Saskatchewan saw the return of sports to full capacity in 2022 as the province geared up to host some of the most exciting national events.
However, the year began with more COVID-19 hiccups as the Western Hockey League (WHL) delayed the return of the season following the break due to a spike in cases. The league would eventually make its comeback in the middle of January.
In February, Mosaic Stadium played host to a historic outdoor skins curling game between Team Koe and Team Dunstone. The event was put on as part of “Curling Day in Canada.” The match was delayed due to weather which did create some challenges during play.
Across the pond, Saskatchewan athletes represented on Team Canada at the 2022 Beijing Olympic Games. Sixteen athletes had ties to Saskatchewan, while six were listed as born here. As for the hardware they brought back: Saskatoon’s Emily Clark took home a gold medal in women’s hockey, Regina’s Mark McMorris added to his snowboarding legacy with a bronze in the men’s slopestyle event and Regina’s Ben Coakwell also brought home a bronze medal in the four-man bobsleigh event.
The success on the world stage continued as The Rebel’s Cheerleading -Team Smoke, based in Regina, became the first team from Saskatchewan to win a World Championship.
Spring also meant the WHL season was winding down. The Regina Pats failed to make the playoffs but phenom Connor Bedard, still managed to become the youngest 50-goal scorer in league history and recorded 100 points in his 16-year-old season.
Meanwhile, the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) was a battle for bragging rights in the final series. The Estevan Bruins were set to host this year’s Centennial Cup and had already booked a seat in the national tournament, but the Bruins wanted to prove they earned their way there and took the Flin Flon Bombers to a seven game series in the SJHL Championship. The Bruins ultimately came out on top which ended at 23 year drought for the franchise.
Both the Flin Flon Bombers and Estevan Bruins moved on to compete in this year’s Centennial Cup, however, neither team would make it very far. The Brooks Bandits of the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL) took home the national title on Saskatchewan soil.
As hockey closed its doors, football was opening its own. However not without some speed bumps, as the Canadian Football League (CFL) and players association struggled to reach a bargaining agreement in a timely fashion. The move forced the Roughriders to postpone some of their pre-season action. It was not the only game that would have to be postponed. The Riders would have one of the biggest COVID-19 outbreaks of the season in July, which forced multiple players to sit out of a delayed matchup against the Toronto Argonauts. The game then saw third-string quarterback, Jake Dolegala, make his first CFL start.
The COVID-19 outbreak was just one of many hiccups on the Riders’ season. Defensive lineman Garrett Marino made national headlines when he received the biggest suspension in CFL history for antics and a low hit on Ottawa Redblacks quarterback, Jeremiah Masoli. Marino was later released by the Riders in September.
The summer also had one of the greatest trophies in sports make it’s rounds in the province as members of the Colorado Avalanche’s 2022 Stanley Cup Champion squad with Saskatchewan roots each had their day with Lord Stanley: Ryan Murray (White City), Jared Bednar (Yorktown/Humboldt), Darcy Kuemper (Saskatoon) and Josh Manson (Prince Albert).
Meanwhile, a different kind of football took over Mosaic Stadium as Saskatchewan played host to a soccer friendly between Sunderland AFC from England and Toronto FC II.
Fall football returned as a major feat for a couple of Saskatchewan squads. The Regina Thunder of the Canadian Junior Football League (CJFL) went undefeated in their regular season but ultimately fell short in the National Championship to the Okanagan Sun on home soil. However, the University of Saskatchewan Huskies found success as they defended their Hardy Cup title in a 23-8 win over the UBC Thunderbirds.
The Roughriders continued to struggle despite having begun the season with a 4-1 record. The squad finished with a dismal 6-12 record and fell short of making the playoffs in a year when Regina was set to host the Grey Cup. It also left the team with questions over who would be the team’s quarterback come 2023. The poor season was capped off with the release of multiple members of the offensive coaching staff at the beginning of November.
Despite the Grey Cup game not featuring the Saskatchewan Roughriders, the city buzzed as Regina held multiple big events and festivities for Grey Cup 2022. The grand finale saw the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Toronto Argonauts go head-to-head at Mosaic Stadium. The Argonauts raised the coveted trophy following a tight 24-23 victory in what was dubbed by many to be one of the best Grey Cup games of all time.
Regina is getting used to playing host to major events as it was announced in December that the Queen City will welcome the Brier back to the Brandt Centre in 2024.
But before we take on the sports world in 2024, we have to take in all of the action in 2023. Cheers to another year of great Saskatchewan talent, success and hospitality.
