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It has been a quiet week on the ice but a very busy one off the ice for the Swan Valley Stampeders.

The team first announced that hometown star Josh Tripp is taking over as head coach after starting the season with the Parkland U-18 Rangers. The Stampeders and Barry Wolff mutually parted ways last month, and Tripp will fill the void for the remainder of the 2024-25 season.

He will make his head coaching debut in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League (MJHL) on Friday night when Swan Valley plays Niverville on the road.

Ahead of hitting the road for a pair of games this weekend, the Stampeders announced three trades, the biggest of which includes Will Munro.

Trade #1:
Munro, who played the past two years with the Kelowna Rockets of the Western Hockey League (WHL) returned to his hometown team this season and posted three goals and seven points in 10 games. He was traded to the Melfort Mustangs of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL).

The defending SJHL champion Mustangs lead the Sherwood Division with 11 wins in 14 games and they're second place overall, just a single point behind Weyburn. There will now be a Swan River connection on the Mustangs as Bo Eisner is also on the team.

In return, the Stampeders welcome Jake Giacobbo to the team. He had two goals in seven games this year with Melfort. 

Trade #2:
Swan Valley then dealt Ty Easton to the Selkirk Steelers in exchange for a player development fee.

Easton had one goal and 60 penalty minutes in 16 games with Swan Valley this year.

Swan Valley had this to say after the trade.

"We want to thank Ty Easton for his contributions to the Stampeders and wish him the best of luck moving forward with his new team,"

Trade #3:
Swan Valley brought in 18-year-old defenceman Gavin Bartha.

Bartha comes from the Olds Grizzlys of the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL), where he had one assist in 12 games this season. Last year, he had eight goals and 36 assists in 44 games with the Okanagan Rockets U-18 AAA team. 

The Stampeders sent a player development fee in exchange. 

Stamp Tips:

• In Niverville Friday, Portage Saturday;
• Return home on Wednesday to host Dauphin in the first all-Parkland battle of the season at 12:30;
• The roster now includes two goalies, eight defencemen, 17 forwards; and
• Parkland region players include Tavyn Boychuk, Carter Zalischuk, Trace Langan, and Andrew Pidskalny.

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Contributed by Darnell Duff

Published: Nov 8, 2024 - 10:32 am

This year's Dauphin Kings roster is very deep. 

With outstanding talent from the top to the bottom, the Kings find themselves in first place in the MGEU West Division ahead of their game on Friday night against Steinbach. When a roster is deep, tough decisions have to be made and that was the case this year.

In three separate trades, the Kings dealt three Dauphinites. 

The first player traded was Carter Zalischuk as he was sent to the Swan Valley Stampeders.

Zalischuk joined his hometown junior team in the 2022-23 season, playing 44 games with five goals and five assists. He returned to the team last year, playing 47 regular season games and all seven of the team's playoff contests. Zalischuk is a relentless worker and was fantastic on the penalty kill.

Doug Hedley wants to thank Carter for his contributions.

"From the Dauphin Kings organization from the coaching staff up to the board of directors, we want to thank Carter for his hard work and effort with our organization," said Hedley. "It's very tough on a coaching staff to make those types of decisions. I know he is going to do great things in Swan Valley, he's a good teammate and works hard."

Dauphin then completed a trade with the Oil Capitals as Dauphin sent Kyan Grouette to Virden. The Dauphinite joined the Kings later last year after starting his junior career in the Western Hockey League with the Everett Silvertips.

Grouette played 18 games with Dauphin, scoring three times and adding three assists in the regular season before playing two playoff games with the team. He has since played 12 games with Virden.

"He's a kid that came in here, worked hard and had a very good summer in the gym training," continued Hedley. "Although he's not playing in Dauphin, we found him a home. He can continue to improve and enjoy the Junior A hockey experience. We thank Kyan and wish him all the best."

In one final transaction, Dauphin sent Rylan Gibbs to the Blind River Beavers of the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League. Rylan played 99 regular-season and eight playoff games in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League (MJHL), all of which came with the Kings.

During this time, Gibbs scored 14 times and had 19 assists. He has since scored once and had one assist in three games with his new team in Blind River.

"We're very appreciative of his effort, time and dedication to the crest," ended Hedley. "He is a great kid and a good player. We felt he needed more minutes and puck touches, he needs to be the go-to guy. I believe he could play Division 3 if he chooses that path. I want to wish him all the best and we appreciate the time he put in."

