By Jason La Rose via Hockey Canada

There are plenty of familiar faces at the West Regional. The host Winnipeg Wild and Thunder Bay Kings are back for a third year in a row, joined by the defending champion Saskatoon Blazers, who are looking to earn a return trip to the 2024 TELUS Cup in Membertou, N.S.

The Brandon Wheat Kings round out the quartet, and what a season it’s been for the Manitoba champions; including the playoffs, the Wheat Kings have 52 wins and a single overtime loss, and they’re unbeaten since Nov. 10.

The three league champions are all coming in riding major playoff success – Brandon, Saskatoon and Thunder Bay claimed their titles without losing a game in regulation, going 20-0-1 in the postseason.

RECENT CHAMPIONS (TELUS CUP FINISH)

2023 – Saskatoon Blazers (bronze medal)
2022 – Notre Dame Hounds (5th place)
2019 – Tisdale Trojans (bronze medal)
2018 – Notre Dame Hounds (gold medal)
2017 – Regina Pat Canadians (4th place)

BRANDON WHEAT KINGS
MBU18AAAHL CHAMPIONS

Regular season record: 43-0-1 (1st in MBU18AAAHL)
Goals for: 270
Goals against: 82
Leading scorer: Jaxon Jacobson (37G 69A 106P)

Playoff record: 9-0
Goals for: 53
Goals against: 14
Leading scorer: Jaxon Jacobson (12G 11A 23P)

ROAD TO THE WEST REGIONAL
Quarterfinal: defeated Eastman Selects 3-0 (10-2, 7-0, 9-2)
Semifinal: defeated Pembina Valley Hawks 3-0 (6-1, 4-1, 4-2)
Final: defeated Winnipeg Wild 3-0 (5-2, 4-1, 4-3 OT)

Last national championship appearance: 2004 (gold medal)
Total national championship appearances: 3 (1980, 1994, 2004)

SASKATOON BLAZERS
SMAAAHL CHAMPIONS

Regular season record: 34-7-3 (1st in SMAAAHL)
Goals for: 194
Goals against: 116
Leading scorer: Dayne Beuker (41G 43A 84P)

Playoff record: 9-1
Goals for: 40
Goals against: 20
Leading scorer: Raiden Zacharias (6G 8A 14P)

ROAD TO THE WEST REGIONAL
Quarterfinal: defeated Estevan Bears 3-1 (4-1, 4-0, 2-3 OT, 5-4)
Semifinal: defeated Tisdale Trojans 3-0 (3-2, 3-0, 6-3)
Final: defeated Regina Pat Canadians 3-0 (4-1, 4-3 OT, 5-3)

Last national championship appearance: 2023 (bronze medal)
Total national championship appearances: 2 (1974, 2023)

THUNDER BAY KINGS
HNO CHAMPIONS

Regular season record: 5-25-6 (12th in GTHL)
Goals for: 95
Goals against: 154
Leading scorer: unavailable

Playoff record: 2-0
Goals for: 14
Goals against: 5
Leading scorer: unavailable

ROAD TO THE WEST REGIONAL
HNO championship: defeated Kenora Thistles 2-0 (11-3, 3-2 OT)

Last national championship appearance: 2019 (6th place)
Total national championship appearances: 9 (1975, 1976, 1985, 1988, 1992, 1995, 1996, 1997, 2019)

WINNIPEG WILD
HOST

Regular season record: 27-13-4 (3rd in MBU18AAAHL)
Goals for: 184
Goals against: 120
Leading scorer: Carter Kingerski (22G 30A 52P)

Playoff record: 6-6
Goals for: 36
Goals against: 34
Leading scorer: Carter Kingerski (5G 10A 15P)

ROAD TO THE WEST REGIONAL
Quarterfinal: defeated Interlake Lightning 3-2 (2-4, 2-1, 1-4, 8-1, 2-1)
Semifinal: defeated Winnipeg Thrashers 3-1 (3-6, 5-1, 2-1 OT, 5-2)
Final: lost to Brandon Wheat Kings 3-0 (2-5, 1-4, 3-4 OT)

Last national championship appearance: none
Total national championship appearances: none