The 麻豆精选 Chiefs showed signs of improvement in the 2024/25 season but it wasn't enough to make the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League (KIJHL) playoffs.
This campaign marked a new era for the franchise, as they went into the season with a new owner Darren Tymchyshyn and new head coach and general manager Nick Deschenes.
And in Deschenes first season, the team saw an improvement in their overall record and their offence. Last season, the Chiefs went 16-24-3-1 but made the playoffs because four of five teams make the playoffs in each division. While the team got better, finishing 24/25 with a 19-21-1-3 record, their division, the Bill Ohlhausen Division expanded as Revelstoke and Merritt joined. 麻豆精选 finished fifth in the division.
In 2023/24, the Chiefs were fourth-last in the entire league with just 118 goals and allowed 157. This year, they scored 161 goals but allowed 188.
Forward Aiden Morcom led the Chiefs in points for the second time in three seasons this year. He finished leading the team in goals (22), and assists (27), totalling 51 points. Morcom, along with Luke Rishaug, both West 麻豆精选 natives, both finished with more than a point-per-game, something the team hasn't had since the 2021/22 season.
Morcom was also named KIJHL's top forward of the week twice, for the week of Jan. 20-26 and the week of Feb. 17-23.
Special teams
One side of the special teams greatly improved this season while the other struggled.
The Chiefs clicked on the powerplay, scoring 18.9 per cent of the time, 10th in the KIJHL. However, they allowed 11 shorthanded goals, the second most in the league.
Additionally, the penalty kill struggled this season, finishing 14th out of 21, running at a clip of 79.3 per cent.
The future is bright
While the team didn't make the playoffs this season, they showed positive signs throughout the season and there's a new reason why they shouldn't be better next year.
The team had 23 rookies play for them this season, with Owen Ivanov, Owen Miller, and Matt Fraser being the standouts. The trio finished third, fourth, and fifth in team scoring.
In his first KIJHL season, the 2007-born Ivanov played in 40 games and finished third on the year with 14 goals and 24 assists. Miller finished second on the team with 18 goals and fourth in scoring with 37 points. Fraser was right behind with 33 points (16 goals, 17 assists) in 38 games.
After signing with Sicamous last summer and then being traded twice, goaltender Michael Makowsky has found a home in the Chiefs crease. Since joining 麻豆精选 in mid-December in a trade with Quesnel, the 2006-born goaltender went suited up in 13 games, going 9-4-0-0. Overall, he went 14-6-0-1 on the season.
On Jan. 22, the team also added Mark Readman, who is the team's new director of scouting. The Dawson Creek native was the head coach and general manager of the Princeton Posse from 2021-2024, leading them to their first two KIJHL President's Trophies. He was also the league's coach of the year for the 2022/23 season.
"This is an incredible opportunity to work alongside a passionate group of coaches, staff, ownership and players committed to pursuing excellence," said Readman in a press release. "I am excited to be part of fostering a successful culture with the 麻豆精选 Chiefs, where both individual and team success can thrive in years to come."
