REGINA, Saskatchewan — The Regina Silver Foxes is one of the newest hockey teams that plays in the Prairie Junior Hockey League. The team joined the League in 2013 as the Pense Silver Foxes but changed their name to Regina Silver Foxes the following season. They got the name from the nickname of one of the best influencers of hockey back in the day, Al Ritchie, who was nicknamed, “The Silver Fox.” More so, the Regina Silver Foxes’ home ground back in the day was named after him (Al Ritchie Memorial Center).

The Silver Foxes are one of those teams that are being revived after many years of dormancy. The club used to be a Tier II Junior A team who played in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League for five years. It folded after it could not meet the competition the Regina Pats and the Regina Blues were posing. As a result, most good players avoided the club and fans were not coming to watch games at the Al Ritchie Memorial Center in the Eastern-Central Regina.

Things became worse for the Silver Foxes between 1974-75. They played 58 consecutive games but could not win a single one. However, before they finally folded, they dragged the Moose Jaw Canucks to the ground. Then, in an unexpected twist, the Silver Foxes beat the Moose Jaw Canucks in the game that was played on Feb. 2, 1975. That win alone made the local papers.

Unfortunately, the team finally folded in 1976. Bill Kyle, Kelly Hamilton, Joe Frasz, Rob Dowie and Gary George were some of the players who were part of the old team.

After the team’s revival in 2013, they played their home games out of Pense and Southey for the 2013-14 and 2014-15 seasons. They moved to the Doug Wickenheiser Arena during the 2015-16 season and changed many things about the team.

It was not all bad in their first season in the Prairie Junior Hockey League. They managed to record only nine wins, but that was enough to help them qualify for the playoffs. Their performance in the playoffs was awe-inspiring, and they reached the semifinals.

They became better in the 2014-15 season. In 38 games played, they won 16 games and lost 18. This is far better than the 31 games they lost the previous season. From the 2015 season until the 2020 season, the Silver Foxes played a total of 200 games but could only win 44. Nevertheless, their 16 wins in the 2014-15 season remain the club’s highest win since their revival in 2013.

Although they have not been performing well in their regular-season games or making the playoffs, the club seems to be doing something well.

They are busy building good players. For example, Kaden Hintz is in Missouri State University and plays in the American Collegiate Hockey Association, while R.J. Dickie plays for the Thief Rivers Fall Norskies in the Superior International Junior Hockey League. Other players are Conner Chaulk (University of Regina), Cody Solie (Regina Capital), Dawson Morrell (Fort Saskatchewan Chiefs) and many more. These players were all products of the Silver Foxes, and they are doing well in the various clubs and leagues they are playing in.

What the Silver Foxes need is a stable coaching staff and sponsorship. With these in place, the Foxes have all it takes to be one of the dominating forces in the game of hockey in Regina.

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