DANKKOCHIK’S DRAFTINGS: Making sense of what kinds of hockey players I prefer

Watching John Scott go nuclear during the first round of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League playoffs for Niverville has been especially satisfying for me and has caused me to reflect on what kinds of hockey players I consider “Cassidy,” style players.

All year I would compliment Scott to anyone who listened, noting he was the kind of player that could randomly spark a big playoff win with a two goal performance during a critical game.

A hat trick in game one of Niverville’s sweep over Winkler and a final minutes game-winner in game three showed I was right.

I just love players like Scott. I think back to guys like Landon Roberts with the Pistons during my first year covering the team or Bryce Warkentine, my all-time favourite Nighthawk. There’s no player archatype I love more than the middle six, bruising forward who can drag their team into the fight, even if no one else is willing to.

Penner pulls out of PC nomination race

One of the two current candidates for the PC nomination in Steinbach has left the race.

Susan Penner, a city councillor issued a statement on Monday explaining the departure had to do with family issues.

“This is not a decision I make lightly, however, unexpected health challenges within my family now require my time and availability close to home,” she said in the statement.

She also included an endorsement for the only other candidate in the race, Michael Zwaagstra, a fellow city councillor.

1946 to 2026 Watching Steinbach grow: Teaching a part time job at early Steinbach schools

Early Carillon News subscribers learned a lot about the history of education in Steinbach when the weekly newspaper published its very first “Progress Issue” in December of 1947.

A three-page feature article tracked the attention given to education from the time when early village settlers volunteered their time as teachers and their homes as schoolhouses, to a time when 19 teachers in three schools taught a school population that had grown to over 600.

Education in Steinbach has no little red schoolhouse in its background, but its beginnings were more humble than that.

When the village was founded in 1874, there was little enough time to prepare houses for shelter without anyone taking time to work on a school building. However, the community realized some instruction should be provided and Rev. Jacob Barkman and Klaas Reimer offered their services for free.

PHOTO GALLERY: A hunting we will go!

More than 60,000 chocolate eggs and A&W lollipops were thrown to about 100 kids who attended the annual Easter Egg event at Mennonite Heritage Village..

Providence announces athletics year end award winners

With the Manitoba College Athletic Conference season at an end, the Providence Pilots recognized their top athletes of the season.

Cole Doell and Faith Larocque were named the male and female athletes of the year respectively.

Larocque is from Niverville, but played AAAA high school basketball with Dakota in Winnipeg. She was named the MCAC women’s basketball player of the year, thriving even as she gets less minutes than other top players thanks to Providence’s system basketball more evenly distributing playing time across the team.

“Faith has demonstrated above average academic success, consistently improving her grades and her game over the past three years,” head women’s basketball coach Kendall Perpall said.

COLUMN: Carillon Flashback October 28, 1992 – ‘No boundary for Anishinabe’ – Natives make a point during demonstration

Red flags flying from antennas and side mirrors identified vehicles of more than 200 First Nation protestors moving towards the American border on Highway 75 at a snail’s pace, where they continued to demonstrate their disdain for the “white man’s boundary.”

Native leader Terry Nelson, who organized the peaceful demonstration to spotlight what he termed “an invasion of sovereignty” during a recent RCMP raid on the Roseau Reserve, said the Roseau River Anishinabe were not afraid anymore.

“We are subject to economic apartheid and economic blackmail. We are taxed without representation. We will not be meek in defending our fundamental human rights and our right to peaceful coexistence.”

Highway tractors fell in line behind the convoy of Roseau River Reserve residents and drivers had to wait patiently until RCMP officers cleared a lane to allow traffic into the United States at Emerson.

Niverville Nighthawks advance to MJHL final in style

The Waywayseecappo Wolverines put up a great fight against the Niverville Nighthawks for four games, but the dam finally broke, as the Manitoba Junior Hockey League's top regular season finisher will play for the Turnbull Cup.

The Nighthawks finally looked like a team that finished 40 points ahead in the standings, crushing the Wolverines in a 7-0 game five victory in Niverville to win the MJHL semi-final series 4-1. Neither franchise had won a playoff series before 2026.

Calyb Moore, who had yet to score in the playoffs for the Nighthawks, nabbed his first of the post-season 30 seconds into the opening period to give his side a 1-0 lead and all but ended the game 15 seconds into the second period with his second of the game to make it 4-0.

Austin Dubinsky stopped all 18 shots he faced, posting shutouts in consecutive games after a 3-0 win in Waywayseecappo in game four.

