” Ripplinger said.
“Adding a top-two defencemen and a top-six forward early in the year for us was very crucial. We wanted to start building chemistry and show our players and fans we were all in.”
Parker played big minutes on the Warriors’ top defensive pairing, while Schuurman scored the two biggest goals in the organization’s history, scoring in overtime in Game 3 of the WHL Championship Series and adding the title-clinching goal in Game 4.
“It’s something you remember for the rest of your life,” Schuurman said. “Being able to contribute in that way was really special for me.”
Parker and Schuurman had played their entire WHL careers together with the Royals, starting out during the COVID-19-shortened season in 2020-21.
Schuurman said it was a bit of a shock initially when he was traded.
“Being a B.C. boy and playing in B.C. my whole life and then now moving a little further away from home, but I was really excited to get going in Moose Jaw, knowing that it was a good team.”
“Any time you get traded to a top contender, you’re pretty happy about it and I fit in with the boys pretty quickly.”
The Minnesota Wild prospect showed why the Warriors targeted him in the early season trade. He played big minutes alongside Captain Denton Mateychuk on the Warriors’ top defensive pairing.
Parker finished with a career-best six goals and 42 points in 65 games during the regular season and then added two goals and nine points in 20 playoff games.
He said he felt his game evolved over the course of the season.
“I worked a lot at the defensive side of my game and I thought that improved drastically,” Parker said.
Schuurman rediscovered the scoring touch that he showed as a 17-year-old, finishing with 20 goals and 48 points in 66 games.
He would take his game to another level, playing a shutdown role in the playoffs, while also chipping in with seven goals and nine points in 20 games.
“As the year went on and getting into the playoffs, I really found my stride,” Schuurman said.
Both players will be returning to Moose Jaw next season for their final seasons in the WHL.
“Leadership is going to be really important moving forward for me,” Schuurman said. “I pride myself on being a leader with my voice and leading by example as well, so I’m looking forward to some more of that.”
Moose Jaw Warriors forward Brayden Schuurman and defenceman Kalem Parker played key roles in their championship victory this past spring.
‘The most special year of my life’ Firkus
Marc Smith - Moose Jaw Warriors
The Firkus Circus was an award-winning blockbuster this season.
Jagger Firkus put together one of the best individual seasons in Moose Jaw Warriors’ history as he helped the team to its most successful season ever.
“It’s sunk in a little bit, but I don’t think really for the most part yet,” Firkus said. “It’s a year that I’ll look back on for the rest of my life and just be so proud of it.”
The special season was capped off in the most incredible way for Firkus and the Warriors with the organization’s first WHL championship and a trip to the 2024 Memorial Cup.
Firkus said he won’t forget the run that the team put together.
“It was the most special year of my life, it was just such a fun year, we came to the rink with the mentality to get better, but at the same time, we just had so much fun,” he said.
Firkus led the Canadian Hockey League in scoring with 126 points in 63 games during the regular season, while setting a career-high in goals with 61 and assists with 65.
That led to him becoming just the second Warrior to win the Four Broncos Memorial Trophy as the WHL Player of the Year and the first to ever win the David Branch CHL Player of the Year award.
son, averaging two points per game.
The Seattle Kraken prospect also etched his name in the Warriors’ record book, becoming the fourth highest scoring player in franchise history and sitting second in goals at the end of the season.
Firkus kept his dominance going in the post-season where he led the WHL in scoring again with 14 goals and 32 points in 20 games.
He finished the Warriors’ run to the Ed Chynoweth Cup as the team’s alltime leading scorer with 30 goals and 65 points in 40 career playoff games.
“Throughout my last four years here, I’ve grown every single year and this year, I took a big stride as well, and not only just for the points wise, but obviously trying to be a pro next year and get the mentality that you need to play like a pro,” Firkus said.
Going into the offseason, Firkus will have his sights set
“It’s obviously good to get recognized for something like that,” Firkus said. “When you’re there, you get to see who’s on that trophy, it’s cool to be alongside all those
After leading the Warriors in scoring in back-to-back seasons, Firkus took his game to another level this sea
Jagger Firkus
Yager takes his game to another level during championship run
Stellar success in postseason helps Warriors win first-ever WHL title
Marc Smith - Moose Jaw Warriors
Brayden Yager showed the different levels of his game over the course of the Moose Jaw Warriors’ championship season. Coming off an outstanding regular season, the Pittsburgh Penguins prospect found another gear during the Western Hockey League playoffs, playing a key role at both ends of the ice for the Warriors.
“I like to think of myself as a player that rises to the occasion,” Yager said after the season. “I feel like I can step up in big situations and be a leader in that sense, but I thought it was a great year overall.”
Yager finished tied for second on the Warriors in scoring during the regular season with a career-high 35 goals and 95 points in 57 games, blowing away his previous career-best points per game mark at 1.67.
He carried that play over into the post-season where he finished with 11 goals and 27 points in 20 games as he helped the Warriors to the franchise’s first Ed Chynoweth Cup.
Despite Moose Jaw going 1-3 at the Memorial Cup, Yager had a strong showing, finishing with three goals and six points in four games and being named to the tournament all-star team, along with Captain Denton Mateychuk.
“Coming into this year, a year older and a lot more confident, but I can’t do it without my teammates,” he said, “Playing with [Jagger Firkus] – he had an incredible year – and [Denton Mateychuk], the defenceman of the year, and getting [Matthew Savoie], he was a huge pick up for us, and you can’t do it without your teammates.”
Originally selected with the third overall pick in the 2020 WHL Prospects Draft, Yager was a key part of the Warriors’ core that the team built around since the Hub Season in 2020-21.
The Saskatoon product had seven goals and 18 points in 24 games as a 15-year-old to show the promise that the team hoped would help lead them to a championship down the road.
“Right from the first day I threw on a Warriors jersey, it was about building up for this year,” Yager said. “To see all the hard work over the years pay off, and all the times that we got knocked down and we just kept getting back up, this year was pretty special and to get the job done with this group of guys is incredible.”
Yager said the ups and downs that the team went through as a group helped make them a stronger locker room.
“Sometimes it sucks in the moment, but looking back on it, you realize how much closer it brings you together,” Yager said. “The long bus rides after a loss and nights of just being together, it goes by so fast, but looking back on it, the whole journey
Warriors forward Brayden Yager had a spectacular 2023-24 season.
brings you together.
“It showed throughout the whole year, the resiliency of our group. We went through a couple of tough stretches throughout the year where we just couldn’t find a way to win a game, it felt like, and we’d end up getting back up and going on a nice winning streak.”
The growth of the group together and new additions fitting into that dynamic led to the success during the highs and lows of a playoff run like the Warriors went on.
“The [Swift Current] series, losing the first game 7-2 and then bouncing right back and winning a big one, then winning four straight and then the Saskatoon series just speaks for itself and the hard fought battle against those guys, it just goes to show our group is as tight as we say it is and we each other’s backs the whole year and it’s pretty special,” Yager said.
