June 2, 2025: Two Recruits, Two Games



News around the CW is sparse, and nothing has been posted at GoBisons.ca. However, from other sources two recruits have been confirmed, and two exhibition games have been announced.


SAMUEL BORSCHOWA - D - Kamloops (WHL)

In a season where the WHL grads are moving en masse to the NCAA, the Bisons landed one for their blueline. This would have been item #1 on their off-season shopping list. Borschowa is a Saskatchewan boy, who started his WHL career with the Moose Jaw Warriors before being dealt to the Kamloops Blazers in 2023-24. He is not an offensive blueliner (2G, 8A, 10 Pts), which suits me just fine. Now they need a 6'3" 200+ lbs big farm boy from the MJHL and I'll be happier yet.



Links:
➤ Elite Prospects: Samuel Borschowa Career Stats
➤ CHL.ca: 2024-25 Player Profile
➤ Discover Moose Jaw: McTaggart, SK product Sam Borschowa signs with the Warriors
➤ CJFC: Blazers trade for blueline depth, get Borschowa from Moose Jaw
➤ CHL.ca: BLAZERS ACQUIRE DEFENSEMAN SAM BORSCHOWA [/color]


MATTHEW KIEPER - G - Flin Flon (SJHL)

I was satisfied with the Bison goaltending last year, and both starters were eligible to return, but if one is not returning they landed a good recruit. Kieper is a Winnipeg boy who played in the WHL with the Regina Pats, Kamloops Blazers, and Swift Current Broncos. He landed in Flin Flon for his overage season and was named the SJHL MVP and Goaltender of the Year. His stats were impressive: 23-2-2, .935 S%, and 1.80 GAA. In the playoffs he went 6-3-3, .935 S%, and 1.89 GAA. In a season where USports teams are digging into the Junior A ranks, this would rank as a blue chip recruit.



Links:
➤ Elite Prospects: Matthew Kieper Career Stats
➤ CHL.ca: 2024-25 Player Profile
➤ Regina Leader-Post: The Regina Pats' new goalie of the future looks like a Kieper
➤ CKOM: Pats trade goaltender Matthew Kieper to Blazers
➤ CFJC: Blazers deal G Kieper to Swift Current for draft picks
➤ CHL.ca: Broncos Acquire Kieper from Blazers
➤ Swift Current Online: Broncos wrapping up pre-season with Warriors
➤ SJHL.ca: Bombers acquire veteran goaltender Kieper
➤ Bombers.ca: Bombers Acquire Veteran Goaltender Matthew Kieper from Canmore Eagles
➤ Bombers.ca: Kieper Wins 2024-2025 SJHL MVP and Goaltender of the Year Awards
➤ Bombers.ca: A Salute To Our 20 Year Olds [/color]


EXHIBITION GAMES

After a one-year hiatus, the Bisons are back to face UND at The Ralph on the 1st weekend of October. And, for the 2nd year in a row, they are headed to Omaha for a holiday season game.

Sun Oct 5 Manitoba at North Dakota time TBA
Tue Dec 30 Manitoba at Omaha time TBA


GRIFFINS/GRYPHONS LOGOS

Both sets of Family Guys, or Mythical Mutants if you will, have new logos. Here they are:



Links:
➤ MacEwan: New era of MacEwan Athletics begins with bold reimagining of iconic Griffins logo
➤ Hockey Blog in Canada: A Sleeker Mythical Beast
➤ Hockey Blog in Canada: The Other Mythical Spelling [/color]

June 5, 2025: Stories Around the CW

Although GoBisons.ca has not posted anything thus far, we have a trickle of stories from around the league.


The Evil Monkeys have 20 Alumni spread amongst different roles in the Greasers’ bid for a Stanley Cup. Included are the coach, Kris Knoblauch, and forwards Noah Philp and Derek Ryan. The complete list is in the link.

Links:
➤ Alberta: Plethora of U of A connections on display in 2025 Stanley Cup Final


In the Town of Bedrock, graduate defenceman Zach Wytinck has signed a professional contract to play with IF Troja-Ljungby in Sweden’s 2nd level league. Meanwhile, Arjun Atwal is a finalist for the 2025 Willie O'Ree Community Hero Award. He works generating hockey interest among South Asian youth. There is a link to vote for him in the story.

Links:
➤ Calgary: Wytinck signs pro contract in Sweden
➤ Calgary: Dinos alum Arjun Atwal a finalist for NHL's Willie O'Ree Community Hero Award


Like last year, the Family Guys are off to a jump in volume of posted stories. There is a heavy local Junior A flavour in their recruiting stories. Their only non-recruiting stoyr is the new logo story I already shared.

