Local MJHL players announce USports commitments

A pair of local Manitoba Junior Hockey League standouts will continue their playing careers at the USports level.

Lorette’s Thomas Phillips will be heading to York University and St Jean’s Sebastian Hicks will be suiting up for Western University.

The York Lions lost out on Niverville captain Adam Vigfusson after he got the call to go to St Cloud State in the NCAA. The Gimli product had previously committed to York.

It seems the Lions wanted some Niverville flair on their roster no matter what and called up the defenseman following Vigfusson’s departure.

Phillips won the Turnbull Cup and Centennial Cup this season with the Nighthawks. He made the leap from the Eastman Selects to the MJHL following the 2021/2022 season, joining Virden. After a couple seasons with Norman, the Nighthawks traded for the local defender’s rights.

Phillips played 200 total MJHL games playoffs and regular season combined. He had 33 points in 55 regular season games this year, chipping in four points at the Centennial Cup.

Hicks suited up for the Pembina Valley Hawks minor system, making the move to play with Waywayseecappo to start the 2023/2024 season. He had a breakout year, nabbing 77 points in 57 games and helping the Wolverines to their first-ever playoff series win with five goals and five assists in nine playoff games.

Hicks was profiled by the league on their social media this week, advocating for players to choose the MJHL over other junior hockey options.

“Whether you are 16 or 20 there is always going to be an opportunity to move forward with your career if you play in this league,” he said.

“Playing junior in the MJ has not only been the highlight of my career but I look back at my teams and how much they mean to me now. You see the same guys everyday, you go through your highest and lowest together and come out as better people because of it. These connections are going to persist with me for the rest of my life.”

Steinbach Pistons star Jack Greenwell added onto the USports train, committing to St Francis Xavier University.

Greenwell played two seasons in the Greater Ontario Hockey League and two seasons in major junior before coming to Steinbach to play his 20-year-old season.

He had 61 points in 52 regular season games this year. Greenwell suffered a late-season injury, with the Pistons sorely missing his contributions during the playoffs. He returned to play before he was fully recovered to try and help his team advance in the post-season.

Niverville’s Hayden Wheddon announced his college commitment last week as well, sticking close to home with the University of Manitoba.

“Hayden is a proven scorer and national champion with a high-level hockey IQ who should make an instant difference for our team,” Bisons men’s hockey coach Gordon Burnett said in a news release.

“We look forward to adding his scoring touch and hockey smarts to our program.”

Wheddon scored 90 points across 57 games for the Nighthawks, but his best performance of the year may have came in the Centennial Cup final. He scored the opening and game-winning goal to help his team to a national championship.