The defence of the Bunge Division title officially begins tonight.
The Yorkton Terriers drop the puck on the 2026-27 SJHL season as they welcome division rival Estevan Bruins to Westland Insurance Arena for opening night.
But before the Terriers turn the page to a new season, they’ll celebrate what they accomplished a year ago.
For the first time in six seasons, a division championship banner will be raised to the rafters in Yorkton, recognizing a memorable 2025-26 campaign that saw the Terriers capture the Bunge Division crown and advance all the way to the Canterra Seeds Cup Final.
The season ultimately ended one step short of the ultimate goal against the Flin Flon Bombers, but the standard in Yorkton was raised.
Now comes the challenge of raising it again.
The Terriers enter the new season with a combination of familiar faces and newcomers looking to make their mark. On the back end, they’ll be led by reigning SJHL Defenceman of the Year Thomas Ries, while Callum Creig returns between the pipes for his third and final season in Orange and Black.
Creig also enters the year with a chance to make Terriers history. The Calgary, Alberta netminder begins the season 27 victories shy of setting the franchise’s all-time wins record.
Now, let’s address the elephant in the room.
Yes, the Terriers have plenty of offence to replace.
Gabriel Courchesne and William Léonard have moved on to the BCHL, while Jye Zawatsky aged out after helping drive one of the SJHL’s most dangerous offensive attacks last season.
But replacing high-end production is nothing new in Yorkton.
Two seasons ago, the same questions were being asked after the departures of dynamic forwards Jarron Desnoyers and David Coyle. The Terriers found answers then, and after another busy offseason of recruiting, they’ll look to do it again.
One player who made plenty of noise during the preseason was DJ Brass. After scoring four times during exhibition play, Brass looks poised to take on a much larger role in Yorkton’s offensive attack.
He won’t be alone.
The Terriers will need returning players to take another step and newcomers to make an immediate impact. That depth was one of the biggest reasons for Yorkton’s success last season. When adversity hit, someone else stepped forward.
That same next-man-up mentality will be needed again.
The motto for the 2026-27 Yorkton Terriers is simple:
RAISE IT.
The banner will be raised tonight.
The standard already has been.
Now it’s time to find out just how high the 2026-27 Yorkton Terriers can take it.
Puck drop is set for 7:00 p.m. at Westland Insurance Arena.
