MJHL to have a new look this season

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This article was published 10/09/2020 (2247 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Although there are still some unknowns as to how the Manitoba Junior Hockey League season will roll out this year (details are expected to be announced shortly) most teams have hit the ice already with some of their rookie and prospects camps.

And that was the case for the Steinbach Pistons last weekend as they welcomed 36 players to their annual Fall Prospect Camp.

Players born in the years 2003, 2004 and 2005 were put through the paces by head coach Paul Dyck and staff during the two-day camp.

Normally, after the conclusion of the Prospects Camp, the Main Camp, with some of those prospects invited, would begin the next day.

But these are not normal times as the Pistons Main Camp will now only get underway on Sept. 21 in preparation for the beginning of the 2020-21 MJHL season, which will begin on Oct. 9.

And again, although the official schedule has not yet been announced, certain tidbits of the coming season are known.

Late last week the MJHL made a major announcement that they have added a 12^th franchise to the league and a second team to be based in Winnipeg. Called the Winnipeg Freeze.

The franchise has been awarded to 50 Below Sports & Entertainment, the same group that owns and operates the Winnipeg Ice of the Western Hockey League. With the addition of the new team, this is the first time the MJHL will have a balanced 12-team league since the 2002-03 season.

In a statement posted by the league on the expansion, it read in part, “the 12^th franchise will enhance the flexibility needed to provide a schedule that reduces travel and assists with divisional alignment, both critical components to executing the MJHL approved Phase II Return to Play Plan.”

With the addition of the 12^th team and with the MJHL’s COVID plans and scheduling in the works, it is expected the league will go to a three division format this season, with the Pistons playing in a division with the two Winnipeg teams and the Selkirk Steelers.

Games will only be played on weekends, resulting in a drastically reduced number of games, 40 this year, compared to the 60-game schedule of recent years.

That being said, teams are preparing as best they can, including the Pistons, for a season ahead that still has a lot of unknowns.

For his part, Dyck said it was just good to get back onto the ice last weekend with the prospects. “We had 36 players here, the skill level was pretty high, some of the guys really took advantage of their opportunities, especially some of the younger ones born in 2005.”

Players will now report to the main camp on Sept. 21. Camp will be smaller than usual as they are only allowed to have 34 players in camp, compared to about 40 in past years.

One of those players that will be in camp with the Pistons and is expected to open the season with them is blue chip prospect Denton Mateychuk, the standout defenceman for the Eastman Selects last season that is expected to crack the line-up of the WHL’s Moose Jaw Warriors.

Although not confirmed, the WHL season is only expected to begin in early December and as such some WHL players, like Mateychuk, will be playing in the MJHL in the interim.

However, the Pistons have several prospective American players, including the returning Joey Dosan that will not be allowed to come to camp, at least at this writing.

Still being worked on as part of MJHL Return to Play Plan is the question of fans in the building. Dyck says a certain number of fans will be allowed into their games, although those details have yet to be announced.

The Pistons will play only two exhibition games, including Sept. 29 at Selkirk and then Oct. 3 in Steinbach vs. the Winkler Flyers.

It is expected the Pistons will open the season Oct. 9 on the road and then return home to host their home opener on Oct. 10. All those schedule details are expected to be announced in the coming days.