Dauphin returns to the ice Friday when the Steinbach Pistons come to town. 

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Contributed by Darnell Duff

Published: Nov 7, 2024 - 12:19 pm

The Gilbert Plains Trojans varsity girls' volleyball team had no troubles at the Zone 8 championships earlier this week.

They hammered Pine Creek and Ethelbert and split with Ste. Rose in their round-robin. Moving forward, the Trojans dispatched Ste. Rose in straight sets in the final, 26-24 and 25-18.

The Trojans will host a provincial qualifier on November 16. Gilbert Plains is the top-ranked team in the province while Ste. Rose is third. 

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Contributed by Darnell Duff

Published: Nov 7, 2024 - 10:04 am

It's one of the greatest rivalries in Canadian sport.

A trip to the Grey Cup is on the line and Manitoba's capital will play host. The Winnipeg Blue Bombers (11-7) will battle the Saskatchewan Roughriders (9-8-1) on Saturday afternoon in the West Final

These two storied franchises played each other three times in the regular season with Winnipeg coming out on top in Weeks 13 and 14, and Saskatchewan won their Week 7 matchup. Winnipeg is hosting its fourth straight Western Final and is playing in the game for the sixth straight season. Saskatchewan last played in the West Final in 2021, falling to Winnipeg 21-17.

Winnipeg scored 447 points in the regular season while allowing a league-low 366. Saskatchewan, meanwhile, scored 478 and gave up 434. The Riders beat the Lions 28-19 last week while Winnipeg's last game was a thrilling comeback victory against Montreal on October 26. 

Brady Oliveira led the CFL in rushing yards with 1,353 with three touchdowns. His longest run was 30 yards and had 476 receiving yards. 

"They're playing very well right now and I think you can say the same thing about our team," said Oliveira. "This is why both of us are in this game, we have both earned the right to play in the West Final. We're going to go out there and fight it out and see who advances to the Grey Cup."

Game Notes:

• Winnipeg is 43-19-2 (.688) at home in the playoffs. Saskatchewan is 21-35-1 (.377) as the visiting team in the playoffs;
• Since 1972, the Western Final host is 30-20 (.600);
• Winnipeg has hosted Saskatchewan in a single-game Western Final twice with each team winning once; and
• Trevor Harris is 4-4 in playoff starts while Zach Collaros is 6-1 including 5-0 with Winnipeg.

Oliveira, who was nominated for the league's Most Outstanding Player and Most Outstanding Canadian, is looking forward to pounding the ball on the ground.

"Watching tape this week, there are holes in that defence that I believe we can attack," ended Oliveira. "Whether that's me running the ball or catching the ball in the backfield. I know it's important to get me involved in this game because I believe good things will come from that."

Saturday's game at Princess Auto Stadium is sold out but you can watch the game on TSN. Game time on Saturday is 5:30, following the East Final between Toronto (10-8) and Montreal (12-5-1)

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Contributed by Darnell Duff

Published: Nov 7, 2024 - 10:00 am

Tom White was victorious in his first game as head coach of the Parkland U-18 Rangers.

The Rangers announced that Josh Tripp had departed the organization to become head coach of the Swan Valley Stampeders. The Rangers went to Souris and did not let that distract them in a gutsy 4-3 win against the Southwest Cougars. 

Parkland won their 10th game of the year and are now just two points back of first place. Alex Campbell led the way for the Rangers, scoring his fourth and fifth goals of the season while Cade Legaarden (5) had a short-handed marker and Quinten Fisk (16) also scored while his team was a man down.

Piet Mierau was fantastic, making 39 saves for the win. The Rangers have no games this weekend. They head to Kenora next weekend before wrapping up the month with four games at Credit Union Place. 

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Contributed by Darnell Duff

Published: Nov 6, 2024 - 10:14 pm

It's an exciting moment for Josh Tripp.

The former Parkland Ranger and Swan Valley Stampeder led the U-18 Rangers to a 9-5 record to start this season and now, he's heading back to his old team. 

The Stampeders announced that Tripp will take over as head coach for the remainder of the 2024-25 season. Josh spent last season as an assistant coach for the Stampeders and was in his first year as an AAA head coach until this promotion came along.

Shawn Sarkonak wanted to thank Josh for his time with the program.