After the special season that the Warriors put together, Yager said he’s focusing on resting up with his family for a few weeks before getting back to work.
“It’s going to be a short summer,” he said. “I’ll have to rest quick and get back in the gym and get stronger and get ready to give myself the best chance to make the Penguins, so it’s going to be an exciting summer.”
Calvert rewrote the Warriors record book during his career
All-time highest-scoring Moose Jaw-born Warrior caps junior career in spectacular fashion
Marc Smith - Moose Jaw Warriors
Atley Calvert started out watching the Moose Jaw Warriors from the stands as a kid and dreaming of one day playing for the team.
He ends his Western Hockey League career as the greatest Moose Jaw born player to ever wear a Warriors uniform.
“Atley without a doubt left his mark on the Warriors,” Warriors general manager Jason Ripplinger said.
Calvert played 237 games with the Warriors over five seasons and finished off his time in Moose Jaw by getting to hoist the Ed Chynoweth Cup in front of family and friends at the Moose Jaw Events Centre.
“I couldn’t ask for a better ending,” Calvert said. “Playing for my hometown, hometown team and doing what we did for the city and the fans. “To play for the Warriors was a dream come true and to wear the Warriors’ crest it was an honour.”
Calvert was a key part of the Warriors’ run to the organization’s first WHL Championship, posting eight goals and 20 points, including two goals and five points in the WHL Championship Series against Portland.
He said he knew what winning a title would mean to this team and city.
“This city loves their Warriors and they were dying for a championship,” Calvert said. “I’m sure glad that we got it done and I was really happy to just be a part of it.”
Calvert joined the Warriors as an undrafted list player and developed into an offensive threat for the team, topping 40 goals in each of the past two seasons.
“Going from being a listed player, Atley kept taking all the feedback we would give him and took it to heart to develop into the player he became, which is a true warrior,” Ripplinger said.
Calvert credits the Warriors coaching staff for helping him grow into the player and person that he is. “Coming in as a 16-year-old kid, I grew up here,” he
said. “Matured as a man and the people around me really shaped me into the person I am today.”
Calvert has left a big mark in the Warriors’ record books as he is the Warriors franchise leader in goals
(105), assists (115) and points (220) by a Moose Jaw born Warrior.
This past season also saw Calvert set the single season records for goals, assists and points by a Moose Jaw born Warrior, finishing the year with 47 goals and 95 points in 68 games.
“There’s a lot of great guys that have played here and were from Moose Jaw and to leave my mark it really is an honour,” Calvert said.
Now, Calvert will get an opportunity to continue his career at the professional level after signing a twoyear contract with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, the Pittsburgh Penguins’ American Hockey League affiliate.
“I just want to lean on the guys in this room, there’s a lot of us that are going to go through the same transition here, so just staying in touch with them and going through it together,” he said.
Atley Calvert hoists the Ed Chynoweth Cup during the WHL championship celebration
THE RUN
A Game-by-Game look at the Moose Jaw Warriors 2023-24 run to the Western Hockey League Championship
It was the greatest playoffs in Moose Jaw Warriors history. A total of 24 games, culminating with the first-ever Western Hockey League championship and appearance at the Memorial Cup in team history.
Here’s a game-by-game look at how it all happened, beginning with Brandon and ending in Saginaw.
Martin Rysavy and Brayden Schuurman each score a pair of goals as the Warriors open the playoffs with a win at the Moose Jaw Events Centre.
Jagger Firkus, Owen Berge and Matthew Savoie also score as Moose Jaw leads 3-0 after the first and 5-2 through two. Jackson Unger stops 37 shots.
“I think there’s lots we can clean up in the game for sure, but I loved our start. It’s nice to be able to get the win and learn some things as well, so we know we can be better over 60 minutes, but the start was the key tonight for sure.”
-- head coach Mark O’Leary.
Saturday, Mar. 30
Game 2 - Moose Jaw 5, Brandon 4 (OT)
Lynden Lakovic scores the winner 2:15 into overtime after the Warriors had goals from Matthew Savoie and Pavel McKenzie in the second period to overcome a 4-2 deficit. Brayden Yager and Atley Calvert score in the first period, Calvert finishes with three points on the night. Jackson Unger stops 34 shots.
“It feels great, I don’t think I’ve ever scored a goal that important so it definitely feels big. We lose this game, it’s a lot different story going into Brandon tied. That’s a tough building to play in, so winning this game is massive and really great for our confidence.”
-- Lynden Lakovic
Wednesday, Apr. 3
Game 3 - Moose Jaw 6 at Brandon 4
Four straight goals from the Warriors through the first and second periods give Moose Jaw a 4-1 lead, and they’d hold off a third-period Wheat Kings surge for the win.
Matthew Savoie scores twice and finishes with three points, Denton Mateychuk has a goal and two assists, Jagger Firkus three assists. Owen Berge, Brayden Yager and Connor Schmidt also score. Jackson Unger has 35 saves.
Thursday, Apr. 4
Game 4 - Moose Jaw 6 at Brandon 2
The Warriors finish off the first-round sweep by building a 4-1 lead in the first period and never looking back. Matthew Savoie, Lynden Lakovic, Rilen Kovacevic, Atley Calvert, Jagger Firkus and Denton Mateychuk each have a goal and assists as Moose Jaw also leads 5-3 through two. Jackson Unger is solid once again with 37 saves.
“We’re pleased with how it went, I think the games were tighter than some of the scores in a sweep would indicate, but that was good for our group. Especially for the players who haven’t been in the playoffs before, I think it was a good series for them to learn a bit as well.”
-- Mark O’Leary
Lynden Lakovic celebrates after scoring the overtime winner in Game 2 against Brandon.
Friday, Apr. 12
Game 1 - Swift Current 7 at Moose Jaw 2
Josh Filmon has a goal and three points as Swift Current rolls past the Warriors in the series opener, leading 4-0 midway through the second period and scoring three Brayden Yager and Jagger Firkus score the only goals for the Warriors. Jackson Unger stops 18 shots in 47 minutes, Dmitri Fortin eight the rest of the way in his “The score is what it is, we lost the game and whether it’s 7-2 or 4-2, I still thought there were all kinds of positives tonight, They were opportunistic in bearing down on their opportunities, and there were things we need to clean up, but it was just one game.”
-- Mark O’Leary
Sat. Apr. 13
Game 2 - Moose Jaw 7 Swift Current 2
Seven-straight goals from late in the first period to midway through the second see the Warriors rebound in style.
Denton Mateychuk sets a Warriors playoff record for defenceman scoring with a goal and six points, while Brayden Yager has a hat trick and five points. Kalem Parker, Martin Rysavy and Jagger Firkus have Moose Jaw’s other goals. Unger rebounds with a 27-save win.
