New SJHL commissioner taking over at a challenging but exciting time
New Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) commissioner Kyle McIntyre, is taking over at what many see as a challenging but exciting time for Junior ‘A’ hockey in Saskatchewan.
McIntyre, who played in the SJHL for Swift Current and Yorkton in the mid-1980’s replaces Bill Chow, who held the title for nearly 11 years.
“I take a lot of pride in having the job it’s an honour to have this position bestowed upon me,” McIntyre said in an interview with CTV Morning Live Regina.
McIntyre is excited to be taking over at a time that sees Estevan hosting the 2022 Centennial Cup, Canada’s national Junior ‘A’ championship after winning the league title in a seven-game series against Flin Flon.
“I was really pleased that this season we were able to have a full return to play, which was very positive and then we had probably one of the most competitive playoffs in league history,” McIntyre said.
“To be culminated by the Estevan and Flin Flon league final series that went seven games, every game was an absolute nail biter and it was so exciting to watch.”
Looking ahead McIntyre knows growing the game will be one of the biggest challenges he will face, keeping more Saskatchewan-born players at home is one thing he feels will be a big step forward.
“We probably have the best U18 ‘AAA’ league in Canada. My goal is to have more of those kids stay in Saskatchewan and have more of them play in this league [SJHL],” McIntyre said.
“Last year we probably saw about 278 U21 players go out of province. The flip side of that is we had about 235 come in. It is the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League and I think that fans and communities want to see some of the local products around and kids in communities want to connect with more local role models.”
McIntyre is also hoping the momentum of a very competitive league playoff followed by the Centennial Cup will give them an opportunity to hit the ground running next season.
“With the playoffs we just had we have a lot of positive momentum moving forward and lots of parity in the league. So really the play on the ice is going to dictate getting more people in seats and certainly, the positive playoff that we just had along with Estevan hosting the Centennial Cup will all be key to keeping that momentum going into next season.”
McIntyre said he would also like to see the league get a little younger, mentioning that they have lots of 20-year-old players. He feels retaining more Saskatchewan-born players can also be a big part of making that change.
The 2022 Centennial Cup gets underway from Affinity Place in Estevan on May 18.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
War wounds: Limbs lost and lives devastated in an instant in Ukraine
There is a cost to war — to the countries that wage it, to the soldiers who fight it, to the civilians who endure it. For nations, territory is gained and lost, and sometimes regained and lost again. But some losses are permanent. Lives lost can never be regained. Nor can limbs. And so it is in Ukraine.

Finland, Sweden officially apply for NATO membership
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said Wednesday that the military alliance stands ready to seize a historic moment and move quickly on allowing Finland and Sweden to join its ranks, after the two countries submitted their membership requests.
NEW THIS MORNING | 'Please' before 'cheese': Answers to your royal etiquette questions
Etiquette expert Julie Blais Comeau answers your questions about how to address the royal couple, how to dress if you're meeting them, and whether or not you can ask for a selfie.
'Most horrific': Alberta First Nation investigating after remains of children found
Saddle Lake Cree Nation in eastern Alberta is 'actively researching and investigating' the deaths of at least 200 residential school children who never came home, as remains are being found in unmarked grave sites.
First transgender federal party leader calls for national anti-trans hate strategy
The Green Party of Canada is calling on the federal government to develop a targeted anti-transgender hate strategy, citing a 'rising tide of hate' both in Canada and abroad. Amita Kuttner, who is Canada's first transgender federal party leader, made the call during a press conference on Parliament Hill on Tuesday.
Finding of unmarked graves triggered a year of reckoning over residential schools
The existence of unmarked graves had been a 'knowing' among residential school survivors and Indigenous elders, but the high-tech survey findings represented confirmation for Canada.
Ukraine hopes to swap Mariupol steel mill fighters for Russian POWs
Ukrainian fighters extracted from the last bastion of resistance in Mariupol were taken to a former penal colony in enemy-controlled territory, and a top military official hoped they could be exchanged for Russian prisoners of war. But a Moscow lawmaker said they should be brought to 'justice.'
Livestreamed mass shooting shows more internet regulations needed: experts
Police say the Buffalo supermarket shooter mounted a camera to his helmet to stream his assault live on Twitch. The move was apparently intended to echo the massacre in New Zealand by inspiring copycats and spreading his racist beliefs.
Canadians in the dark about how their data is collected and used, report finds
A new report says digital technology has become so widespread at such a rapid pace that Canadians have little idea what information is being collected about them or how it is used.