By Derek Holtom /

The MJHL regular season is all but over. Let’s examine each team as they look ahead to either the playoffs or next season.

Dauphin Kings
The Kings long ago clinched first place, setting a team record for wins along the way with 50. And while things are heating up on the ice, the franchise remains extremely busy off the ice as well.
A former coach has joined the staff to help get more people in the stands for this spring’s RBC Championship, and it looks as though his work is paying off.
“With early-bird and regular ticket sales, sponsor tickets, Hockey Canada and visiting team ticket requirements factored in, we now have less than 900 seats left to sell,” said RBC Cup event coordinator, Doug Hedley.
The Kings also learned several of their players are up for year-end awards.
Steven Shamanski took home the Brian Kozak Trophy as the top defenceman while Shane Luke won the Lorne ‘Windy’ Lyndon Trophy for hockey ability and sportsmanship.
Smamanski and Luke are also first-team all-stars, along with teammate Ryan Dreger. Bryce Lamb is a second team all-star. Mathew Backhouse was named to the all-rookie team.

Neepawa Natives
The Natives crossed over into the Addison Division last year, but this year they’ll be back in their home Sher-Wood Division for the playoffs. Unfortunately, they have the unenviable task of opening up against the Dauphin Kings.
To their credit, the Natives finally beat the league-leading Kings in their final game against one another.
Still, with approximately 30 points between them, the Natives have their work cut out for them. They do have a physical team, leading the league in penalty minutes this year, so that should indicate they plan to be extremely physical against the talented Kings.
In other news, Tyler Swerdyliak was named to the MJHL’s all-rookie team.

OCN Blizzard
The OCN Blizzard did their best to compete for a playoff spot after dealing away their veteran forwards earlier in the year, but in the end they just didn’t have enough in the tank to get into the post-season.
They did have some players who shone this year, though. Netminder David Aime and defenceman Dale Warkentin were both named to the MJHL’s first all-star team. Aime was also a double nominee for year-end awards — league MVP and top netminder, the latter of which he won. Warkentin was nominated for top defenceman.
The individual honours might help take the sting off a disappointing year, but the Blizzard players would likely trade them all in for a chance at the playoffs this year.

Portage Terriers
The hottest team down the stretch was the Portage Terriers, who put together a nine-game winning streak to catch Swan Valley with two weeks to play, winning a key showdown 5-0 to overtake them in the standings. The Terriers will open against the Stampeders, a team they have never lost to in the playoffs. However, their series have all been either six or seven games, and were highly entertaining. The Terriers also had some players up for year-end awards. Zach Tully was nominated for defenceman of the year, while Cole Brunet was up for rookie of the year. Oddly, Brunet was not named to the MJHL’s all-rookie team. However, defenceman Rene Hunter was.

Swan Valley Stampeders
Swan Valley was looking forward to home-ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs for the first time in franchise history, but stumbled down the stretch and will open on the road against their playoff nemesis, the Portage Terriers. Still, the Stampeders know from history being hot in February doesn’t mean you’re destined for success in March. Swan Valley once won 11 straight games in February, only to lose in five games to OCN in the playoffs.
Swan Valley had four wins against the Terriers this year. They feel this is their year despite their February swoon.
Also, Stampeders forward Myles Stevens and defenceman Paul Bonar were recognized for their play by being named second team all-stars. Head coach Dwayne Kirkup was nominated for coach of the year, and forward Chris Reimer was nominated for the hockey ability and sportsmanship trophy.

Waywayseecappo Wolverines
The Wolverines knew heading into the 2010 portion of the season that they were a long shot at best to make the playoffs. That didn’t stop them from being one of the hardest teams to play, though. They beat Portage, Swan Valley, Dauphin, OCN, Selkirk and others in what was a phenomenal January and February. In January, they were 8-5 — outstanding for a last-place team.
There are a lot of young players on the Wolverines roster, especially since they got younger at the trade deadline in January. Don’t be surprised if the Wolverines are back in the playoff hunt next year.
 
Selkirk Steelers
Selkirk had designs on first place in the Addison Division, and after beating the Winnipeg Saints in late January, looked to have the inside track. However, a 2-4 stretch in February pretty much knocked the Steelers back to second place. They’ll tangle with the Winkler Flyers this year in the opening round of the playoffs.
Selkirk will continue to lean on Taylor Dickin for leadership. The Steve ‘Boomer’ Hawrysh Award winner as league MVP and a first-team all-star, Dickin was the top scorer in the MJHL not playing for Dauphin.
Joey Rewucki was also up for an award — the MJHL’s top netminder. And head coach Ryan Smith was nominated for Muzz McPherson Award for the league’s top bench boss.

Steinbach Pistons
In the last two seasons, the Steinbach Pistons franchise, then called the Beausejour Blades, had a combined win total of 13, the same number they had this season heading into the final week of the regular season. The Pistons are on the right track, and the hope around the league is that they are done being the doormat of the MJHL.
A sure sign things are looking up in Steinbach is the fact they were up for several awards and nominations. Both netminder Addison Herosian and forward Eric Coulombe were named to the MJHL’s all-rookie team. Coulombe was also up for the Vince Leah Trophy, handed out to the league’s top rookie.
As well, head coach Rich Gosselin was up for the MJHL coach of the year award.

Winkler Flyers
The up-and-down year for the Winkler Flyers saw them struggle for wins early in February, losing four of their first six games. However, they were solidly in third place, with not much chance of catching the teams in front of them, nor in much threat of being passed.
The Flyers open on the road this year against Selkirk in the first round of the playoffs for the second straight year. Last year, Selkirk won in six games.
Winkler will look to netminder Peter Alexander to lead them to playoff success. He was a second team all-star and a nominee for netminder of the year. 

Winnipeg Saints
A five-game winning streak when your closest rival goes 2-4 was enough to cement the Winnipeg Saints into first place in the Addison Division, setting up a crosstown playoff against the Winnipeg South Blues. The Saints are probably relieved to be playing the Blues. A month ago, it looked as though they might have to travel to OCN for a crossover playoff series. The Saints were not expected to be so strong this year considering how many 20-year-olds they lost after last season, but they are once again the No. 1 divisional seed.
The Saints also had a couple of players honoured at the end of the year. Blake Chartier was nominated for the hockey ability and sportsmanship award, while Craig Simchuk was named a second-team all-star.

Winnipeg South Blues
A strong February allowed the Winnipeg South Blues to avoid missing the playoffs two years in a row due to the crossover. Last year, Neepawa edged them out, and this year, OCN threatened to do the same. However, a 5-1-0-1 record to start February clinched fourth place for the Blues, and a date with the Saints in the playoffs.
Brendan O’Donnell, not surprisingly, was named the league’s top rookie. The freshman scoring leader was also named to the all-rookie team.