“I loved the response tonight, that’s huge. Especially in a series like this, they took it to us yesterday and we brought a different kind of energy tonight and that’s great.”
--
Denton
Mateychuk
Brayden Yager celebrates the second goal of his hat trick in Game 2 with Matthew Savoie.
Tuesday, Apr. 16
Game 3 - Moose Jaw 5 at Swift Current 3
Denton Mateychuk scored the eventual game-winner and his second of the game with 48 seconds remaining in the second period to give the Warriors a key win in Swift Current.
Atley Calvert, Lynden Lakovic and Matthew Savoie also score as Moose Jaw leads 3-1 after the first and 4-3 through two. Jackson Unger stops 28 shots.
“We got on our heels a little bit at times, we were in good spots but just not going all in on checking, and there were some turnovers we’d like back that gave Swift Current some real good looks. But we played a pretty good hockey game and still left a lot on the table in the offensive zone that we could have cashed in on.”
-- Mark O’Leary
Wednesday, Apr. 17
Game 4 - Moose Jaw 5 at Swift Current 2
The Warriors score the final four goals of the game from the midway point of the second period to give themselves a chance to clinch the series at home.
Jagger Firkus scores twice and has three points, Brayden Yager has a goal and three points. Ethan Hughes and Rilen Kovacevic score their other goals. Jackson Unger has 36 saves.
“You worry about a lot of things as a coach, but one thing you don’t have to worry about with this group is the fact they’re not going to stop. They play regardless of the circumstances and that’s a great mindset that we have, we continue to forge on and play a certain way and know in the end we’ll be there.”
-- Mark O’Leary
Friday, Apr. 19
Game 5 - Moose Jaw 4 Swift Current 2
Jagger Firkus scores a natural hat trick from 6:10 of the first period hrough 5:54 of the second and the Warriors finish off Swift Current to advance to the Eastern Conference final.
Matthew Savoie adds and empty netter, Denton Mateychuk has two assists. Jackson Unger stops 34 shots.
“We appreciate the fans coming out and supporting us like they did tonight, it means a lot to us and gives us some extra jump. We’re looking forward to the next series to see what we can do.”
-- Jagger Firkus
The Moose Jaw Warriors celebrate after their overtime win in Game 6 against the Saskatoon Blades in the Eastern Conference Final.
Eastern Conference Final Saskatoon Blades
Friday, Apr. 26
Game 1 -- Moose Jaw 4 at Saskatoon 3 (OT)
Brayden Yager scores at 12:34 of overtime to give the Warriors the win in Game 1 of the most epic series in WHL history.
Brayden Schuurman, Atley Calvert and Matthew Savoie also score as Moose Jaw overcomes a 2-0 early-second-period deficit. Saskatoon’s Egor Sidorov scores with 1:27 remaining in regulation to send things to overtime. Jackson Unger has 31 saves.
“It was an emotional rollercoaster for sure. I didn’t like our start tonight, but I’m proud of the guys to stick with it and find a way to do it.”
-- Mark O’Leary.
Saturday, Apr. 27
Game 2 -- Saskatoon 3 Moose Jaw 2 (OT)
After Atley Calvert and Kalem Parker give the Warriors a 2-0 lead out of the first period, Saskatoon scores twice in the second before getting the game-winner from Fraser Minten 13:06 into overtime. Jackson Unger stops 34 shots.
“We left a lot on the table in each of the four periods. We had our fair share of looks, our fair share of crossbars and when you miss on those opportunities, you kind of have that feeling it’s going to come back and haunt you.”
-- Mark O’Leary
Congratulations Moose Jaw Warriors for winning the Ed Chynoweth Cup as WHL Champions!
Good luck this season.
GO WARRIORS GO!
Mayor Clive Tolley and Members of Moose Jaw City Council
Tuesday, Apr. 30
Game 3 -- Moose Jaw 3, Saskatoon 1
In the only game of the series not to go to overtime, Atley Calvert ties the game in the second period and Martin Rysavy scores the game-winner 7:14 into the third. Denton Mateychuk adds an empty netter, Jackson Unger turns aside 31 shots and is especially solid in the third period as the Blades press to tie the game.
“In the third period, I think I stood tall when I needed to and made the saves to keep us in the game and got the result we were looking for. There are going to be on periods and off periods, but things can’t change for me. I have to stay in there and stay sharp the whole game and think I did that, especially in the third period.”
-- Jackson Unger
Wednesday, May 1
Game 4 -- Saskatoon 5 at Moose Jaw 4 (OT)
Saskatoon takes a 3-0 lead in the first 8:32 of the first and lead 4-2 after the opening period before the Warriors get goals from Brayden Yager and Rilen Kovacevic to tie the game in the second.
Egor Sidorov scores the overtime winner with 3:29 gone in the extra frame. Yager has two goals and three points, Jagger Firkus scores their other marker. Jackson Unger faces 24 shots.
“It’s obviously a disappointment to let that one slide way after we battled back in the first period. There’s a lot of good things that came out of that game, but it just stings a bit.”
-- Denton Mateychuk
Friday, May 3
Game 5 -- Saskatoon 5 Moose Jaw 4 (OT)
In one of the most incredible comebacks in Warriors history, Moose Jaw scores four third-period goals to tie the game before Saskatoon’s Fraser Minten scores the game-winner with 1:45 remaining in overtime.
Denton Mateychuk scores the final two goals of the rally, Lucas Brenton and Jagger Firkus have their other goals. Jackson Unger stops 13 shots in 34 minutes, Dimitri Fortin 24 through the remainder of the game including OT. “It was no different than the other night where you’re doing good things, you’re playing honest and you’re not cheating, you’re generating looks at one end and they come down and shoot it in our net. It’s frustrating, but I’m proud of the group for coming back from 4-0, not a lot of teams can do that.”
-- Mark O’Leary
Sunday, May 5
Game 6 -- Moose Jaw 4, Saskatoon 3 (OT)
Lynden Lakovic scores the overtime winner with 2:57 gone in extra time to force Game 7. Rilen Kovacevic ties the game with 9:04 remaining in regulation, while Brayden Schuurman scored Moose Jaw’s other goals in the first period. Jackson Unger faces 33 shots. “It just goes to show you what playoff hockey is all about. It’s back and forth, this is the fifth game that’s gone to overtime and it shows anything can happen. In a game like that, you just have to throw it on net and hope something happens and tonight it did.”
-- Lynden Lakovic
Tuesday, May 7
Game 7 -- Moose Jaw 3 at Saskatoon 2 (OT)
Lakovic is again the overtime hero, this time with the biggest goal in Warriors franchise history to that point, going hard to the net and banking in an Atley Calvert rebound with 36 seconds gone in overtime to send Moose Jaw to the WHL Final.
Ethan Semeniuk and Jagger Firkus score in regulation.
