This is your Flin Flon Bombers Week Preview Powered by Elite Communications
The Flin Flon Bombers will open up the 2024-2025 season this upcoming weekend when the Nipawin Hawks visit the Whitney Forum for the Bombers home opener on Friday night.
After missing the playoffs last season by just 4 points, Nipawin is expected to be one of the youngest teams in the SJHL this season after losing starting goaltender Damon Cunningham and a bulk of their defencemen. Landon Pappas and Ronan Buckberger are currently on USHL rosters and earlier this summer the Hawks shipped 20-year-old defenceman Tre Fouquette to the Humboldt Broncos. SJHL All-Star Liam McInnis and Luke Chase graduated from junior hockey and Victor Biondo III will begin the season in the NAHL.
Expect local product, Finley Radloff to build off of his 39 point campaign last season as an 18-year-old. Radloff is one of the top 2005 born players in the SJHL and plays a 200 foot game. The Hawks see big things in rookie forward Jack Janzen, the club’s 2022 3rd round pick and former captain of the SMAAAHL’s Warman Wildcats.
On Saturday night the Bombers will travel to Melfort in a rematch of last season’s SJHL final when the Mustangs defeated the Bombers 4 games to 2 for their 3rd championship in the last 10 seasons.
The Mustangs will look to defend their title and will begin the 2024-2025 season with a great core of players. Expect Logan Belton, Rhett Hamilton and newly acquired Reilley Kotai to lead the way offensively. Kotai has 63 games of BCHL experience and spent the 2023-2024 season with the NAHL’s Austin Bruins. During the 2022-2023 season, Kotai was acquired by the Battlefords North Stars from the BCHL but would not report.
Melfort’s backend will be their biggest strength heading into the season. Acquiring WHL veteran, Nicholas Andrusiak earlier this summer is a major boost after the departures of Leith Olafson and Chase Friedt-Mohr. Cole Unger, Bo Eisner, Ty Thornton and Nolan Roberts all return from last years championship roster.
Losing starting netminder, James Venne, to the BCHL’s Sherwood Park Crusaders is a major blow and the team will look to Kristian Coombs to take the next step forward. Coombs appeared in 13 games last season and posted a 6-4-1-1 record with a 3.28 GAA & .885 SV%.
