The Pas Roadrunners are once again offering their two-week “Try Swim” program to kick off the upcoming swim season. This program is an excellent opportunity for kids and teens to see if the sport is right for them. 

 

A total of seven sessions will be offered over the two weeks, with most sessions taking place at the Winton Pool. The Try Swim is free to join and begins on October 6th at the Opasquia School in their gym. Returning swimmers can find their weekly schedule posted on the Pas Roadrunners’ official Facebook page.  

 

The Northern Manitoba Blizzard’s Main Camp begins tomorrow at the Roy H. Johnston Arena and runs until Saturday. More details about the three-day schedule are expected to be released soon. The best way to stay updated is by visiting normanblizzard.com or checking out the team’s official Facebook page.

In other Blizzard news, since arriving in The Pas, new Head Coach and General Manager Ty Valin has made several moves to strengthen the roster ahead of the 2025–26 season. Most recently, Team Norman acquired forward Nick Carlson from the Winnipeg Monarchs in exchange for the rights to forward Gregory Wiseman.

Other transactions included trading former sixth-round draft pick Mason Mykichuk for Winnipeg Blues forward Cody Ferrell. The Blizzard also dealt Max Collyer in exchange for Connor Weber-McKay, a 2007-born forward who spent last season with the Waywayseecappo Wolverines.

Lastly, forward Loughlan McMullan and defenceman Esteban Cinq-Mars were moved to separate AJHL teams in return for PDFs.

The reigning KJHL champions are looking to fill their vacant assistant coach position. If you or someone you know is interested in helping coach the OCN Storm as they defend their championship, please email officialocnstormhockey@gmail.com.

 

In other exciting local hockey news, OCN product Chantyn Michell-Thompson has re-signed with the Northern Manitoba Blizzard and is aiming to take his talents to the next level with the reigning MJHL champions.

 

As a reminder, the Blizzard’s preseason schedule kicks off on September 1st in Flin Flon, while the Storm open their season on the road on October 4th in Cross Lake.

Registration is still open for the Norman Northstars U17 and U18 tryouts, scheduled for this weekend at the Thompson Regional Community Centre.

For the first time, the U17 and U18 teams will hold combined tryouts, with both sessions scheduled for the same weekend.

According to details released on the Northstars’ Facebook page:

• Player registration will take place on Friday from 2:00 to 4:00 P.M. in the Northstars dressing room.
• On Saturday, the Blue & White Game lineup will be posted in the TRCC lobby and online between 6:45 and 7:00 P.M.
• On Sunday, players are expected to arrive at or shortly before 11:00 A.M. for the U18 Blue & White Game.

A parent meeting is also scheduled for Sunday from 4:00 to 5:00 P.M. at the R.D. Parker Collegiate Auditorium. Coaches will be at the school’s front entrance to provide access.

The whole weekend schedule, along with the registration link, is available on the team’s official Facebook page.

Tryouts for the U13 Female Travel Team are scheduled to take place in a few weeks. Parents interested in registering their child can email kelseympaddock@gmail.com, and are asked to include their child’s name and date of birth when submitting.

 

The two-day tryout will be held at the Roy H. Johnston Arena on September 13th and 14th.

 

In other minor hockey news, the U15 Huskies are currently preparing for their upcoming season. For more information, visit thepasminorhockey.ca or click the info link here.

With the 2025–2026 Manitoba Midget AAA Hockey season approaching, the Norman Northstars are once again putting out their annual call for Billet Families. Responsibilities of a billet family include providing a bedroom, healthy meals and snacks, access to laundry facilities, internet, and telephone, as well as ensuring that players attend school. Billet families will receive a monthly stipend of $600 and one regular-season pass per player. Those interested can contact Rachelle Ladyka at 204-679-6763 or via email at rlladyka@mymts.net.

Since the end of last season, several Blizzard players have made exciting commitments and advancements in their hockey careers.

The first two came from defenseman Brett Ward and forward Keenan McNeill, both players from Alberta committed to Fredonia State University to play Division III hockey with the Blue Devils.

Next is Benson Hirst, a 2024 draft pick who joined the official roster in the second half of the season and made an immediate impact on the ice. The 2008-born defenseman from Lac du Bonnet has committed to play at Northern Michigan University, a Division I school in Marquette, Michigan.

Lastly, two more recent announcements involve Blizzard captain Miguel Bouvier and Austrian-born forward Jack Linton. Bouvier has committed to play for his hometown team, the University of Manitoba Bisons, while Linton will continue his career at Castleton University, a Division III school in Vermont.

A friendly reminder: season tickets for the upcoming season are now available. For more information, visit normanblizzard.com.

MMF The Pas Region is proud to announce the unveiling of its very own Connor Dewar sign this Saturday at 4:00 P.M. at the Métis Hall. The Pittsburgh Penguins centreman is in his hometown this week and has organized not only a hockey camp for Northern youth but also a charity golf scramble, which takes place tomorrow. Those interested in taking part in the golf scramble can stop by Halcrow Lake Golf & Country Club or call 204-627-2300.

A Youth Co-Ed Soccer Tournament is being added to the already jam-packed slate of sporting events happening during Opaskwayak Indigenous Days.

The tournament will be divided into four age groups and will feature cash prizes. For both the 13–17 and 10–12 age groups, teams must have a minimum of three girls on their roster, while the 7–9 category requires at least two.

Champions will be crowned, trophies will be presented, medals will be awarded, and sweaters will be given to those who finish on the podium.

The event takes place at the Arbor Site this Sunday, with the registration deadline set for Thursday, August 14th. To register or for more information, contact Savanna Sayese or Jenelle Quirring at 204-617-0125.

Former OCN Blizzard superstar and NHL defenseman Brady Keeper has officially announced his retirement from professional hockey. The announcement came via Instagram this past Wednesday, just over a month after Keeper signed a contract with the EIHL’s Glasgow Clan.

In his post, Keeper cited an injury sustained during the 2021–2022 season with the Vancouver Canucks as the main reason for stepping away from the game. He also shared that he’s been missing his family and is looking forward to spending more time with them.

Keeper was not only a standout player on the ice but also a trailblazer and role model in his community, becoming the first player from Cross Lake to reach the NHL.

CJAR and Arctic Radio would like to congratulate Brady on an incredible career and wish him all the best in his future endeavours.

The Norman Northstars are now taking final registrations for their two-week conditioning camp at the Thompson Regional Community Centre.

Week one of the camp runs from August 11th to 15th, while week two runs from August 18th to 21st. Head coach Aaron Vallance will be leading the goalie portion of the camp, while former Northstars head coach Justin Valentino will oversee the rest of the players.

The camp is open to players aged 7 to 17, with each day divided into five time slots.

For more information on times and pricing, visit the official Norman Northstars Facebook page. 

The Northern Manitoba Blizzard are set to get a taste of preseason action in just a couple of weeks, facing off against both the Flin Flon Bombers and the Swan Valley Stampeders.

A total of five games will be played over a two-week span. Things kick off with back-to-back road games — September 1st against Flin Flon and September 4th against Swan Valley.

On September 5th, Team NorMan will host the Bombers at the Roy. The following week, the Blizzard will travel back to Flin Flon to play once again at the Whitney Forum before wrapping up their preseason at home against the Stampeders.

The full preseason and regular season schedule is available at normanblizzard.com.