U18 boys’ AAA league continues to evolve
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 02/09/2023 (944 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
Levi Taylor has had a firsthand view of the Manitoba U18 AAA Hockey League since getting involved behind the scenes nearly a decade ago.
As he prepares for his fourth season as the league’s commissioner, he’s pleased with how the 12-team circuit has grown over the last few years.
“Just like any sport, things evolve over time,” Taylor said. “Each year there’s new techniques and systems that are implemented and you see the growth in the game each season.
“Our league does a pretty good job of adapting to those things, but there’s always room to grow. We’re continuing to strive toward our goal of making this the best development league in Canada for U18 players.”
An example of the evolution of the league can be seen in a pair of forwards who took to the ice last season.
After becoming the first player since 2013 to enter the circuit as an underager, Brandon’s Jaxon Jacobson led the U18 Wheat Kings team in scoring with 60 points and was selected fifth overall by his hometown team in the Western Hockey League draft.
Meanwhile, Winnipeg Bruins forward Nathan Brown has elected to take a different path. The 17-year-old has signed with the Manitoba Junior Hockey League’s Niverville Nighthawks for this season and has committed to the NCAA’s St. Cloud State Huskies for the 2025-26 campaign.
“That’s why we’re here,” Taylor said about seeing players get opportunities at the junior and collegiate levels.
“A lot of us are volunteers and we want to give these players the best chance to develop and pursue their dreams. Any time we have someone move on to a higher level, we’re thrilled for them.”
Last season marked the first time since 2018-19 that the league wasn’t dramatically affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The outbreak of the virus resulted in the cancellation of the 2020 playoffs, while the 2020-21 season came to a halt shortly after it got underway.
A champion was crowned in 2022, but that season saw various guidelines being implemented as the year went on, one of which resulted in the Kenora Thistles being unable to finish the season due to the rules put in place in Ontario at the time.
“I think all of us in the league learned just how important it is to remain flexible,” Taylor said.
“Life comes at you fast. It doesn’t matter if you are in the business world, school, or hockey. You have to be able to adapt.”
The biggest challenge the league is facing at the moment is the fact that the Portage la Prairie-based Central Plains Capitals are not fielding a squad for the third straight season.
Players from the region are eligible to play for any of the 12 teams in the U18 circuit, though only three players can be part of any one squad.
“Unfortunately over the last few years, the population and the registered players in the region have declined, which have made things tough for Central Plains to field a U18 team,” Taylor said.
“There’s been some chatter about the boundaries needing to evolve as we’ve seen other regions have growth or decline in their numbers, but I don’t know if there is a huge appetite for it. That’s something that’s out of our jurisdiction and more in line with Hockey Manitoba, but we haven’t seen any changes with the boundaries in 38 years.”
Although the situation involving the Capitals remains an ongoing challenge, there’s a lot for the league to be excited about.
The two-time defending champion Winnipeg Wild will be hosting the U18 Western Regional tournament from April 4-7, 2024, while the circuit is gearing up to hold a showcase event at Winnipeg’s Hockey for All Centre on Dec. 2 and 3 that will be similar in style to the MJHL/SJHL all-star event.
Behind the scenes, the league also has a new website and has joined forces with FloSports and HockeyTech on a five-year deal that will improve the online viewing experience for those who can’t get to the rink.
“All of our games are going to be broadcast on FloHockey and they will now be fully integrated with online scoring,” Taylor said. “We’re excited about that partnership and it will help us get our league out there to more people.”
The 2023-24 regular season gets underway on Sept. 29.
» lpunkari@brandonsun.com
» Twitter: @lpunkari