The start of the junior hockey season is always bigger than just the players stepping onto the ice. The SJHL opens its 2026-27 campaign Friday, while the WHL season is also set to get underway, and there’s a lot that goes into getting to that opening night.
For the 20-year-olds, there’s a different kind of pressure. This is their final shot at junior hockey, and for many, it’s about making the most of every shift, every game and every opportunity before that chapter closes.
For the first-year rookies, it’s the complete opposite. They’re walking into a new dressing room, new city, faster hockey and a level of competition they’ve probably never experienced. They’re trying to prove they belong.
Then you have the coaches, who have spent months building a roster and figuring out where all the pieces fit. Training camp is over, the preseason is done, and now the decisions actually matter.
But look beyond the bench and dressing room.
Team staff have spent countless hours getting everything ready. Board members and volunteers are making sure the organization can operate. Officials are preparing for another long season, knowing they'll be scrutinized every night. And broadcasters like myself are getting ready for another year of telling these stories.
That’s what I love about junior hockey.
When that first puck drops, you’re not just watching 20 players chase two points. You're seeing an entire community come together.
From the rookie playing his first junior game to the 20-year-old playing his last, everybody has a story.
And that's why opening night never gets old.
