Photo: Todd Pederson
(-) 1st – Virden Oil Capitals
This Week: 2-0
Overall: 21-5-2-2
Impressive Player: Naton Miller – 3 goals, 1 assist in 2 games
Rolling right along, the Oil Caps head into the Christmas Break on a positive note finishing December off with 5 straight wins and earning at least a point in every game of the month. Lead the division with a +43-goal differential and showing no signs of slowing down heading into 2024
Up Next: Christmas Break, Jan 5th @ Swan Valley
(-) 2nd – OCN Blizzard
This Week: 3-0
Overall: 20-10-0-2
Impressive Player: Kieran Cook – 5 assists in 3 games
An offensive explosion to end December has the Blizzard feeling very good about themselves, and rightfully so. There is some distance between them and the chasing pack of the MGEU West. Will look to keep building on their way to the top spot. Could be interesting players come the trade deadline.
Up Next: Christmas Break, Jan 4th @ Waywayseecappo
(+4) 3rd – Niverville Nighthawks
This Week: 3-1
Overall: 20-12-1
Impressive Player: Raiden LeGall – Record of 3-0, 119 saves on 122 shots
This season’s cardiac kids. The Nighthawks don’t seem to mind games that go into overtime or into a shootout, they just find ways to pick up that extra point. Edging out the other top teams in the MGEU East has put them on notice that the group might just be scratching the surface of what’s to come.
Up Next: Christmas Break, Jan 5th @ Winkler
(+2) 4th – Portage Terriers
This Week: 2-0-1-1
Overall: 15-13-1
Impressive Player: Owen Witt – 2 goals, 4 assists in 4 games
A couple of lopsided wins followed up by some tough-luck losses. A battle of a month for the club as they finished December with 6 of 7 on the road, where they picked up at least a point in all but one of those games. Having played the most games in the MJHL, the Terriers will have a lighter 2024.
Up Next: Christmas Break, Jan 5th @ Steinbach
(+1) 5th – Steinbach Pistons
This Week: 3-0-1
Overall: 24-4-3
Impressive Player: Grady Hoffman – 3 goals in 4 games
The first team to crack the 50-point mark on the season. Steinbach has battled the injury bug but it hasn’t stopped them from picking up points and holding onto top spot in the MJHL. As they get healthier going forward, they’ll look to pick up momentum in hopes of defending the Turnbull Cup.
Up Next: Christmas Break, Jan 5th vs Portage
(+3) 6th – Selkirk Steelers
This Week: 3-0
Overall: 13-15-1-1
Impressive Player: Jack Hodgins/Noel Olsonawski – Combined 3-0 with 108 saves on 116 shots plus 1 goal scored (Olsonawski)
If there’s one team that didn’t want December to end, it might be Selkirk. A very impressive 6-1 record through the final month of 2023 has them closer to their goal of a playoff spot. There’s still work to do but the team has put themselves in a position to look to perhaps add at the trade deadline.
Up Next: Christmas Break, Jan 5th @ Neepawa
(-4) 7th – Winkler Flyers
This Week: 1-2-1
Overall: 20-5-2-2
Impressive Player: Brody Beauchemin – 1 goal, 5 assists in 4 games
The break couldn’t have come at a better time for Winkler who will look to reset. Still in a good position in the standings, still boast a deadly offense, strong defense, and elite goaltending. The sky is not falling despite some recent results. They best rest up with 11 games in the month of January looming.
Up Next: Christmas Break, Jan 3rd @ WPG Freeze
(-4) 8th – Neepawa Titans
This Week: 0-2
Overall: 15-15-1
Impressive Player: Cody Gudnason – 1 goal, 1 assist in 2 games
Surely would have liked to finish 2023 above .500 but the Titans will be happy with where they are at. 4th in the MGEU West and in control of their own fate going forward. Scoring and goaltending have been the name of the game. Coming out of break, 7 of their 9 games in January will be at home.
Up Next: Christmas Break, Jan 5th vs Selkirk
(+1) 9th – Swan Valley Stampeders
This Week: 1-1
Overall: 8-22-2
Impressive Player: Josh Danis – 2 goals, 2 assists in 2 games
Not quit in the Stamps and have the pieces in place to play spoiler a lot down the stretch. After moving one of their top scorers, different players will get opportunities to grow going forward. One of the toughest schedules in the league awaits in January with 12 games and 8 of those coming on the road.
Up Next: Christmas Break, Jan 5th vs Virden
(-2) 10th – Dauphin Kings
This Week: 0-2
Overall: 16-11-1
Impressive Player: Anthony Bax – 2 goals, 1 assist in 2 games
No team is happier to see December end than the Kings. 1-6 to close out 2023 is not what they had in mind. The positives are they have games in hand on everyone plus they can use the time off to rediscover what made them successful early on. Look for them to be bold come trade deadline.
Up Next: Christmas Break, Jan 5th vs WPG Freeze
(+2) 11th – Waywayseecappo Wolverines
This Week: 1-1-0-1
Overall: 11-18-0-3
Impressive Player: Thomas Kaufield – 2 goals, 3 assists in 3 games
Proving they still have a lot of hear, the Wolverines are not out of the playoff fight by any means. They have the scoring talent that keeps them dangerous nightly but they’ll need to improve on scoring chances against plus the goaltending needs to regain form. No more pointless nights.
Up Next: Christmas Break, Jan 4th vs Blizzard
(-) 12th Winnipeg Freeze
This Week: 0-2
Overall: 6-21-2
Impressive Player: Wyatt Taron – 1 goal, 2 assists in 3 games
It’s always entertaining when the Freeze play. Sometimes they battle, hang around, get the big save and push teams to the limits. Others, they’re on the wrong end of a lopsided score. All about learning and taking positive steps, which they did in 2023. The goal should be to be finish their in-city rival.
Up Next: Christmas Break, Jan 3rd vs Winkler
(-2) 13th – Winnipeg Blues
This Week: 0-2
Overall: 6-21-2
Impressive Player: Dawson Zeller – 2 goals in 2 games
After staring the month on a high note, the rest of December did not treat the Blues very well. They have some difference makers but will need guys to take a step or two forward with the games remining this year. Some nights will be long, but the group will look to grow together in hopes of finding success.
Up Next: Christmas Break, Jan 6th vs Steinbach