"We're going to miss Josh. What he, Tom, and Matt have been able to do with the team so far is nothing short of amazing," said Sarkonak. "We can't say enough about Josh, he did an incredible job with this team and we thank him for everything he did."

The Stampeders approached Josh to gauge his interest in filling the role of head coach and while it's a unique situation, Sarkonak is thrilled to know that Josh is getting a chance at the next level.

"The Parkland Ranger program is not only looked at as a high-performance development opportunity for athletes, we also look at us as a program to develop coaches," continued Sarkonak. "We are not a board that will step in the way of a coach advancing to the next level. We wish him the best of luck and we know he will go on to do great things with the Stampeders."

Tom White will step in as interim head coach for the remainder of the season. Matt Kustra will remain on board and the team is looking for another assistant coach.

"We have had talks with both Tom and Matt and they both feel that the system in place will stay the same, they don't feel the need to change anything," ended Sarkonak. "They're looking forward to the season moving ahead and staying competitive."

The Rangers are in fifth place, just three points back of first.

We have reached out to Tom White and Josh Tripp and will have more on this story. 

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Contributed by Darnell Duff

Published: Nov 6, 2024 - 12:31 pm

Daniel Chartrand was always one of the top players on the teams he played on growing up in Dauphin playing in the minor hockey association.

He had a knack for finding the back of the net while helping his teammates improve their games. As the Dauphin star moved up the rankings, he joined the Parkland U-18 Rangers for the 2013-14 season, scoring 14 times and adding 24 assists. It was an incredible rookie year for Chartrand with the region's lone AAA team, averaging nearly a point per game.

He was back with the team the following year and took his game to the next level, scoring 23 times and totalling 58 points in 44 games. Chartrand helped the Rangers qualify for the playoffs that year and had two goals in four playoff games. He played 92 total games with the Rangers, nabbing 98 points and still thinks of how great a run it was with the team.

"Playing with the Rangers helped me develop in various ways, for starters it was huge to play with and against the best players in the province," said Chartrand. "I grew a ton on the ice and off the ice as well. I cherish those times, playing for the Rangers were some of the best times I have ever had."

During the 2014-15 season, Daniel's last with the Rangers, he was called up to play with the big boys. Daniel grew up watching the Dauphin Kings play and always dreamt of one day playing in the White & Blue in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League (MJHL).

That dream came true when he was called up for the team's game on Saturday, February 21, 2015. His first game as a King was a win as the team downed the Neepawa Titans, 3-2. Three days later, Chartrand was back playing with the Kings, this time at Credit Union Place. Dauphin welcomed the then OCN Blizzard to town for a game and Chartrand helped the team post a 3-2 victory.

With two junior games and two wins under his belt, Chartrand was grateful for the opportunity.

"My first game didn't go as planned, almost left the game injured. It was a great experience, a rough and tough game in Neepawa," continued Chartrand. "My second game at home hit differently. I started with Matthew Greening and Tyler Derkach who are two of my best friends. That game meant a lot to me. A ton of chills in that second game, even more than the first. Just two special games to be a part of, meant everything to me."

Chartrand then started the 2015-16 season with the Kings, posting 13 points in 51 games before a 36-point season the following year in 60 games. The Dauphinite was dealt to the OCN Blizzard to begin the 2017-18 season where he had 21 points in 20 games before playing with the La Ronge Ice Wolves of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) and ultimately ending his junior career back in Manitoba that year with the Swan Valley Stampeders. 

Daniel played 168 games in his junior career, 113 of which came with the Kings and he is forever grateful for the organization giving him a start.

"I can't even put it into words, it was a surreal experience being a King, that's all I wanted to be growing up, a Dauphin King," said Chartrand. "Seeing them in the community always lit my day up. I remember always playing street hockey and pretending to be a King. Special time of my life and then when I became a King, I wanted to give back to the community just like the players past did when I was younger."

Chartrand Journey Continues:

When his junior career ended, Daniel committed to play NCAA Division 3 hockey with Northland College. Located at the top of Wisconsin, on the south shore of Lake Superior, the Lumberjacks play in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and Daniel played three full seasons with the team, playing in 70 games with 16 points.

During the 2021-22 season, Chartrand was joined by another Dauphin star as Andrew Liwiski committed to the program. Andrew went on to play 20 games that season and four years total at Northland College while Chartrand played in 26 games that season.