The Moose Jaw Warriors celebrate their Western Hockey League championship.
Jackson Unger has 27 saves.
“When you play seven games and six of them go to overtime, it could go either way. It was two really good teams who were in a punchfest… I was kind of hoping there wouldn’t be overtime, I was kind of getting sick of the extra time, but I’m glad we ended it early.”
-- Mark O’Leary
Western Hockey League Final
Portland Winterhawks
Friday, May 10
Game 1 -- Moose Jaw 3 at Portland 2
Matthew Savoie scores the game-winning goal with 3:02 remaining in regulation to give the Warriors the win in Game 1 of the WHL Final.
Atley Calvert and Denton Mateychuk score in the second period, Jackson Unger stops 33 shots.
“Especially playing Portland, we know they can score, too, and it’s going to be hard to keep them off the board every night, but we did a good job limiting the scoring chances. Even when we were in our own zone, the guys did a good job of keeping things to the outside and making things as easy as we could for Jackson.”
-- Mark O’Leary
Saturday, May 11
Game 2 -- Moose Jaw 5 at Portland 1
Atley Calvert, Pavel McKenzie and Brayden Yager gave Moose Jaw a 3-0 lead with two minutes remaining in the second period before Jagger Firkus scored a pair of goals in the third to put things away.
Jackson Unger stops 37 shots, including 17 in a hectic third period.
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“There’s just total buy-in from the players playing for each other. They don’t want to let each other down, and whether it’s forechecking with a real purpose or sprinting back to get inside in the D-zone or blocking a shot, it’s just total commitment and it’s fun to be around.”
-- Mark O’Leary
Tuesday, May 14
Game 3 -- Moose Jaw 4 Portland 3 (OT)
Brayden Schuurman scores the overtime winner with 2:20 gone in extra time, moving the Warriors a win away from the WHL Title.
Denton Mateychuk scores twice in regulation, Lucas Brenton has their other marker as Portland leads 2-1 through one and Moose Jaw leads 3-2 after the second. Jackson Unger stops 29 shots.
“Contributions in any way up and down our lineup are huge. If it’s not a goal from our line, maybe we’re really good defensively. Contributing in different ways from our line is always important in the playoffs.”
-- Brayden Schuurman
Wednesday, May 15
Game 4 -- Moose Jaw 4 Portland 2
Brayden Schuurman scores the championship winning goal at 14:07 of the third period, Martin Rysavy adds his second of the game into the empty net with 2:37 remaining in regulation and the Moose Jaw Warriors are Western Hockey League champions.
Moose Jaw Warriors defenceman Lucas Brenton shakes hands with Saginaw Spirit centre Joey Willis after the Memorial Cup semifinal.
Matthew Savoie also scores for Moose Jaw, Jackson Unger makes 24 saves.
“I can’t describe it. So much work has gone into this, highs and lows throughout the year, but at the end of the day I’m going to remember this group of guys and obviously the fans, they really helped us this year… this was our goal from day one, I knew it was going to be a special year, this is a special group and we’re going to be brothers forever.”
-- Atley Calvert
Memorial Cup
Friday, May 24
Game 1 -- Saginaw 5, Moose Jaw 4
The Warriors fell behind 4-0 to the host Saginaw Spirit before rallying for three goals late in the second period, eventually settling for the one-goal loss in their first-ever Memorial Cup game.
Brayden Yager scores twice, Denton Mateychuk and Matthew Savoie have their other markers. Jackson Unger stops 36 shots.
“As much as you want to be pleased with the guys for battling back again and not staying down, our start was just too much. They were skating well, we were slow, we were stubborn with pucks and slow to check and when you do that you don’t really give yourself a chance.”
-- Mark O’Leary
Game 2 -- London 5, Moose Jaw 4
The OHL champion Knights score three straight in the second period to hand Moose Jaw their second-straight loss for the first time in the playoffs.
Ethan Semeniuk scored a pair of goals, Denton Mateychuk and Martin Rysavy had their others as London led 2-1 after the first and 5-2 through two. Unger made 23 saves.
“There was a lot to like about tonight’s game. Individually there are some guys who I felt had really good games and as a team there were more good moments than bad. I thought for the most part it was a good game, we just didn’t cash in on the opportunities that they did.”
-- Mark O’Leary
Game 3 -- Moose Jaw 5, Drummondville 3
Aiden Ziprick scores the game-winner shorthanded with 1:34 remaining to give Moose Jaw their first Memorial Cup win in team history and send the team into the semifinal.
Unger is spectacular with 52 saves on the night, while Jagger FIrkus, Denton Mateychuk, Matthew Savioe and Brayden Yager all have single markers.
“Our energy and enthusiasm, our structure, it was just good hockey to start the game. They had a pushback in the second period with a couple goals against, but really, the first half of the game I loved our play and then in the second half we just found our way… It was a heck of a hockey game and it’s nice to be standing at the end.”
-- Mark O’Leary
Game 4 -- Saginaw7, Moose Jaw 1
The Warriors see their storybook season come to an end with a tough loss to the eventual Memorial Cup champion Spirit.
Jagger Firkus scored the lone goal for the Warriors, who were tied 1-1 after the first but gave up five second period goals. Jackson Unger had 30 saves in the final game of the season.
“Growing up in Moose Jaw as a young kid, you always want to play for your hometown team and it’s been a privilege and a pleasure to wear the Warriors crest and I couldn’t ask for a better group of guys to do it with. This one hurts right now, but if you look back at the year in a couple days we’ll have a different feeling obviously. Growing up with the group and going through pain and struggles, this is tough but I couldn’t ask for a better group of guys to do it with.”
-- Atley Calvert
MAX
MOOSE JAW WARRIORS STAFF
hockey operation
business operation
Jason Ripplinger General Manager
James Gallo Director, Hockey Administration
Mark O’Leary Head Coach
Scott King Associate Coach
Curtis Pereverzoff Assistant Coach
Matt Weninger Goalie Coach
Olivia Howe Coaching Assistant
Layne Richardson Athletic Therapist
Tanner Arnold Equipment Manager
Roy Rysavy Locker Room Attendant
McKenzie ready to take next step in second season with Warriors
After impressive debut that drew NHL Central Scouting attention, Cumberland House product looking for even more in year two
Last season, Moose Jaw Warriors forward Pavel McKenzie came to training camp looking to make a name for himself.
The Cumberland House, Sask. product did more than that as he earned a roster spot, won the team’s Rookie of the Year award and helped the Moose Jaw Warriors to their first WHL Championship.
“I was very happy with how last year went,” McKenzie said. “I got pretty lucky with some minutes, I took advantage of it and it was fun to win a championship.”
McKenzie finished with 15 goals and 36 points in 63 games during his rookie season. He then added two goals and five points in 20 playoff games.
Coming out of the campaign, McKenzie said he saw how fast and good the competition was during his rookie year and used that heading into the offseason.