Links:
➤ MacEwan: Versatile Pontiacs forward Gauld set to bring strong two-way game to Griffins
➤ MacEwan: Griffins add AJHL record-breaking Wolverines goaltender Onyskiw, solidifying crease corps
➤ MacEwan: Eagles pipeline continues for Griffins with addition of strong two-way Canmore captain Dekowny
➤ MacEwan: Griffins add sandpaper and scoring with gritty Grande Prairie Storm forward Doherty


The departure of defenceman Clay Hanus is a big loss for the Bluegars. He was USports Player-of-the-Year. The CW version of Bobby Orr! In 28 games, he had 12 goals and 31 assists. Kalmar is also in Sweden’s 2nd tier league.

Links:
➤ Mount Royal: Clay Hanus signs with Kalmar Hockey Club following historic MRU career


The Banjo-Cats have a new orchestra leader, having lured Trevor Keeper from his post at Red Deer Poly in the ACAC. Maybe he can import some of the winning magic from RRP’s title reign. He replaces Todd Johnson, who coached for the last 12 years. They also have stories on four new recruits.

Links:
➤ Regina: Trevor Keeper named U of R men's hockey head coach
➤ Regina: Rylan Silzer commits to Cougars
➤ Regina: Brayden Barnett to join Cougars in 2025-26
➤ Regina: Jaron Desnoyers commits to U of R hockey
➤ Regina: Swan Valley captain Landen Gulutzan commits to Cougars


The Banjo-Mutts have some two-way traffic going on with the ECHL. Leaving the squad are goaltender Roddy Ross and defenceman Parker Gavlas. Arriving are goaltender Bryan Thompson and forward Conner Roulette. This is quite an unusual off-season thus far.

Links:
➤ Saskatchewan: Roddy Ross Signs with ECHL's Wichita Thunder, Records 42 Save Win in Debut Sunday Afternoon
➤ Saskatchewan: Former Huskie Defender Parker Gavlas Signs with ECHL's Norfolk Admirals
➤ Saskatchewan: Huskie Men's Hockey Adds Former ECHL Forward Conner Roulette
➤ Saskatchewan: ECHL Goaltender Bryan Thompson Signs With Huskie Men's Hockey


Holy Trinity has one story about three of their new recruits: Danylo Korzhyletskyi (from Brooks and Ukraine), Matthias Bessey (from Drayton Valley), and Aiden Knutson (from Yorkton and Olds).

Links:
➤ Trinity Western: Men’s Hockey New Recruits


The T-irds have one recruiting story, WHL defenceman Jace Weir. Not as many such recruits thus far.

Links:
➤ UBC: UBC Men’s Hockey secures big blue line addition in Jace Weir

June 8, 2025 - ANOTHER BISON RECRUIT



LUCAS BRENNAN - F - Sherwood Park/Vernon (BCHL)

The Bisons now have a forward, a defenceman, and a goaltender in their recruiting class. Lucas Brennan was committed to play for Bemidji State, going back to the 2022-23 season when he led the Selkirk Steelers and the MJHL in scoring (53 GP, 41 G, 43 A, 84 pts) and won all the awards on offer. He is 5’ 9” & 168 lbs. After Selkirk, he played one season in the USHL and one in the BCHL. He will be striving to rediscover his 2022-23 form.



Links:
➤ Elite Prospects: Lucas Brennan Career Stats
➤ MJHL: Lucas Brennan commits to Bemidji State University
➤ Game On Hockey: Western Marble Junior Player of the Month - Lucas Brennan
➤ MJHL: Five MJHL alumni advance to USHL
➤ Vernon Vipers: Vipers Swing Deal, Acquire Rights to Lucas Brennan
➤ Sherwood Park: Crusaders Acquire Forward Lucas Brennan



Elite Prospects has updated the Bisons’ page, and Mount Royal’s and Saskatchewan’s for good measure. One trend which may develop is NCAA players moving north. Manitoba has one, and MRU now has two.