St Pierre Jolys Sugaring Off Festival brings sweet treats to the Southeast

Southeastern francophone culture will be on full display this month along with a chance to roll snowy-sticky treats.

The St-Pierre-Jolys Museum’s 2026 Sugaring Off Festival, located at 432 Joubert St., is happening on April 11 to 12. The festival will mark its 35th anniversary of celebrating francophone culture and the arrival of spring.

Roland Gagne, president of the St-Pierre-Jolys Museum, said the festival is the museum’s main fundraising event to cover operations. But throughout the years, he’s seen it grow to showcase the Southeast’s French history.

“We brag about how the history of our area of De Salaberry, St Pierre, Rat River area, and how it was established by our ancestors, and then, after all the new immigrants from Quebec, northern United States and France and Belgium, these French speaking immigrants during that period of time,” he said.

COLUMN: Village News – Our AGM takes place April 14

Attending a company business meeting isn’t everyone’s favourite way to spend an evening, but it is a legal requirement for all not-for-profit organizations, and it is one way to bring members, the board of directors, and company management together to review the activities of the organization and share the goals and direction of future plans.

Mennonite Heritage Village (MHV) was incorporated in 1964 and has grown into an important museum for all Manitobans as a member of the seven Signature Museums which represent important aspects of Manitoba’s history. MHV continues to preserve and share the stories of the Russian descendent Mennonites who settled in southern Manitoba in the 1870’s and onward. This is our mission. However, with each new generation, MHV has the opportunity to connect with the local community and the larger Mennonite community which are both becoming increasingly diverse in culture, ethnicity, and background. This annual meeting is your opportunity to hear a review of how MHV accomplished its goals in 2025.

On Tuesday, April 14, you are invited, whether you are a member or not, to join us for coffee and dessert, as we share successes, challenges and opportunities. Your questions, concerns, and suggestions are very much appreciated, and we look forward to an encouraging evening. Thank you for your participation in 2025!

Upcoming events

Hanover mill rates increase in proposed 2026 financial plan

Ratepayers in the Rural Municipality of Hanover could see increases to the mill rate as the municipality introduced its 2026 financial plan.

Hanover’s chief financial officer Derek Decru presented the $33.7-million budget to council on April 8, which unanimously passed first reading.

Municipal assessment rose by 3.08 percent, sitting at $39 million. The 2026 estimated tax revenue is $13.3 million.

Hanover’s operating budget is $25.6 million, with rural transportation representing 29.6 percent and recreation representing 39.7 percent of the funding.

Development approved despite massive opposition

A petition with 47 signatures representing 35 homes objecting to a proposed 48-unit development did not stop Steinbach city council from approving the plan. Neither did the nearly 10 people in attendance who spoke against the project during Tuesday’s public hearing, required to change the zoning from residential low density to residential medium density.

Instead, council thanked those in attendance but agreed the project was beneficial to the community.

Randy Reimer made the application to re-zone 492, 498 and 506 McKenzie Avenue to allow the construction of a trio of three-storey units that combined would offer 48 dwelling units including one-, two-and three-bedroom apartments.

The three properties are on the south side of McKenzie Avenue, near Main Street and include 78 bedrooms, with each building filling a footprint of 5,961 sq. ft.

Eastman-heavy Transcona advances to MMJHL finals

The Transcona Railer Express, featuring plenty of Eastman talent, will play in the Manitoba Major Junior Hockey League finals.

Over a dozen players who have suited up for the Express this season hail from the region, including the team’s two leading playoff scorers, Trey Sellen and captain Nolan van den Bussche.

Transcona were dominant this season, posting a 36-7-1 record en route to the best regular season record in the league and a plus-111 goal difference, more than 50 ahead of every other team in the league.

The Railer Express are also a perfect 8-0 in the MMJHL playoffs so far, sweeping the Raiders Jr Hockey Club in the quarterfinals and River East in the semi-finals.

La Broquerie Habs crowned CRJHL champions

It was clear the La Broquerie Habs weren’t going to let any opportunity to clinch a championship slip away.

Heading into game five of the Capital Region Junior Hockey League finals April 2 the team was up 3-1 on the Selkirk Fishermen and put together one of the most dominant first periods any team can play.

A glance at the stat sheet doesn’t do it justice, as the Habs seemed to win every single puck battle in the opening frame, building a 2-0 lead on the scoreboard, en route to a series victory in Selkirk.

“We came out hungry, we wanted to win it tonight,” La Broquerie head coach Dan Taillefer said after the game, with a custom wrestling belt made for the team placed over his shoulder.