Dauphin Kings Fans will never forget the 2021-22 Manitoba Junior Hockey League (MJHL) season.
They won the West Division by 14 points over Waywayseecappo thanks to a 41-win regular season. Dauphin then dispatched Swan Valley and Winkler to advance to the league final. In the championship series in game 7 at the then T.G. Smith Centre, Dauphin secured a thrilling 2-1 win for the right to hoist the Turnbull Cup.
Brayden Dube scored the game-winning goal in front of 1474 fans, many of which made the trip from Dauphin and the celebration that followed the final buzzer will never be forgotten. Ethan Williment was a member of that team. Ethan posted four regular season points and while he only suited up in two playoff games, the Winnipeg native always had the brightest smile and came to the rink with a positive attitude. He was one of the youngest players on the team, but he was always one of the most liked and did whatever was asked of him.
Two full seasons later, Williment is still with the Kings and there is no place he would rather be. Williment, who will turn 20 on December 20, is the only player on this year’s roster that was around for that championship season.
“We have 15 returning guys this year and that is a great example of what makes this organization so great, guys want to come back and be a part of it,” said Williment. “The fan base we have is unbelievable; it’s a great place to play.”
The new season is now well underway and before the team’s first game against Virden, Dauphin, entering their 57th season in the MJHL, named Williment captain. The Kings are the only organization that Ethan has played for at the junior level and he surpassed 100 games played in the regular season last year. In total as of publishing, Williment has played 128 games with the Blue & White.
“It’s an honour to be named captain. I look back over the years to remember who served as captains, like Parker Malchuk, Owen Wareham, Aidan Brook, those guys all incredible leaders,” commented Williment. “You try and pick out something from all of those guys; my goal is to be the best leader that I can.”
Dauphin, ranked ninth this week in the first Canadian Junior Hockey League’s (CJHL) Top-20 rankings of the year, has won four of five games out of the gate. Their lone blemish was a 2-0 defeat against Winkler on Tuesday. That loss snapped the team’s four-game winning streak.
“We have played good hockey but not great hockey yet,” said Williment. “It’s still early in the season; we have to work out a few things here. I think we’re going be a very good team in the next few weeks, there’s a lot of belief in our room.”
Williment is also feeling the love from his family during his last year as a King as he lives with his grandpa in Dauphin and his parents often make the trip from Manitoba’s capital to watch him play live. Ethan has grandparents in McCreary.
He’s also very thankful for the support he receives from his sister, Makenna. The brother-sister duo spends the summer providing golf lessons at the St. Vital Driving Centre in Winnipeg and they’re always challenging each other, on and off the ice.
“We’re very close, not too big of an age gap which helps as well,” offered Williment. “We share the same love for hockey which is nice.”
While Ethan is off to a brilliant start with the Kings with three goals in five games so far, he has been enjoying watching his sister light it up. She’s playing with the Balmoral Hall U18 women’s Prep team and after three games, Makenna has five goals and three assists. She's off to Syracuse University to begin her NCAA career next year.
“As an older brother, you want to see your siblings succeed and she is certainly going in the right direction,” offered Williment. “I’m very proud of her, she deserves everything in this world and won’t stop until she goes as far as possible.”
An avid golfer, Ethan also has some great skills with a fishing rod in his hand.
“I would say my biggest catch is a walleye, like 26.5 to 27 inches,” said Williment with a chuckle.
Ethan is also a big country music fan with Luke Combs being his go-to artist and his favourite song is ‘Where the Wild Things Are’.
Ethan is an incredible man off the ice, he has worked tirelessly to become the player he is on the ice and is honoured to serve the role of captain for the Dauphin Kings. You can see Ethan in action on Friday night when the Portage Terriers are in town.
You can also hear Ethan’s full chat with Darnell Duff during the Power Play Show on Friday afternoon following News Now at 4:00 p.m.
