Saskatoon Riverkings: A brilliant hockey team
SASKATOON, Saskatchewan — The Saskatoon Riverkings are a hockey team that plays in the Saskatchewan AA Hockey League U18. In the early days of the team in the Center Four Hockey League U18, the Riverkings were a fine hockey team, producing some of the best hockey players in the league.
The Saskatoon Riverkings joined the Center Four Hockey League U18 in the 2016-17 season with Colin Parenteau as head coach. Danton Danielson and Sheldon Goertzen were his assistant coaches. The team quickly became the league’s sensation. In the regular season, they played 28 games, won 22, and lost only five. They came second in the regular season behind the Warman Wildcat.
In the postseason games, they were nothing short of brilliance. They went on to become the playoffs champions.
“It’s been work etiquette hands down, they work so hard and they got intelligence. I think they’ve been coached so well over the years and working with this guys it’s been very nice,” said Colin Parenteau, the Riverkings head coach, when the team reached the Provincial Midget AA Tier Hockey Championship.
The next season in the Center Four Hockey League U18, they could not bring in the previous season’s performance. In 26 games played, they could only win half of the games and recorded 10 losses. As a result, they could only earn the sixth place in the regular season, and the one-time champions of the postseason games could not make it past the quarterfinals. Therefore, the 2017-18 season was nothing close to their 2016-17 season.
They joined the Saskatchewan AA Hockey League and made some changes in the team’s leadership. Logan Olsen was named the team captain, while Hunter Prokopchuk, Boston Buckberger, and Braxton Buckberger were named the team assistant captains.
These changes didn’t improve the team’s performance positively. In 33 games, they only won 11 games and lost 19, and for the first time since 2016, they could not make the playoffs and finished 10th in the regular season–their worst finish since 2016.
The 2019 season came with significant improvement in many aspects of the team, both in their play and results. In another 33 games, just as in the previous season, they won 14 games against the 11 of the previous season and lost only 12 against the 19 from the previous season. But, very importantly, they made the playoffs and were ranked seventh in the regular season.
Josh Knittig was named the team’s captain, while James Davison, Braeden Jockims, Mate Allardyce, and Brendan Quinn-Lagria were named the team’s assistant captains.
This decision to change the team’s leadership seemed to work in their favor in the 2020-21 season. In four games, they won three and lost only one before the COVID-19 pandemic came. The season was canceled afterward.
The Saskatoon Riverkings have had their ups and downs, which is the same for any sports team. Nevertheless, they have made significant achievements in five years.
Over 140 players have been trained, nurtured and groomed by the team. They kept some records in the team before leaving and are now playing hockey at different levels.
Hudson Malinoski is the team all-time assists in a season with 29 assists; Cole Nagy has the all-time points in a season with 42 points; Braxton Buckberger holds the all-time games played in a season with 39 games; Brodie Girod has the all-time goals in a season with 22 goals; Ron Jay Peeaychew holds the all-time PIM in a season.
Fans hope that the Saskatoon Riverkings will continue with the current level they were moving at before the previous season was canceled.
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