Dauphin looks to reload after Game 7 heartbreak

The Dauphin Kings believe they have unfinished business to attend to for the 2025-26 campaign.

Last year’s Manitoba Junior Hockey League’s West Division champs racked up 37 wins in 58 games and came within a single goal of another Turnbull Cup title after falling to the Northern Manitoba Blizzard in a heartbreaking triple-overtime loss in Game 7 of the final.

“It was really disappointing,” said head coach and general manager Doug Hedley. “Obviously we had a great season, and we had so many chances to win it, but it is what it is. We think we can be right back there and hopefully take a run again.”

The Kings are entering training camp this season with a returning group of around 13 players that Hedley believes will help set the tone early for his squad. St. Cloud’s Sheldon Shyiak, Markham’s Joshua Schmidt, Hamiota’s Rylan Gage, and homegrown Madden Murray are all veteran forwards expected to lead the charge.

“It’s a good leadership group coming back,” said Hedley. “All those guys provide speed, leadership, and character.”

Leadership and experience to draw from will be more important than ever for Dauphin, as the Kings’ roster will have a significantly different look this fall with a number of key players moving on to new opportunities.

Ethan Stewart, who worked his way into the top six by the end of last season, is looking to crack a spot in the Western Hockey League, but whether he makes it or not is still up in the air.

On the back end, Matthew Thomas is off to Brooks, Alta., to try and crack the Bandits’ roster, while down the middle, the Kings lose arguably their two most important pieces up front — Gabriel Bugeaud, selected 53rd overall in the North American Hockey League Draft by St. Cloud, and Gavin Nemis, who has signed with the Cowichan Valley Capitals in the British Columbia Hockey League.

Dauphin will also be without forward Declan Hoad, who has opted to step away from the game to focus on academics and play soccer at Brandon University, and Ukrainian centre Havryil Simchuk, who will begin the season with the Bandits of the Alberta Elite Hockey League.

Perhaps the biggest loss of all comes in goal, with Cole Sheffield — last season’s playoff MVP — aging out of junior eligibility.

Despite all the turnover, the Kings feel confident in the direction it’s heading in with a returning group that is experienced, battle-tested, and hungry.

Dauphin’s blue-line returns a seasoned group that Hedley expects to carry the load out of the gate. Aiden Murray, Brett Magarrell, Ty Pratte, and Daniel Helary are all back — bringing a combination of size, mobility, and experience that should help stabilize things while the offence finds its footing.

“Our back end is probably our strength, it’s going to start off very strong this year,” Hedley said. We’re hoping to build a strong work ethic and compete level from the back end out. The offence will come, but our priority early is playing the right way — being good teammates, being structured, and doing the little things that win games.”

With Dauphin prioritizing a defence-first mentality, a lot of eyes at camp will also be drawn toward the starter position in the crease, which currently remains wide open. Bryson Yaschyshyn, who backed up Sheffield last season as an 18-year-old and registered six wins in 10 games with a 2.93 goals against average, will be in the mix to take over the starter’s role, but he’ll have some competition with nine other netminders at camp.

As training camp begins on Thursday, Hedley’s expectation for everyone is clear: compete, skate, and play with purpose.

“Just being dogs, hound dogs that are just relentless,” he said. “That’s something we’ve really focused on in the last few years, and the guys have bought into it. The guys coming back are coming back hungry, and they’re going to show the young guys how we do it. Everything’s on their toes, and everything’s at full speed.”

Dauphin plays its first exhibition games this weekend against the Yorkton Terriers.

» mdelucataronno@brandonsun.com