Women's hockey in Manitoba is taking a major step forward this fall with the launch of the new Manitoba Senior Women's Hockey League (MSWHL), providing adult players with a long-awaited opportunity to continue playing competitive hockey after their junior, college and university careers. League organizers are partnering with the successful Saskatchewan Senior Women's Hockey League, hoping to build on a model that has already proven successful while creating new opportunities for female athletes across Manitoba. The inaugural season will feature eight teams from across the province, split evenly between East and West divisions. In the West Division, teams will include the Southwestern Falcons (Birtle/Foxwarren), Wheat City Wild (Brandon), Pembina Valley Storm (Swan Lake), and the newly approved Westman Wranglers, who are expected to call either Hartney or Souris home. One of the goals on the league is to provide women with the same type of competitive senior hockey opportunities that have long been available to men. "All the women who are working together to create the Manitoba Senior Women's Hockey League are excited to be bringing the same opportunity to women in Manitoba," a representative of the Westman Wranglers told bdnmb.ca. The regular season will consist of 12 games for each team, with six home and six away contests. Exhibition games are scheduled for late September ahead of the league's October opening, with the regular season running through late January. Playoffs will begin in February. To help ensure teams have enough players during the league's inaugural campaign, each club will be permitted to carry an unlimited roster. The league is open to all women aged 18 and older, although organizers anticipate many players will be those returning home after playing university or college hockey and looking for a chance to continue competing at a high level. The MSWHL will adopt several rules used by the Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL), including jailbreak goals, hybrid icing and the PWHL's point system, awarding three points for a regulation win, two for an overtime victory and one for an overtime loss. In another unique feature borrowed from the PWHL, the top-seeded team at the conclusion of the regular season will have the opportunity to choose its first-round playoff opponent. All playoff rounds will be played as best-of-three series. League organizers also have plans to showcase the province's top talent through an East versus West all-star game. From that event, Team Manitoba will be selected to compete against all-star teams from Alberta and Saskatchewan. For local hockey fans, the addition of the Westman Wranglers marks an exciting development for southwest Manitoba. The team received official approval to join the league this week and has already generated strong interest from players throughout the region, including Melita, Boissevain, Rivers and numerous surrounding communities. "Our goal was to cover as much of Southwest Manitoba as possible and allow the opportunity for everyone to have a team that is in close driving proximity," the representative said. Behind the scenes, team captains across the league have already begun organizing everything from securing arenas and sponsorships to recruiting players and designing team jerseys. Women interested in joining one of the inaugural teams are encouraged to contact the respective team organizers. The Westman Wranglers can be reached by email at westmanwranglers@gmail.com. Prospective players can also contact the Southwestern Falcons at southwesternfalcons@gmail.com, while the Wheat City Wild and Pembina Valley Storm can be reached through their Instagram pages, @wheatcitywildhockey and @pembinavalleystorm. With its first puck drop only months away, organizers believe the Manitoba Senior Women's Hockey League will provide a lasting home for competitive women's hockey while helping grow the game throughout the province for years to come.

 The Brandon Wheat Kings are proud to announce the hiring of Aaron Rome as Assistant Coach. A product of Nesbitt, Manitoba, just south of Brandon, Rome played more than 300 games on the blue line in the Western Hockey League with Saskatoon, Kootenay, Swift Current and Moose Jaw, earning WHL East Second All-Star Team honours in 2003–04 before the Los Angeles Kings selected him in the fourth round, 104th overall, of the 2002 NHL Entry Draft. Over an 11-year professional career, Rome appeared in 226 NHL games with the Anaheim Ducks, Columbus Blue Jackets, Vancouver Canucks and Dallas Stars, and was part of Anaheim’s 2007 Stanley Cup championship organization. A steady, hard-nosed defenceman, he built his career on strong positioning, physical play and a team-first approach. “Aaron is a great addition to our coaching staff,” said Head Coach and General Manager Marty Murray. “Aaron will work closely with our D on an everyday basis, both on and off the ice. Aaron played the position at the highest level, has coaching experience and will be a valuable asset to our group.” Rome is a familiar face within the organization. He previously spent three seasons as a skills coach with the Wheat Kings and currently serves as Head Coach of the Brandon Wheat Kings U17 AAA program, where he has helped develop many of the region’s top young players. “Aaron has been part of the Wheat Kings family for years, and we’ve seen firsthand the impact he has on up and coming defenseman,” said Wheat Kings owner Jared Jacobson. “Adding someone who has played the game at the highest level and knows our program inside and out makes our staff stronger. We’re excited to have him behind our bench.” Rome and his wife Adrianne make their home in Brandon with their two children, Grayson and Logan. Rome joins the Wheat Kings coaching staff ahead of the 2026–27 WHL season.

