Stamps open regular season in The Pas
The 28th season of Stampeders hockey is here. The Swan Valley Stampeders will begin their regular season schedule against the Northern Manitoba Blizzard tonight in The Pas for a 7 pm puck drop.
A new season comes a new way of doing things for the Stamps, as the team faced a lot of turnover from last season. With new board members, a director of marketing, new white jerseys, and some fresh new faces for the 2026-27 campaign.
KEYS TO SUCCESS:
One of the major plot points of the last 3 seasons has been the way the Stampeders start the season. Of course it may be easier said than done, but having a good start to the season is one step in the right direction for a team who has not made playoffs since 2023. Last season saw the Stampeders enter the Christmas break with only 8 wins, that has to change in 2026.
Another point is playing on the road. The Stampeders won only 6 games on the road last year and had a near .500 win percentage at home. While winning in your own barn is fun, getting to win on the road is definitely something they must do in order to find success.
Special teams are always an important factor for any team, and the Stampeders showed signs of a lethal power-play throughout last season, but their penalty kill has haunted them, sitting in second to last in the MJHL last season. Getting the puck out of their own zone is something that will need to be addressed early on.
Players to Watch:
Stampeders: Dylan Ruff, Ben Groome, Easton Falls
Blizzard: Liam Carlone, Kannen Kirkwood, Kanye Huang
The opponent:
A year removed from their 2025 Turnbull Cup Championship, the Northern Manitoba Blizzard shockingly followed it up with an 8 win season, one that saw them not win any on the road last year. This year has already shown signs of promise, as the Blizzard play with an edge, hitting everything and putting pressure on the puck carrier. These two northern rivals will definitely be a must watch every single night.
To catch the game live, you can watch the game on FloHockey or tune into Mixlr and the Swan Valley Stampeders Road Radio with Ricky Barker!