“I wanted to come back and be a lot better with my confidence and hopefully be a leader this year,” he said. “A lot of the great guys last year like Mateychuk and all of them, they were great leaders to me and I want to be like them going into this year and hopefully be better overall.”
Marc Smith - Moose Jaw Warriors
McKenzie admitted there were nerves going into last year’s camp after he was listed by the team following a solid SJHL campaign with the Yorkton Terriers.
He said he feels more comfortable coming into camp this year with a season under his belt.
“Being able to be more settled in and more comfortable coming into camp and just really focusing on the fitness testing and trying to be a great leader,” McKenzie said.
During his rookie campaign, McKenzie had the chance to play with Brayden Yager and Jagger Firkus on the Warriors’ top line for much of the season.
He said he saw how fast they played
every shift and wanted to add that to his game coming into his sophomore year.
“I worked on my speed in the corners and my shot as well,” McKenzie said. “I want to shoot more this season, so I worked hard on that stuff and hopefully it works.
“I feel like I can pop more in the back of the net with my confidence coming into this year, hopefully shoot more and hopefully they’re going in.”
McKenzie and the Warriors open the regular season on Friday, Sept. 20 against the Brandon Wheat Kings, followed by their home opener and WHL championship banner raising on Saturday, Sept. 21 at the Moose Jaw Events Centre.
Warriors returnees Ness, Berge learn from championship run
Veteran duo looking to take next step as defence of WHL title begins
Marc Smith - Moose Jaw Warriors
The Moose Jaw Warriors’ run to the 2024 Western Hockey League Championship will have ripple effects for years to come in the organization.
As the Warriors prepare to kick off another season, the returning players from last year’s title-winning team are prepared to build off the lessons learned during that run.
“There were so many good leaders on and off the ice,” Warriors defenceman Brady Ness said. “Just how they carry themselves every day and work as hard as they can, so trying to take that into this year.”
The Warriors will lose some key pieces from last season’s championship team, but the organization is confident that the young players coming back will be able to grow into bigger roles.
Forward Owen Berge, 18, appeared in all 20 playoff games and finished with two goals and four points while playing a fourth-line role.
Berge will get a bigger opportunity with this year’s team. “It’s something young guys are always going to be excited about coming into a bigger role in the new season,” he said.
“I learned a ton, especially with the guys we had on our team last year and even still on our team this year, there’s so many veteran guys in the league and so many guys that have so much experience, so you can just take little things out of their game and hopefully implement it into yours.”
Berge had two goals and five points in 49 games during his first full season with the Warriors.
He said he had a productive offseason despite a quick turnaround after the Warriors’ long playoff run. “I was definitely focused on getting faster and just more confident in my game,” Berge said. “We had a lot of key guys that left last year, so it’s a lot more opportunity coming into this year. I’m really excited to get on the ice for training camp, it’s going to be a blast.”
Ness only had the chance to dress for one playoff game, but said the experience he gained from being around the team during the run will be valuable going into this season.
He said he’s ready to play a bigger part in this year’s team.
“It’s exciting, everyone wants that, you work hard for that and I’m pumped for the opportunity,” Ness said.
During the 2023-24 season, Ness suited up for 43 games, finishing with a goal and three points, while also showing off his physical side, which will be key for the Warriors heading into the new season.
Ness said he learned a lot during his first full season and focused in on a few areas during the offseason.
“I just wanted to get bigger and stronger and work on my skating a little bit,” he said. “Also my defensive game and just some small area things like that.
“Those are the main things I wanted to focus on, just from last season, those were some of my struggles.”
The Warriors open the regular season on Friday, Sept. 20 against the Brandon Wheat Kings, followed by their home opener and WHL championship banner raising on Saturday, Sept. 21 at the Moose Jaw Events Centre.
Moose Jaw Warriors defenceman Brady Ness and forward Owen Berge will look to make even further strides this coming season. Photo Credit: Nick Pettigrew
Warriors Alumni Golf Tournament once again a huge success for education fund
Full field of golfers and many current and former players take to Hillcrest Golf Course, raise $100,000 for fund
Marc Smith - Moose Jaw Warriors
Because of the success achieved for the Moose Jaw Warriors during the 2023-24 Western Hockey League season, it stood to reason that the most recent edition of the Warriors Alumni Golf Tournament was to be a special one.
With the Ed Chynoweth Cup on full display as the WHL champions hosted the event, the registration and dinner Thursday night was the largest ever and a sold-out field took to the Hillcrest Golf Course on Friday morning, all with the goal of raising as much money as possible for the Warriors education fund.
“It’s awesome,” said longtime tournament organizer Todd Hudson. “Even last night, we had the biggest turnout we’ve ever had for the registration and dinner, there were probably 150 people there. The Shrine Club did a bang-up job like always and it was a lot of fun… The tournament is sold out every year, so it’s nice to see a packed house and everyone having a great time.”
The tournament format has remained the same for years, with two groups of four teeing off in a scramble format on each hole. It makes for a long day on the course, but that’s all for the better on a beautiful day like Friday -more time to hang around and catch up and tell stories while enjoying a round.
A major part of the tournament’s success is the continued support of the business community, with a host of prizes donated for the event every year and many businesses doing all they can to make sure the education fund is replenished each summer.
“The Moose Jaw business community gets behind this team and support this team like no other WHL team in the league,” Hudson said matter-of-factly. “It’s a small market team and quite frankly, a small market team just has to put a little more effort in getting out there and getting this kind of support. So I have to take my hat off to all the businesses that support the tournament, all the guys who enter this tournament, and it’s very, very important to have that support and raise money for the
education fund.”
When all is said and done, Hudson expects the tournament to once again clear over $100,000, which will be put to good use with around 20 players from the Warriors accessing the scholarship program every year.
One of those was Moose Jaw Minor Hockey product Brennan Wray, who played for the Warriors and Red Deer Rebels from the 2003-04 through 2008-09 seasons before using five years of the scholarship program while playing at St. Francis Xavier. After getting his Bachelor of Science degree, Wray had a sixth year of scholarship eligibility after playing 17 games for Moose Jaw as a 15-year-old, which he used to launch his career as a dentist through Dalhousie University.
“It’s huge, it’s amazing, actually,” Wray said when asked about the importance of the scholarship program.
“When I was at St. Francis Xavier and got to play with quite a few guys from the Ontario Hockey League, Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and of course the Western Hockey League, and the scholarship program in the WHL is probably the tops out of all the leagues. It was smooth and easy, they took care of payments, they took care of textbooks, and it made a huge difference. It can be a big burden and stress and it’s great to have that taken care of.”
Wray -- who practices with Ninth Avenue Dental in Calgary -- remains impressed with what the Moose Jaw community does in support of the Alumni Tournament and the education fund.