The two grew up together in Dauphin, Andrew's dad taught Daniel at Ecole MacNeill and they played together on the Parkland Rangers. 

"He approached me and asked me how my time was at Northland and I had nothing but great things to say, I consider Northland my second home, it was an incredible place to play and study," said Chartrand. "It was great to have Andrew on board, it's always nice when you have someone you grew up with playing with you."

When the team lost 1-0 on February 19, 2022, they were eliminated from the playoffs and Chartrand's career as a Lumberjack came to an end. He still; however, had a fire burning within and wasn't ready to hang up the skates.

That's when he came across a Facebook message from an agent that said the Port Huron Prowlers were interested in bringing Chartrand into the fold. Daniel packed his bags, went to Michigan and made the team.

"I didn't know anyone there or anything about the league but I just decided to take a chance," said Chartrand. 

Playing in the Federal Prospects Hockey League (FPHL), Daniel is now in his third full season with the Prowlers and busted onto the scene posting 25 points in 48 games during his rookie year (2022-23).

"I don't think I sat still from morning skate until puck drop for my first game, I was just taking it all in, it was crazy," continued Chartrand. "I noticed the speed difference right away and how big the men were. You had to keep your head on a swivel. I focused on executing what we were practicing and sticking to our system. We won the game, you can't go wrong with that."

In 46 regular season games last year, Daniel had another 19 points and two points in three playoff games. As Daniel returned to Port Huron this year, he was in the best shape of his life. He had an incredible summer of training and wanted to ramp things up, which is exactly what he has done.

In six games this year, Daniel is fifth in team scoring with four goals and one assist. This past Saturday as the team played and beat the Motor City Rockers, Daniel played his 100th career regular-season game with the Prowlers. He celebrated the special milestone by scoring a goal and adding one assist. 

"It feels great. I couldn't have done it without the support from my parents and just the City of Dauphin," ended Chartrand. "Dauphin minor hockey, the Rangers and the Kings all played a big part. Without all that, I wouldn't be here. I'm fortunate enough to play my 100th game, I'm grateful to play the game I love and stay healthy."

If Daniel's start is any indication of how this season will go, he's well on his way to a career year as he looks to help the Prowlers win a league title. They have three wins in six games to start the campaign and have won two straight.

You can watch Daniel's games on the Port Huron Prowlers YouTube page. Their next game is Friday against the Venom. 

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Contributed by Darnell Duff

Published: Nov 6, 2024 - 10:00 am

He grew up watching Jeff Hardy and Raven. He was also a big fan of Chris Jericho and always dreamt of becoming a professional wrestler.

After growing up in Dauphin, Steven Stashko moved to Winnipeg and started training to become a wrestler in 2019. One year later in August of 2020, under the name Bryce Bentley, he was in the ring for his first match.

While it didn't go the way he would have hoped as he lost the match and was slammed through a table, Steven was thrilled to achieve his lifelong dream of being in the ring.

"Having all my friends and family there was sweet, the energy was insane, I remember being so nervous," said Stashko. "It was such a surreal experience to have. To see it finally come true after all of the hard work and what I was working towards, was special."

Steven has now been wrestling for five years and is a part of the main roster for Winnipeg Pro Wrestling. He also competes in Canadian Wrestling Elite (CWE) and has travelled all across the country to show off his talents to wrestling fans.

During his early days in the ring, Steven was part of a tag team with Sammy Peppers who he called his best friend at the time. Bentley felt stuck and felt he wasn't being recognized enough and all of a sudden, a great friendship and long-time partnership turned into two guys who hated each other.

Bentley drop-kicked Sammy Peppers to send a message.

"I wanted everyone to know who was the star of that tag team, it was me," said Stashko. 

That led to the biggest match for Stashko to date. He went up against Sammy on October 24 at the Burton Cummings Theatre in Winnipeg as a part of the Rumble in the Burt. 

Steven came out on top in front of more than 1,300 fans, the most that he has ever wrestled in front of.

"This is exactly how I thought it was going to go, I knew it was going to go that way," continued Stashko. "I'm the Star, I knew that I was going to win and proved it to everyone."

Not tied down to a partner anymore, Steven is riding solo and he wants everyone to know that he is on a mission to the top.

"I am proving to everyone in all of Winnipeg that I am the best Winnipeg wrestler that there is," ended Stashko. "Not even just Winnipeg, in all of Canada."

