Jason La Rose
There are a few familiar faces at the West Regional. The Winnipeg Wild and Thunder Bay Kings are both back for a fourth year in a row, joined by one of the region’s most successful teams, the Regina Pat Canadians, who are in search of a 10th trip to the U18 Men’s National Club Championship.
The host Kenora Thistles round out the quartet, with the winner off to the 2025 TELUS Cup in Chilliwack, British Columbia.
The three league champions are all coming in riding major playoff success – Kenora, Regina and Winnipeg claimed their titles by going 20-4 in the postseason, with only one of those four defeats coming by more than a single goal.
RECENT CHAMPIONS (TELUS CUP FINISH)
2024 – Brandon Wheat Kings (silver medal) 2023 – Saskatoon Blazers (bronze medal) 2022 – Notre Dame Hounds (fifth place) 2019 – Tisdale Trojans (bronze medal) 2018 – Notre Dame Hounds (gold medal)
KENORA THISTLES HOST & HNO CHAMPIONS
Regular season record: 19-29-3 (10th in MU18AAAHL) Goals for: 130 Goals against: 191 Leading scorer: Carter Peters (25G 20A 45P)
Playoff record: 2-1 Goals for: 13 Goals against: 9 Leading scorer: Carter Peters (3G 4A 7P)
ROAD TO THE WEST REGIONAL HNO championship: defeated Thunder Bay Kings 2-1 (2-3 OT, 4-3, 7-3)
Last national championship appearance: 2004 (4th place) Total national championship appearances: 1 (2004)
REGINA PAT CANADIANS SMAAAHL CHAMPIONS
Regular season record: 35-7-2 (1st in SMAAAHL) Goals for: 233 Goals against: 128 Leading scorer: Maddox Schultz (43G 50A 93P)
Playoff record: 9-1 Goals for: 38 Goals against: 17 Leading scorer: Maddox Schultz (9G 13A 22P)
ROAD TO THE WEST REGIONAL Quarterfinal: defeated Prince Albert Mintos 3-0 (3-2, 4-2, 7-2) Semifinal: defeated Saskatoon Blazers 3-1 (5-2, 3-4, 5-2, 4-0) Final: defeated Moose Jaw Warriors 3-0 (2-1, 2-1, 3-1)
Last national championship appearance: 2017 (4th place) Total national championship appearances: 9 (1978, 1983, 1985, 1988, 1989, 1994, 1999, 2015, 2017)
THUNDER BAY KINGS HNO REPRESENTATIVES
Regular season record: 5-27-4 (13th in GTHL) Goals for: 47 Goals against: 136 Leading scorer: unavailable
Playoff record: 1-2 Goals for: 9 Goals against: 13 Leading scorer: Sawyer Smith (3G 2A 5P)
ROAD TO THE WEST REGIONAL HNO championship: lost to Kenora Thistles 2-1 (3-2 OT, 3-4, 3-7)
Last national championship appearance: 2019 (6th place) Total national championship appearances: 9 (1975, 1976, 1985, 1988, 1992, 1995, 1996, 1997, 2019)
WINNIPEG WILD MU18AAAHL CHAMPIONS
Regular season record: 40-6-2 (2nd in MU18AAAHL) Goals for: 236 Goals against: 89 Leading scorer: Ludovic Perreault (40G 46A 86P)
Playoff record: 9-2 Goals for: 50 Goals against: 27 Leading scorer: Ludovic Perreault (13G 9A 22P)
ROAD TO THE WEST REGIONAL Quarterfinal: defeated Interlake Lightning 3-0 (7-0, 4-2, 4-3) Semifinal: defeated Winnipeg Bruins 3-2 (3-2, 4-5, 7-1, 2-5, 3-2 OT) Final: defeated Brandon Wheat Kings 3-0 (6-1, 6-3, 4-3 OT)
Last national championship appearance: none Total national championship appearances: none