The Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) board of governors has conditionally approved the relocation of the Notre Dame Hounds to the community of Warman for the 2025-26 season.
The move is subject to approval from Warman City Council and a successful season ticket and corporate sponsorship drive.
It’s a decision that was made from Notre Dame’s board of directors to focus efforts at the boarding school on their student-athlete programming rather than at the junior level.
“Next year we’re adding another female hockey team and another male hockey team,” said Notre Dame director of hockey development Wade Klippenstein. “The programming within our boarding school model with our hockey programming needs to be tightened up. The junior team unfortunately, just wasn’t a part of that model any longer.
Partners Cole Kachur and Jonathan Abrametz negotiated the sale of the team from Notre Dame to Warman, which would see the duo finance the team for a period of up to five years.
The plan, which would also need approval at the SJHL’s annual general meeting this summer, would then see ownership transferred to a community-based model which the vast majority of the league employs.
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“It was just hand in glove,” said Kachur. “It’s a great rink, a great city, we feel the demographics of the community should support junior hockey. I really think after talking with people in Warman, talking with City Council, I feel like they’re excited to have something of their own.”
The Hounds currently play in Wilcox, Sask. and have been part of the SJHL since 1987. Sitting last in the league standings with a 11-31-2-2 record, the Hounds will play their final game at Duncan McNeil Arena on March 16 hosting the Melfort Mustangs.
If formally approved at the SJHL’s annual general meeting in June, all of Notre Dame’s active players and list assets will be transferred to the Warman franchise prior to next season getting underway.
“The head coach, all of the players on the list and all of the players that are on the rostered currently that are eligible will be invited to be part of the Warman franchise,” said SJHL commissioner Kyle McIntyre.
While Warman gains a new franchise, Notre Dame will be saying goodbye to a junior team which has produced NHL stars like Rod Brind’Amour, Curtis Joseph and Jaden Schwartz.
As both programs now chart a new path forward, Warman with an inaugural season in 2025-26 and Notre Dame with their U18 programming.
“Their legacy in the SJHL is a positive one,” said McIntyre. “It’s a historical one, one of the storied franchises definitely in the SJHL. As a league, we’re going to really take some time and make some effort to acknowledge that.”
The next major dates on the calendar for Kachur and Abrametz will be meeting with Warman City Council on February 24, before embarking on their goal to sell 1,300 season tickets prior to the 2025-26 SJHL season.
Over the coming months, the process will also commence on developing the team’s name, logo and uniform before taking the ice at the Warman Home Communiplex in September.
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