The Brandon Wheat Kings are proud to announce the hiring of Ryan White as Assistant Coach. Born and raised in Brandon, White came up through the local minor hockey system and led his Brandon AAA Wheat Kings to a gold medal at the 2004 Telus Cup national championship. He went on to play four seasons in the Western Hockey League with the Calgary Hitmen before the Montreal Canadiens selected him in the third round, 66th overall, of the 2006 NHL Entry Draft. Over a 13-year professional career, White appeared in 313 NHL games with the Canadiens, Philadelphia Flyers, Arizona Coyotes and Minnesota Wild, earning a reputation as a hard-working, high-energy forward and a respected teammate. “The Brandon Wheat Kings are excited to add Ryan White to our staff,” said Head Coach and General Manager Marty Murray. “Ryan carved out a career in the NHL by working extremely hard, having great energy, and being a team player. We feel Ryan will bring those same qualities as a coach. Ryan will have the ability to relate very well with our players and get the best out of them each day.” White joins the Wheat Kings from the Western Canada Hockey Academy in Brandon, where he has served as On-Ice Development Coach, known for his ability to inspire and mentor young athletes and for his dedication to player development. Before joining the Academy, White spent time as an assistant coach with the Winkler Flyers of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League, where he was part of the staff that captured the 2024 Turnbull Cup championship. “Ryan grew up right here in Brandon and has been developing young players in our community at the Academy,” said Wheat Kings owner Jared Jacobson. “We’re excited to add someone with his experience to our team, as a player who competed at the highest level and as a coach who has won a championship. He knows this city and what it means to represent it.” Off the ice, White is a devoted husband and father of three, and his passion for the game and love of teaching allow him to connect with players and foster both their athletic and personal growth. White joins the Wheat Kings coaching staff ahead of the 2026–27 WHL season.

The Brandon Wheat Kings have added two intriguing international prospects after making a pair of selections in the 2026 CHL Import Draft, bolstering both their forward group and defensive corps ahead of the 2026-27 Western Hockey League season. With the 45th overall pick, Brandon selected Kristof Muissu, a 6-foot-3 forward who brings an impressive combination of size, skill and professional experience. Muissu, who holds dual citizenship in Russia and the Republic of the Congo, is coming off an outstanding season in Russia's MHL, recording 39 goals and 64 points in 57 games. The 19-year-old has also appeared in 18 KHL games over the past two seasons, giving him valuable experience against professional competition. The Wheat Kings then addressed their blue line with the 106th overall selection, choosing Finnish defenceman Ilari Kapanen. The 19-year-old split last season between Sweden's junior ranks and Finland's top professional league, Liiga. Although injuries limited him to just 13 games, Kapanen has represented Finland internationally and is regarded as a mobile, skilled defenceman with the potential to make an immediate impact in North America. Brandon opted not to use its third and final selection in the draft. The 2026 CHL Import Draft featured updated rules allowing clubs to select 20-year-old import players in any round, providing teams with greater flexibility to add experienced international talent. The Wheat Kings believe they have done exactly that, adding a proven offensive threat in Muissu and an experienced European blueliner in Kapanen as they continue building toward what they hope will be a successful 2026-27 campaign. 2026-27 Schedule Released

The Brandon Wheat Kings saw two of their players take the next step toward professional hockey as goaltender Filip Ruzicka and defenceman Giorgos Pantelas were selected in the 2026 NHL Draft. Ruzicka was the first Wheat King off the board, with the Minnesota Wild selecting the towering Czech netminder in the fifth round, 137th overall. Standing 6-foot-8, Ruzicka quickly emerged as one of the top goaltending prospects in the Western Hockey League during his rookie campaign. His combination of size, athleticism and composure in the crease drew the attention of NHL scouts throughout the season. Later in the draft, the Los Angeles Kings selected Pantelas in the fifth round, 153rd overall. The Victoria, B.C., product established himself as one of Brandon's top defencemen, using his size, mobility and two-way play to become a key contributor on the Wheat Kings' blue line. The selections continue the Wheat Kings' long-standing tradition of developing NHL talent. Brandon has consistently produced professional players, and the selections of Ruzicka and Pantelas further reinforce the organization's reputation as one of the WHL's premier development programs.