Saskatoon Screaming Eagles: Striving for stardom
SASKATOON, Saskatchewan — The Saskatoon Screaming Eagles are a hockey team that is based in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. They play in the Saskatchewan AA Hockey League U18. The team is in the business of raising quality Canadian hockey players as well as hockey players from other nations. They currently have 22 players on the 2021-22 roster.
The team played in the Center Four Hockey League U18 AA in the 2016-17 season with 12 wins and 14 losses in 28 games. They were ranked eighth in the regular season and lost in the quarterfinals of the playoffs.
In their second season in the Center Four League U18 AA, they played 26 games and could only win nine games. They lost 16 of their 26 games, were ranked 11th in the regular season and could not make the playoffs. The 2017-18 season was the worst in the Saskatoon Screaming Eagles’ history. Aside from not making the playoffs record, they had their most losses and fewest wins in a single season.
When the 2018-19 season came, it was time to put the last results of the Center Four Hockey League U18 AA behind them as they joined the Saskatchewan AA Hockey League U18. They brought in Jeff Balon as head coach, with Eric Balon, Kyle Gray, Brett Jarvis, and Jason Lucier as assistant coaches.
Levi Wiesner was named the team’s captain alongside Cameron Brossart, Boston Davidson and Finn Balon as assistant captains, respectively. With all these improvements in the team’s leadership structure, they started the League with high expectations, but they couldn’t get the ranking they hoped for at the end of the season.
They could only win 10 games in the season, just one win higher than the previous season. However, there was a major improvement in the number of games lost. Out of 33 games played, they only lost 12 games in the season against 16 in the previous season. Unfortunately, just like in their last season in the Center Four Hockey League U18 AA, they didn’t make the playoffs as they were ranked ninth in the regular season.
With the zeal to improve their games, they made further changes in the team, bringing in Jason Lucier to replace Kent Schumacher and naming Logan Gable the captain for the 2019-20 season. In addition, Carson Lucier, Austin Bowes, and Braden Deck were also named the team’s assistant captains.
This time around, the changes worked magic. They moved from 10 wins in the previous season to 15 wins. They lost 13 games and were ranked sixth in the regular season. This was enough to take them to the playoffs, where they lost in the quarterfinals. In the 2020-21 season, Liam Johns was named the team captain and was assisted by Matthew Berg. They played four games, won two games, and lost two games before the season was canceled due to coronavirus.
Even though the team is yet to be the regular season or playoffs champion, the history of the Saskatchewan AA Hockey League can’t be complete without the achievements of the Saskatoon Screaming Eagles, mainly when it comes to player development.
They have produced over 110 players of Canadian origin who are playing the game of hockey in several leagues within and outside Canada. They also have players from other nationalities whom they have helped to develop. One of them is Samuli Niinisaari, a defender from Finland who is now playing hockey in the USA National Collegiate Athletic Association.
The Saskatoon Screaming Eagles won the SHA Midget Tier 1 Provincial Championship in 2012 when they defeated Regina by 6-2. According to Goalline, “the Screaming Eagles won the title in overtime on a shorthanded goal.” Travis Bruce was their head coach, and they helped the Screaming Eagles achieve this feat.
In 2015, they made the finals of the Saskatoon Minor Hockey Association City Playoff Championship under Coach Peter Keating.
The Saskatoon Screaming Eagles are striving to stand out in hockey, and it is hoped that they will win a trophy soon.
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