Marshall at Team West camp

Five MJHL teams had to do without one of their better players last week after they were selected to attend tryouts for Team West at this year’s World Junior A Challenge.
Winnipeg’s Connor Clevereley (defenceman, Winnipeg Blues), Ste. Rose du Lac’s Ryan Marshall (forward, Swan Valley Stampeders), Virden’s Mitch VanTeeling (forward, Dauphin Kings), The Pas’ T.J. Constant (forward, OCN Blizzard) and Morden’s Jordan Neduzak (forward, Winkler Flyers) all spent part of last week in Penticton, B.C., for a Team West tryout camp. The city will also host the World Junior A Challenge Nov. 8 to 14.
Marshall was a member of last year’s team, while Neduzak played in the junior A top prospect’s game last year, giving both players some insight to the level of play expected at this event.
Also back is OCN Blizzard assistant coach Jomar Cruz .
The Canada West roster is comprised of players from the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL), Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL), Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL), Manitoba Junior Hockey League (MJHL) and Superior International Junior Hockey League (SIJHL).
This year’s head coach is Kindersley Kippers bench boss Larry Wintoneak, father of former Swan Valley Stampeder Walker Wintoneak. It marks the first time a coach based out of Saskatchewan will head up the team.
Last summer at the NHL Entry Draft, a record 27 alumni from this event were selected by NHL teams, including the eighth overall pick, Alexander Burmistrov from Russia.
This event is growing in prestige and a good showing at this international event can go a long way in furthering one’s hockey career. But to do that, you first have to make the team. Final rosters will be announced later this month.
• Chapen Leblond of Winkler Flyers has been named year’s first MJHL player of the week.
The second-year Flyer had 12 points (three goals and nine assists) in the first 10 days of the season.
Also considered for this award was Brett Chartier of Winnipeg Saints and Brett Wold of Portage Terriers.
Chartier, 19, had 10 assists in six games. Wold, 17, had five points (three goals, two assists) in four games.
• Plenty of deals were made in the MJHL in the past week or so.
After sending him home before the season started, the Swan Valley Stampeders have finally traded 19-year-old goaltender and Grunthal product Caden Unger to the Steinbach Pistons for future considerations.
The Stampeders have sent netminders to the Pistons in the past, having shipped Swan River’s Josh Hohn there last year.
The Winnipeg Blues have traded 19-year-old defenceman Tyson Kennedy to the Neepawa Natives for future considerations.
The Neepawa Natives – who have been extremely busy this year when it comes to making deals – traded 20-year-old defenceman Eddie Friesen and 19-year-old forward Calvin Cairns to the Estevan Bruins for 19-year-old forward Ward Szucki.
Friesen, a native of Gladstone, and Cairns, a native of Snow Lake, were then quickly dealt back to the MJHL. The Dauphin Kings acquired the pair for 20-year-old defenceman Joel Kot from Moose Jaw. The Kings also receive future considerations.
Back to the Natives, they also shipped out 20-year-old forward Brett Suderman to the Steinbach Pistons for future considerations.
The Dauphin Kings also made another move, acquiring 18-year-old defenceman J.R. Krolik from the Penticton Vees of the BCHL for 20-year-old forward Bryan Warner and future considerations.
• There is also one MJHL suspension to report.
Tyler Wiwchar from the Winnipeg Saints was been suspended two games after receiving a major penalty for checking from behind on Sept. 23 versus the OCN Blizzard.