MWHSHL season approaches holiday break

Transcona

Sanford

Teams in the Manitoba Women’s High School Hockey League will soon be able to take a well-earned breather, as the 2025-26 season approaches its holiday break.

This season’s edition of the league features 29 teams — the largest number in the its history — as well as a structural change. This season, the MWHSHL is now divided into Division 1/2 East, Division 1/2 West, and Division 3.

“It’s been a great season so far,” said league president Brad Nechwediuk, who is also head coach of the Glenlawn Lions girls’ team. “The restructure of the divisions has seen an overall positive impact, and we’re also seeing a tight race in the east division this year.”

At press time, CPET Canadiennes led Division 1/2 East with 29 points after 14 games played, J.H. Bruns was second with 27 points after 13 games played, and Glenlawn sat third with 26 points after 14 games played. Teams across all three divisions will each play 24 games.

“Right now, it’s a dogfight in both the east and west divisions. It’s tight. When you look at the standings, you can pick a winner, but something has got to give,” Nechwediuk said. “There’s lots of things to be decided.”

Chantal Hébert, head coach of CPET Canadiennes, said the restructuring means “every game is a competitive one” — a challenge Hébert and her team relish.

“Going into every game, you feel that anyone can win or lose, and there has been so many overtime and shootout wins so far this season,” Hébert said.

“It’s been super-exciting, and you know every game is going to be a battle,” she added, earmarking Miles Macdonell Buckeyes as a big local rival.

“We go into every game with the mindset that it won’t be an easy one.”

Hébert, now in her seventh year as head coach, said she thinks the team can go “pretty far” this season.

There’s a quirky twist at the top of Division 1/2 West. Sanford Sabres top the standings with 31 points from 15 games, while Vincent Massey Trojans has 28 points after 10 games, and St. Mary’s Academy Flames also has 28 points after 12 games.

Haley Bound, in her first year as head coach of the Sabres, is delighted with the team’s start to the season.

“So far, I’ve been super-proud of the girls,” Bound said. “This season, there’s more of a competitive edge, and all around, the girls on the other teams are very talented.”

She said a team trip to Minneapolis, Minn., in November was a great bonding exercise: “It feels like we’re a family, and there’s so much chemistry on the bench.”

This camaraderie extends beyond the ice, Bound said. Because the team isn’t from the city, it means the players spend a lot of time together.

“Being from a small town means we’re really community-based. For example, the girls bake cookies for the local fire department, and girls from a local elementary school — who we call the Mini Sabres — help us with warm-ups before home games,” she said.

In the third division, Murdoch MacKay leads the pack with 37 points from 15 games. Springfield Sabres are next with 27 points from 13, and third-placed Béliveau Barracuda has 20 points from 11 games.

“It’s definitely been fun so far,” said head coach Chris Rowluk, also in his first season as Béliveau’s head coach.

“The girls have been working really hard and bonding, and we’re becoming a solid team, which is great considering the players that have come from recreational leagues or ringette,” Rowluk said.

“If it’s up to the girls, we’ll go all the way this season,” he added, noting everyone is looking forward to an upcoming team trip January.

Visit mwhshl.ca for more information.