The Birch Hills Blackhawks celebrate the 2022 TRHL Championship. (Birch Hills Sr. Blackhaws/Facebook)

By Derek Craddock

IT'S HOCKEY NIGHT TONIGHT

New places and familiar faces highlight new season for Twin Rivers Hockey League

Nov 4, 2022 | 5:20 PM

There is excitement brewing in several small towns in the area as the new season for the Twin Rivers Hockey League is underway.

This year, the TRHL is welcoming a few new teams to mix with the Kinistino Tigers and Hanley Huskies moving in from the Wheatland Hockey League.

Another team making its debut is the Willow Cree Chiefs from Beardy’s & Okemasis Cree Nation.

The team was originally based in Warman, but the club shut down operations in the offseason. However, head coach Taylor Watts said there was still a desire to play hockey and they looked to Beardy’s & Okemasis for the opportunity.

“We proposed the idea to Beardy’s Chief and Council in March,” he said. “We did a golf tournament this summer and that’s kind of when everything took off. We’ve been skating as a team for the last month.”

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“I’ve been running the team in Warman for the last six years,” he added. “We brought the players that we wanted and the ones that were interested in being a part of this new team and with that, we went out and found the other pieces we wanted to build a powerhouse team.”

When it comes to the season ahead, Watts said they are ready for whatever the year throws at them, declaring they have the most in-depth team on paper.

The beginning of the season will be a significant moment for the team and the community which has lost different hockey clubs in the last few years. The AAA Beardy’s Blackhawks last played at the Willow Cree Memorial Sports Centre in February of 2020.

Watts said the First Nation is a hockey community, so having this team playing this year means a lot.

“They’re still mourning the loss of the AAA team and AA program and all the local teams they had and lost,” he said. “We’re hoping this is going to be the new, big thing for them out there. The community is a hockey community through and through. The fact we were able to come out there and get this much support is amazing.”

The Chiefs’ first game of the season is on Friday night at the Beardy’s Memorial Arena as they face the Rosthern Wheat Kings.

Another team looking to make an impact this season is the crew that won it all last year: The Birch Hills Blackhawks.

The team won the league championship series last year after beating the Shellbrook Silvertips in the final series.

Team captain Tyler Tilford said they’re feeling pretty good for this season.

“We got pretty well the same crew back plus a couple of other guys,” he said. “I think we’ll be good. We’ll be a good team and competitive.”

Tilford also talked about competing against some of the new teams including Kinistino which is only a 15-minute drive for them.

“We’re having a home-and-home with them in January. I know both teams are looking forward to that already.”

The Blackhawks play their next game of the season on Saturday against the Rosthern Wheat Kings.

You can see a full schedule for the TRHL season on its official website.

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derek.craddock@pattisonmedia.com

Twitter: PA_Craddock