Steven also says he is the guy that you like to boo ring-side.

"You wish you could be me, you wish you could look like me and have the aura like me," ended Stashko. "You wish you could have the great smile I have, the hair I have, and the arms that I have."

Wrestling under Bryce Bentley 'The Star' you can see the Dauphinite in action on November 16 during CWE's Rumble to Remember and on December 6 for the WPW's Stooged event at the West End Cultural Centre. 

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Contributed by Darnell Duff

Published: Nov 5, 2024 - 10:00 am

The Gilbert Plains Trojans varsity girls' volleyball team should be extremely proud of themselves after an incredible weekend in Brandon.

Playing in the DIG tournament, the Trojans won the consolation A-side championship to finish ninth of 48 teams. They were also the highest-finishing 'A' school at the event. In the consolation final, the Trojans put together a hard-fought three-set win against the W.C. Miller Aces, 25-18, 23-25 and 15-9.

In prior playoff action, Gilbert Plains pummelled Deloraine in straight sets and outlasted Reston in straight sets.

In a thrilling Round of 16 matchup on the A side, the Trojans battled the top-ranked Vincent Massey Brandon, the best 'AAAA' team in the province. Despite ultimately falling in a tough three-set battle, the Trojans showcased their tenacity and skill by clinching a set.

This impressive achievement highlighted their resilience against the best team in the province. 

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Contributed by Darnell Duff

Published: Nov 4, 2024 - 11:35 am

The Dauphin Kings are firing on all cylinders and the Canadian Junior Hockey (CJHL) League has noticed.

In the CJHL Top 20 rankings this week, the Kings are ranked 12th. Dauphin extended their winning streak to five games on Saturday after posting a 6-4 win against the Selkirk Steelers. During their hot streak, the Kings downed the defending league champion Winkler Flyers twice to go along with wins against the Blues and Freeze. 

16 games into their season, the Kings have racked up 12 wins which is tied for the most in the league with Steinbach, Selkirk and Portage. Dauphin sits fourth in the league with 61 goals and their 37 goals against are the second-fewest, only behind Steinbach.

Dauphin's 181 penalty minutes are also the second-fewest in the league. Their penalty kill is tied with Niverville for the best in the league at 86.2%. Dauphin's power play is sitting third at 27%. The Kings have a massive weekend coming up with two games at Credit Union Place.

They welcome the Steinbach Pistons to town on Friday. Steinbach is tied for the league lead with Selkirk as both teams have 25 points. Sitting with 24, the Kings could jump into first place overall in the league with a win in regulation. Then on Sunday, the Kings welcome the Steelers to town. Dauphin has a slight one-point advantage over the Northern Manitoba Blizzard for first place in the MGEU West Division, with a game in hand.

The following are the CJHL Top 20 rankings – Fuelled by Gatorade, as of Nov. 4:
RANK TEAM (LEAGUE) (LAST WEEK)
1. Rockland Nationals (CCHL) (1)
2. Edmundston Blizzard (MHL) (2)
3. Grande Prairie Storm (AJHL) (4)
4. Leamington Flyers (OJHL) (3)
5. Greater Sudbury Cubs (NOJHL) (6)
6. Summerside Western Capitals (MHL) (5)
7. Steinbach Pistons (MJHL) (9)
8. Trenton Golden Hawks (OJHL) (13)
9. Melfort Mustangs (SJHL) (12)
10. Whitecourt Wolverines (AJHL) (18)
11. Dryden GM Ice Dogs (SIJHL) (16)
12. Dauphin Kings (MJHL) (NR)
13. Canmore Eagles (AJHL) (8)
14. Condors du Cégep Beauce-Appalaches (LHJAAAQ) (19)
15. Braves de Valleyfield (LHJAAAQ) (11)
16. Haliburton County Huskies (OJHL) (10)
17. Weyburn Red Wings (SJHL) (20)
18. Hawkesbury Hawks (CCHL) (14)
19. Hearst Lumberjacks (NOJHL) (NR)
20. Thunder Bay North Stars (SIJHL) (17)

HONOURABLE MENTION: Battlefords North Stars (SJHL); Selkirk Steelers (MJHL); Toronto Patriots (OJHL); Collingwood Blues (OJHL); Navan Grads (CCHL)

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Contributed by Darnell Duff

Published: Nov 4, 2024 - 11:25 am