“Moose Jaw is a special community, and the amount of money is raised is incredible,” he said. “The people who are willing to support this event and the pride they have in the community, it’s great to see and nice to have a chance to give back, too.”
For more on the Moose Jaw Warriors, including much more on the education fund and scholarship program, visit www.mjwarriors.ca.
Former Warriors and NHL coach Lorne Molleken rolls a putt as teammates look on during the Warriors Alumni Golf Tournament
Saskatoon Blades forward and Moose Jaw Minor Hockey product Rowan Calvert keeps his eye on a shot during the Warriors Alumni Golf Tournament.
Former Warriors forward Carter Smith sends a drive down the fairway during the Warriors Alumni Golf Tournament.
Former Warriors forward and Moose Jaw Minor Hockey product Brennan Wray watches the line on a shot.
Former Warriors standout and longtime NHLer Kyle Brodziak watches a putt as his teammates look on during the Warriors Alumni Golf Tournament.
Moose Jaw mayor Clive Tolley hits an approach shot during the Warriors Alumni Golf Tournament.
Warriors defenceman Ziprick talks off-season, what’s ahead, and THAT golf shot
Hole-in-one during Warriors Alumni Golf Tournament just another highlight in a string of many for 18-year-old defenceman as 2024-25 season nears
With all the winning and success that the Moose Jaw Warriors and defenceman Aiden Ziprick have been a part of over the past year, it was the icing on the cake for the 18-year-old during the Warriors Alumni Golf Tournament when Ziprick knocked down a hole-in-one on the 175-yard sixth hole during the event. He was the second player to record an ace in the education fund charity tournament.
“I thought it was short, actually, then I showed up to the hole and my two partners were screaming, so to see that was pretty special,” a beaming Ziprick told the Warriors’ Marc Smith on the course shortly after making the shot. “I couldn’t pick a better time to do it, we needed that one.”
Ziprick’s ace is the second in the last three years at the event, after former Warrior Tate Popple accomplished the feat during the 2022 event. There wasn’t a whole lot of time between the end of the season for the 2023-24 Warriors and the Alumni Tournament, thanks of course to their Western Hockey League championship win and appearance in the Memorial Cup.
With barely a month off since their appearance at the national major junior hockey championship, the offseason has been short to this point, but the calendar is quickly turning over to the upcoming campaign.
“It’s definitely a short off-season, but it’s worth it,” Ziprick said prior to hitting the course on Friday morning. “Going all the way and winning a championship with these guys is something all of us will remember forever, so we’ve been enjoying this off-season a little bit and then it’s get ready to go.
“We’ve got a big one next year, a lot of guys won’t be back so other guys will have to step up and I think we’re all looking forward to it.”
As one might expect, it’ll be a different feel around the team when training camp opens at the beginning of September -- for 40 years, the Warriors had chased a WHL title, and now that they have the first in franchise history, firing up a potential repeat feels like a much different scenario.
“Obviously the goal every year is to win a championship, so we know we need to step up and push ourselves,” Ziprick said. “We know what it takes to be champions and with the guys coming back and
especially the younger guys, we’ll have to show them what it takes to be a champion and that’s what we’re looking forward to doing.”
Ziprick himself can tell you all about coming up big in an important championship situation. Despite scoring only once in the regular season, he scored the game-winning goal in the final minutes of the Warriors’ Memorial Cup round robin game with the Drummondville Voltigeurs, sending Moose Jaw into
Aiden Ziprick became the latest to hit a hole-in-one at the Moose Jaw Warriors Alumni Golf Tournament, acing the Par 3 sixth hole on Friday afternoon.
the tournament semifinal.
It was a huge moment in a playoff run chock full of them, with Ziprick admitting that even now it’s hard to believe they pulled it off.
“It’s still hard to even think about,” he said with a huge grin. “The run we had and beating the teams we beat, I think it’s something a lot of people didn’t expect, but in our minds, we always knew we could do it. But it’s still a surreal feeling, and it’s pretty special.”
Time marches on, though, and the Warriors are a little under two months away from their first exhibition game on Sept. 6 against the Regina Pats in Estevan. That’s two months to completely flip the page and begin their defence of the Ed Chynoweth Cup.
“I don’t think anything changes when it comes to preparation or getting ready or anything like that,”
Ziprick said. “A lot of guys are going to get new opportunities, we have to take advantage of that and
carry one with what the top guys gave us last year. I think they brought a lot of leadership and kind of high-end characteristics that can be taken for granted sometimes. So it’s just come back, be ready to go and play as well as we can.”
The fact Ziprick, many of his teammates and a host of past Warriors were in town for the weekend was for a good cause, as the event once against raised over $100,000 for the Warriors education fund.
“It’s really cool. This is my first time having a chance to play in it and experience it all, the event last night was pretty special and it just shows how dedicated the Moose Jaw community is to the team,” Zipriick said. “That’s what they did all year for us last year and it ultimately led to a championship, so it’s always great to have that kind of support.”
Be sure to keep an eye on Warriors social media and www.mjwarriors.ca for up-to-date info on the 202425 campaign.
Warriors show off-season strides during fitness testing as 2024 training camp began
Athletic therapist Richardson talks importance of testing and how players have progressed in a short time
As the Moose Jaw Warriors prepared for their 2024 Western Hockey League training camp, there was a bit of a question as to how the first event of the pre-season would go.
Heading into a normal season, returning players would have had the better part of four months or so to work on their strength and conditioning, with the goal of putting up some good numbers during fitness testing to open camp.
That wasn’t the case this time around -- thanks to their WHL Championship and appearance in the Memorial Cup, the Warriors veterans had only had a couple of months away from the Moose Jaw Events Centre before it was time to do it all over again.
As it turns out, winning that title apparently lit a fire under both veterans and rookies alike, with the team seeing impressive improvement and solid scores from
players despite the relatively short time away.
“Especially some of the guys who came back, even though it was a quick summer turnaround a lot of the guys have put on good healthy weight and are moving quicker, jumping higher and scoring better,” said Warriors athletic therapist Layne Richardson. “So even though it was such a short off-season, only a couple of months, there’s definitely a lot of improvement… It shows that they took their two weeks or so off and then got right back to work.”
The testing regimen is much the same as it has been for years -- pull-ups, straight-line sprints, standing vertical jump, long jump, shuttle runs and the dreaded beep test all put the players through their paces.
The main goal is to see how they improve from year to year, beginning with a base set of numbers for firstyear rookies and going season by season from there.
Timothy S. Hansen B.A., J.D. Partner
ker A. Chow B.Comm., J.D Partner
James S. Zick B.A., J.D.
The testing also gives Richardson an idea of where their strength and conditioning is in case of an injury, which can be valuable when it comes to a player’s potential return.
“We can see where their strength was at the start of the season and make sure they’re at that stage when they come back,” Richardson explained. “And it shows us how guys compare to their peers and how much they’re improving season to season, which can be valuable.”
