Moosomin Steelhawks looking for billets
New Junior B hockey team coming to Moosomin this fall
June 30, 2025, 8:43 am
Ashley Bochek
Blake Martyniuk, owner, GM, and head coach of the new junior hockey team in Moosomin spoke at the Moosomin Chamber of Commerce meeting last Tuesday.
The Moosomin Steelhawks of the Prairie Junior Hockey League (PJHL) will start their inaugural season this fall.
Martyniuk says he is excited to build the new Junior B team in Moosomin.
“I am very excited about this and it has been a work-in-progress for almost a year now. I had spoken to Mike Schwean a number of times over the past year at minor hockey and Senior Rangers games, and he agrees the town is very excited.
“We know this community is a hockey town so we are excited to bring junior hockey here. Ever since we have been granted expansion by the PJHL it has all been recruiting and trying to build the best team we can.”
Recruiting and billets
Martyniuk says he has been busy recruiting these past months for future Steelhawks players and looking for billets within the community.
“The big things we are working on right now is recruiting—I do that all day, every day, having those conversations and recruiting players across North America. We are able to have six American players.
“Billets are probably at the top of our list of things. We are very aware and want local talent of course, but as we talk people know, just building a team to be competitive from only the community and surrounding areas, may not be possible going up against those stronger teams in Saskatoon and Regina, so that is what has us needing some billets. We are talking to players from Boston, Mexico City, and then across Canada coast to coast.”
Support from community
Martyniuk explains the team hopes to see continuous support from the community throughout the hockey season.
“Every junior team needs the support from the community and sponsorships, as well as people coming to take in a game here and there. I know when I played junior, it was a much more fun environment to play in front of 1,000 people versus some rinks that only get a couple of people. It is a wildly different experience. We are focused on having an exciting atmosphere for the fans and the people in the community to look forward to, as well as the players.”
Employment for players
Martyniuk says the team is looking for employment opportunities for their players as well.
“The final thing is employment for our players. There has been quite a few members of the community that have reached out to us already willing to offer us some hours for our players outside of our practice, off-ice workout schedule, and obviously our game schedule, and thank you in advance for that, but the more the better.
“We just have to keep recruiting and because of how successful the teams are in Moosomin it feels like there is a little bit of pressure that we have to be good out-of-the-gate with a good hockey team.”
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