Login

Bfine · 02-26-2024, 01:37 PM

With two new expansion teams on the way to the SMJHL, I wanted to take a look at one of the new teams from the last league expansion: The Regina Elk. Regina, along with the Great Falls Grizzlies, were one of the two new teams created in the S61 expansion, and have already created a culture of success, graduating many top players to the SHL and being an example of what a club should look like, despite not yet winning their first 4 star cup. But what has made the Elk so successful? Let’s take a deep dive.

The Elk were founded by Overdoo in S61, one of the two GMs to win an expansion team alongside Chevy. Regina had a decent roster with players such as Jaeger Jones, Daud Ramza, and Rebecca Montague, however due to personal circumstances both Overdoo and co-GM Gumbaman wound up going inactive, leaving the team without a functioning GM in their first season. JURT would step in to take their place and stabilize the team, and brought with him a wealth of sim league experience, including experience in Finland’s front office. He would bring in Thunder as his co-GM, and eventually Blake would take over from Thunder. During JURT’s 5 season reign, the Elk were solid on the ice, but never advanced past round 2 in the playoffs. Players developed during JURT’s time include San-sam Emerson, Yannick Svoboda, Landon Fischermann, M’Baku Olubori, David-Arturri Donskoi, and Oleksander Olli O’Koivu.

JURT stepped down after S66 to take the events head job, and Blake took over as GM, hiring Reno as his co-GM. While continuing Regina’s regular season success, they would continue to have the same bad luck in the playoffs, failing still to advance past round 2. Players developed by Blake include Hodor, Holden Steady, Teodors Skalbergs, Lord Farquaads, Toxic Neutrality, Erick Vasiljevs, e e, Mercedes Bayle, Just-to-Buy My-Love, Boho Biscuit, Ally Mathieson, and Willow Soderberg-Snooks. As you can see, despite not winning a cup Regina developed a host of SHL talent under Blake.

Blake would step down in S71, and Reno would take over as GM. Reno had GM experience from ISFL and PBE, and this was their first foray into GMing in the SHL. Yosh would be named co-GM as well. Reno would have a strong 4 season run as GM for Regina before stepping down to join Head Office, handing the reigns over to Yosh as GM. During Reno’s run, Regina would continue their trend of being strong in the regular season but falling in the playoffs, as they still have yet to advance past round 2. However, Reno would continue the trend of strong development, with players such as Rowan O’Bierne, Ana Parast, Jiggle E. Puff, Mac Turner, Troy McClure III, Bean Beanman Jr, Future Considerations, and Henri Losanov all coming in as part of Reno’s reign.

As you can see, Regina is a good blueprint for what a SMJHL team should look like. While they haven’t had the postseason success they want, they have built an outstanding culture known for developing SHL talent, and are absolutely a model for what the two new teams should do when they start their franchises.