Story Coming In:
Yorkton finished the preseason with a 6-2 loss at home to the Melville Millionaires to go 2-4 in exhibition action. The Terriers either won close games or lost big. Team chemistry is a key for Yorkton with several new players in the lineup. Returning players like Steven Norum, Carson Henry and Colby Vranai will be leaned on heavily for offence, along with new acquisitions in Erik Boers, Clay Sleeva and Colton Koran. Although he will miss the first three games of the season due to suspension, Kishaun Gervais is an added boost of energy to this lineup. On the back-end, Parker Jasper will look to improve on his play from last year, along with the returning Tyson Janzen and Tanner Sklaruk. Tyson Perkins is a large defender who hits like a truck and could add an offensive touch the Terriers desire from the D. Goaltending is a big question mark this season for the Terriers. While Kael DePape pitched a shutout in the preseason, overall he struggled having been pulled in his last two starts. Drayden Ramage looked solid in limited action and could push DePape for starts in the early stages of the season, while Yorkton awaits to see if the Swift Current Broncos keep Jacob Herman in the Western Hockey League or not.
View from Estevan:
The Estevan Bruins are expected to be one of, if not the best team in the SJHL this season. Having loaded up their roster, the Bruins boast depth throughout the lineup. Mark Rumsey led the way in the preseason for Estevan posting 12 points in 4 games, more than any other player in the league. Joining him up front to form a lethal attack includes the likes of Mikol Sartor, Griffin Asham-Moroz and Olivier Pouliot. Dayton Deics, Alex Von Sprecken and Nolan Jones form a solid spine on defence. In goal, Boston Bilous is expected to carry the workload for the Bruins, as the 2019 WHL champion looks to add to his decorated resume. The only question mark for Estevan is team chemistry. With so many new faces, how quickly this team gels will determine how successful of a season the Bruins will have.
Return of the Bear:
It’s the first return to Affinity Place for Erik Boers. Having been caught up in an influx of 20-year-olds on the Bruins roster, Boers was dealt to Yorkton in exchange for a 2nd round draft pick. Boers is a large, power forward who can make life miserable for an opposing team, and he’ll look to make an impact in his old home to start the 2021/22 season. Boers also led the way for the Terriers offensively, with 7 points in 5 games, good for 4th place overall in the preseason. He will look to provide that spark for the Terriers in his final junior hockey season.