Players are also under the watchful eyes of the Warriors front office and on-ice staff throughout the testing, and a solid showing can have benefits beyond just numbers on a chart for future comparison.
“It’s not the end all, be all by any means, but it shows the work and the time they’ve put in and their dedication to becoming a better player,” Richardson said. “You won’t get cut because of fitness testing, but if it goes really well
you might get a few more eyes when you’re on the ice.”
Fitness testing also marks the beginning of an incredibly busy weekend for both Richardson and equipment manager Tanner Arnold -- Richardson will be wrangling any injuries that come up during the weekend, and Arnold will have tons of gear to deal with seeing as there are 91 players on the ice beginning with the first rookie sessions on Thursday morning.
“It’s just managing the time and making sure guys know that there’s 90 of them and one of me and if someone is hurt my attention will go to him,” Richardson said.
“Then I have to keep an eye on the ice all the time, so it’s busy and I just give and take my time.
“It’s a whirlwind, it’s the busiest time of the year, but it’s the most fun time of the year because everyone is excited to be playing everyone is looking forward to the new season.”
Action from the Moose Jaw Warriors fitness testing to open their 2024 training camp
Warriors youngsters turn heads in rookie camp scrimmages
First head-to-head battles of training camp a positive experience
Moose Jaw Warriors prospects Cooper Perrin and Nash Coquet are undoubtedly very familiar with each other’s game.
The duo suited up for the Saskatoon Outlaws in the Sask AA U15 Hockey League last season and played well enough that the Warriors picked both in the Western Hockey League Prospects Draft this past spring.
Fast forward to the second scrimmage of rookie camp at the Moose Jaw Events Centre, and the two former teammates found themselves going head-to-head, with Perrin’s Team Red taking a 3-2 shootout victory over Coquet’s Team Black.
And while both 15-year-olds will be returning to their respective AAA teams at the end of camp, having the chance to experience the WHL for the first time has been nothing but a positive experience.
“It’s been good getting my legs going, getting a feel for the energy and I’m looking forward to the next game,” said Perrin, who was the Warriors’ second selection in the 2024 Draft, 99th overall in the fifth round. “It’s so awesome to be here, it’s a great city, and when you’re on this team everyone knows who you are. It’s really cool.”
Coqeut -- the Warriors’ final pick in 2024, 239th overall -- was of much the same opinion, adding that playing alongside some of the best players in his age group in western Canada has added to the fun.
“It’s good, the pace is fast,” he said. “Playing with so much good talent is awesome, and meeting new guys from all over the place is awesome, too. It’s been a lot of fun.”
A 5-foot-11, 175-pound defenceman, Perrin put up 10 goals and 29 points in 24 games with the Outlaws last season, while Coquet, a 5-foot-9, 153-pound centre, racked up 21 goals and 51 points over 27 games.
Both have turned heads early in camp and are enjoying the opportunity to showcase their abilities to the Warriors brass.
“I just want to get to know the guys and get used to the organization,” Perrin said. “It’s been good, the older guys have been really nice, it’s great being around them. Some of them have been around the NHL, too, so it’s cool to be around them and learn from them.”
Both players have had a chance to interact with the Warriors’ returning veterans through the first couple days of camp, and look forward to having a chance to learn even more should they crack main camp.
“They’re great role models and you want to follow guys lke that,” Coquet said. “Looking up to them, they’re where you want to be in the future… and to have a chance to be on the ice with them in main camp would be a dream, it would be really awesome.”
As 2009-born players, both are a year away from being able to play full-time in the WHL and will be returned to their respective Saskatchewan Male AAA Hockey League teams at the end of camp -- Perrin with the Saskatoon Blazers, Coquet with the Saskatoon Contacts. From there, the plan will be to develop their games as much as possible and ideally take a good run at cracking the team as 16-year-olds during the 2025-26 campaign.
Action from the second rookie camp scrimmage of Moose Jaw Warriors training camp at the Moose Jaw Events Centre. Warriors youngsters looking to turn heads as rookie camp scrimmages begin First head-to-head battles of training camp a positive experience for first-years Perrin, Coquet
Warriors’
coach O’Leary happy with what he saw from team in early stages of
training camp
Main camp practices offer first look at returning veterans as team begins defence of WHL title
While the Moose Jaw Warriors rookies were going through their paces to open the on-ice portion of training camp, it also marked the first time the team’s veterans were able to do the same since the end of their storybook 2023-24 campaign.
Returnees were broken into main camp scrimmage teams and took to the ice in two practices at the Moose Jaw Events Centre, working through the earliest of early season kinks while also picking up on a few new wrinkles in the Warriors’ system. And while it was the opening stages of literally everything, head coach Mark O’Leary was pleased with what he’s seen from his troops -- and that’s as positive a sign as could be given their goal of defending their WHL championship.
“I’m really happy with the pace, our effort and compete was there; that’s where it has to start and I expect nothing different,” O’Leary said after Team 2 wrapped up their ice session.
“We want to be stacking good days; that’s what we did last year. You don’t need to be playing your best hockey in September, but you want to make progress. That was the goal; you stack a bunch of good days and they add up to a really good finish.”
The Warriors expected to have in the area of 16 returnees this season, meaning the first practices were loaded with veteran talent. With their winning pedigree, the goal was to regain and enhance the habits that became ingrained during their titlewinning campaign and put them to good use immediately.’
“Habits are number one; we’ve made some tweaks to our systems that we’re working through and we use training camp for that,” O’Leary said. “But for the most part it’s habits, because habits beat systems all day long. Our effort and compete has to be there, and that’s all part of the boring things that add up to good days.”
One major factor coming into the season and a natural concern was complacency. Would the players who won the title last season come back hungry for even more when they’ve already accomplished so much?
The answer in the early going is ‘most definitely’.
“That was the message after fitness testing,” O’Leary said. “It would be really easy to come in here maybe not being in the best shape, but I’m really proud of the guys who came back after the short summer… they put in the work to improve themselves and I haven’t seen any complacency at all.”
The Warriors had a handful of players heading off to NHL training camps shortly after, meaning that a handful of youngsters will have a chance to step up and have an impact when they otherwise might not have.
Seizing that opportunity will be one of the things O’Leary will be looking for from the team’s up-andcoming talent, and ideally that carries over right into the regular season.
“We want to have a fast start to the season, we might not have our entire team with guys at NHL camps, but that’s fine,” O’Leary said. “We’ve lost a lot of good players, too, so it opens up some good spots for players who want that opportunity.”
The Moose Jaw Warriors listen to instructions from head coach Mark O’Leary during the second main camp practice.
New season, same goals: Warriors’ Ripplinger looks at upcoming campaign and defence of WHL title
After the greatest season in Moose Jaw Warriors history, team looking forward to what’s ahead, beginning with training camp
For 40 years, the Moose Jaw Warriors went into every Western Hockey League campaign with the question ‘what if?’