Links:
➤ Elite Prospects: USports Transfers
➤ Elite Prospects: Manitoba Bisons (3)
➤ Elite Prospects: Alberta Golden Bears (2)
➤ Elite Prospects: Calgary Dinosaurs (2)
➤ Elite Prospects: MacEwan Griffins (4)
➤ Elite Prospects: Mount Royal Cougars (3)
➤ Elite Prospects: Regina Cougars (5)
➤ Elite Prospects: Saskatchewan Huskies (3)
➤ Elite Prospects: Trinity Western Spartans (6)
➤ Elite Prospects: U.B.C. Thunderbirds (1)
➤ USports: LOI XLSX
➤ USports: USports Eligibility - Letters of Intent Page

June 11, 2025 - FORMER BISONS LAND COACHING GIGS


Former Bisons Josh Tripp and Zach Franko are having some success in the coaching field.

Tripp played for the Bisons in 2019-20, before the aborted Covid season. He now coaches the Swan Valley Stampeders of the MJHL, and landed the job coaching the Team Manitoba U18s to a gold medal at the National Aboriginal Hockey Championships (NAHC). They beat Alberta 4-2 in the final.

Starting in 2017, Manitoba has won NAHC gold in all the odd numbered years (except for 2021, which was cancelled for Covid). The team features a lot of MJHL players. Three Manitoba alumni have gone to the NHL, including the retired Michael Ferland and Brady Keeper, and current Golden Knight Zach Whitecloud.

Franko is the new head coach for the re-christened Winnipeg Monarchs of the MJHL. When the Winnipeg Ice came to the city to play in the WHL, the MJHL needed a 12th team to have three pods of four teams to create the chance of a season in the Covid year. They hurriedly threw together a new squad, dubbed the “Winnipeg Freeze”. The team has just changed names to adopt the Monarchs moniker, an historic name in the annals of Winnipeg hockey.

After a WHL career, Franko went to Acadia (AUS) for two seasons before coming home to the Bisons. He moved on to the ECHL and various European leagues. He had various coaching and scouting jobs, ultimately heading up the St. Boniface Riels (MMJHL) and last year assisted with the Swift Current Broncos (WHL).

Links:
➤ Elite Prospects: Joshua Tripp Career Stats
➤ MJHL: Team Manitoba wins gold at NAHC
➤ YouTube: NAHC Page
➤ Elite Prospects: Zach Franko Career Stats
➤ MJHL: Monarchs name Zach Franko Head Coach & GM



In the season of the great transition, there is now 2-way traffic between the NCAA and CIS. Brett Bamber is a defenceman who played two years at Alaska-Anchorage, and one at American International College (AIC). Since AIC announced they were dropping from Div 1 to Div 2, Bamber sought a return to Saudi Alberta.

Links:
➤ MacEwan: Talented two-way NCAA veteran D-man Bamber returning home to bolster Griffins' blueline



There’s a hat-trick of stories from Banjoland North, each about a new recruit. One is from the WHL and two from the SJHL. Clcik the links for a profile of each player.

Links:
➤ Saskatchewan: Former WHL Captain Eric Johnston Signs With Huskie Men's Hockey
➤ Saskatchewan: Huskie Men's Hockey Adds Back-to-Back SJHL Champion Zac Somers
➤ Saskatchewan: SJHL Champion Nicholas Andrusiak Signs With Huskie Men's Hockey

June 14, 2025 - BISON RECRUITING NEWS


We still lack any news from GoBisons.ca, however Google notifications have yielded yet another recruit, and another story on Matthew Kieper (goaltender announced last week). The link on Kieper’s story is below.

ZACH TURNER - D - Melfort Mustangs (SJHL)

This is what I was looking for - a big Manitoba farm boy on defence. I was thinking I’d be satisfied with an old-school MJHL grad, but Turner has WHL experience as well. This is a 6'2" 192 lbs Boissevain boy, coming back to Manitoba to study aggie stuff. He had three full seasons and started a 4th in the WHL (with the Brandon Wheat Kings and Swift Current Broncos) before finishing as an over-ager with Melfort’s SJHL championship team.

This gives the Bisons a recruiting class (so far) on par with pre-NCAA rule change classes. Out of four recruits, one is directly from the WHL, two are WHL vets who spent their over-age year in Junior A, and one is an NCAA “de-commit”. Also, two of the four are much-needed defencemen.

Links:
➤ Elite Prospects: Zach Turner Career Stats
➤ SJHL: Mustangs’ Turner commits to Manitoba (USports)
➤ CHL: Broncos Acquire Turner from Wheat Kings for Draft Pick
➤ Swift Current Online: Broncos acquire Turner from Wheat Kings for draft pick
➤ Northeast Now: Mustangs pick up former Swift Current Bronco
➤ Brandon Sun: Turner finds success in Melfort
➤ SJHL: Bombers’ Kieper commits to Manitoba (USports)

ty, hollywood!