What if this is finally the year? What if this is the season where it all comes together and they take a run at the first-ever WHL championship in team history? And what if they actually find a way to win it all?
During the 2023-24 season, the Warriors and their fans finally got answers to all those questions, with the team sweeping the Portland Winterhawks in the championship series and touching off a couple of weeks of celebrations that carried all the way over into their return from the Memorial Cup.
As one might expect, it’s hard to turn the page on those memories, but the Aug. 30 marked that time.
A total of 91 players went through the rigours of fitness testing to open training camp, with camp proper beginning a day later with the first rookie camp ice sessions and the first time players from the 2023-24 team were back on the ice at the Moose Jaw Events Centre in a competitive capacity.
And as tough as it is to leave last season behind, it’s all systems go for general manager Jason Ripplinger and crew as eyes turn toward 2024-25.
“Obviously I’ll never completely turn back on that one,” Ripplinger said with grin during a chat in his office shortly after fitness testing wrapped up. “To win a championship, especially in Moose Jaw as a small community with all the fans and everybody being behind us, was great. That means the summer was short, but we aren’t going to complain about it.
“The biggest thing for us is that it took 40 years for the franchise to get there and now we’re in a new season,” he continued. “There are roughly 16 players coming back and it’s their time to be leaders, try and move this organization forward and win here again.”
Needless to say, the Warriors have lost some incredibly
valuable pieces from last season. Gone are powerhouse graduates Atley Calvert, Martin Rysavy and Lucas Brenton, with 20-year-old captain Denton Mateychuk and fellow overage forwards Jagger Firkus and Matthew Savoie already pencilled out of the line-up as they look toward their pro careers.
All their moving on does is open spots for players to step into their roles, Ripplinger says, with the quest in that direction beginning with camp.
“There’s only one Jagger Firkus, one Denton Mateychuk, and all these other players, if they can become better than those guys, who knows?” he said. “They have to put the work into it and moving forward with these players, I believe in them and I believe that we can be a real competitive team.’
The Warriors’ 20-year-old situation is already potentially settled, with forwards Brayden Schuurman and Rilen Kovacevic joined by defenceman Kalem Parker. Parker is a Minnesota Wild late-rounder and could end up playing pro this season, which would open an overage spot.
Another early question is what will happen with 19-yearold standout Brayden Yager, who spent Warriors training camp in Winnipeg after being traded to the Jets by Pittsburgh a week earlier. If he doesn’t crack the Jets line-up outright, he’ll be back in Moose Jaw, and almost certainly will become the team’s captain.
The Warriors’ import situation is up in the air. Defenceman Voytech Port is in camp and was off to Anaheim to try and crack the Ducks roster as a 19-yearold, but will very likely return to Moose Jaw. The team’s selection this past summer, Dominik Pavlik, is trying his hand at cracking a pro roster as a 17-year-old in Finland but will join the Warriors if that venture falls short. One thing that’s for certain is the Warriors will definitely be a different-looking team compared to the offensive powerhouse they fielded in 2023-24.
“Every year and every time you win your teams are going to be different, that’s how it is in junior hockey,” Ripplinger said. “For our team this year, I think it’s going to be from the backend out. I believe we might have the best goalie in the league (Jackson Unger), a guy who won a championship at 18. Then we lose some defence, but we gain some quality defencemen coming back.… we might be nothing like last year, but the coaching staff will work with the players, develop them, and we’ll go day by day.”
One concern that every team goes through following a title win is complacency -- will the organization, especially one as long-suffering as the Warriors were prior to last season, be happy to sit on their laurels?
“I do worry about it, but it’s up to myself and Mark
O’Leary to make sure there isn’t any complacency in the dressing room, the front office, anywhere in the organization,” Ripplinger said matter-of-factly. “Last year was a great year, it’s over, we move on and it’s time to start a new legacy.”
Michelle Ellis
Lynden Lakovic and the Moose Jaw Warriors will be hoping for similar scenes as this in the late spring of 2025.
Firkus, Yager take home three Canadian Hockey League awards
Firkus named David Branch Player of the Year and Top Scorer, Yager named Sportsman of the Year
Marc Smith - Moose Jaw Warriors
Jagger Firkus and Brayden Yager collected plenty of hardware at the 2024 CHL Awards.
The Moose Jaw Warriors’ duo are bringing home three awards after Firkus won the David Branch Player of the Year and Top Scorer awards, while Yager was named the Sportsman of the Year.
“It means the world,” Firkus said on winning the Canadian Hockey League’s top award. “It’s special to me, it’s special to my family and I hope I can keep moving forward.”
Firkus became the first player in Warriors history to be named the CHL Player of the Year after leading the entire CHL with 126 points in 63 games.
The Seattle Kraken prospect set a career-high with 61 goals and 65 assists, leading the Warriors in scoring for the third straight season.
Firkus is the second Warrior to lead the CHL in scoring, joining Jayden Halbgewachs in 2017-18.
“There’s lots of people I can thank, obviously my trainer, my family, most importantly my family, how much
support they gave me throughout the year, whether I was playing good or playing bad, they were there for me,” Firkus said.
“My teammates as well, without them, none of this happens… the culture we have in Moose Jaw is a big part of what it took this year and why I’m here right now is because of the passion we have in that dressing room.”
Firkus finishes the season as the fourth highest scoring player in Warriors’ history with 310 points and second in goals with 144 in 230 games.
Yager won his second career CHL award earning Sportsman of the Year honours this season after finishing with 95 points and 20 penalty minutes in 57 games.
The Pittsburgh Penguins first round pick joins Justin Almeida and Jason Bast as previous Warriors to win the award.
“It feels great, it’s a huge honour,” Yager said on winning a CHL award for the second time. “There’s been some really special players to win this award and to be mentioned in the same sentence as them is really
special.”
Yager had previously won CHL Rookie of the Year in 2021-22 and was the WHL’s Most Sportsmanlike Player each of the past two seasons.
“It wasn’t really a goal of mine to come home with an individual award, but it feels great, a lot of support from my teammates, my family and the organization in Moose Jaw, so it definitely feels special,” he said, joking that his dad might have to find some more room for awards after this year.
In total, the Western Hockey League collected six awards at the 2024 CHL Awards on Saturday in Frankenmuth, Mich.
Denton Mateychuk was also nominated for the CHL Defenceman of the Year, but lost out to Saginaw Spirit defenceman Zayne Parekh.
The special seasons by Firkus, Yager and Mateychuk helped lead the Warriors to their first ever WHL Championship.
“It was special, it was the [most fun] year of hockey I’ve ever hard,” Firkus said. “It was the best group of guys I’ve ever been a part of, looking back on it, I wish it could never end.”
Jagger Firkus and Brayden Yager with their Canadian Hockey League awards.
