The Portage Terriers are gearing up for their playoff run right now, but some alumni are already nearing the end of their season in the South Eastern Manitoba Hockey League (SEMHL) and Tiger Hills Hockey League (THHL). Many of these former players are having a big impact on their current teams.
The Ste. Anne Aces are facing off with the Warren Mercs in the final, with the Terriers represented on both squads.
Warren features Dexter Kuczek, who spent a season and a half with Portage before spending three and a half seasons with the Selkirk Steelers and the Winnipeg Blues. Kuczek is the leading scorer on the Mercs. Chase Faulkner, a fan favourite from the RBC Cup-winning team, also plays for Warren. Brayden McDonald rounds out the Terriers representatives on the Mercs team.
Ste. Anne features several former Terriers, including Brenden Walker, who played in Portage in the '08-09 MJHL season before making the jump to the Brandon Wheat Kings of the WHL. Walker leads the Aces in scoring and was the league MVP this season.
Yvan Pattyn spent two seasons in Portage and played in two RBC Cups before playing four years in the NCAA with the University of Vermont. His older brother Steph, also a former Terrier, is the Aces coach.
Brett Adnum spent parts of two seasons in the City of Possibilities between 2010 and 2012 while also attending two RBC Cups with the club.
Tanner Harms joined Portage late in the 2010-2011 season, helping the team to the RBC Cup, as well.
Andrew Lefebvre played 44 games with the Dogs during the 06-07 and 07-08 seasons.
Across the province in the THHL finals, the Killarney Shamrocks face off with the Miniota/Elkhorn C-Hawks.
Miniota/Elkhorn features four players who have spent time with the Terriers.
Brad and Shawn Bowles both played significant roles in the Terrier's RBC Cup run in 2015, culminating in winning the tournament in Portage. Both Bowles brothers would play two seasons at the University of Manitoba following their MJHL careers and then joined Miniota/Elkhorn afterward. Brad was the teams leading scorer in the regular season.
Taylor Sanhiem also spent half a season in Portage before moving up to the WHL where he played for the Calgary Hitmen.
Josh Martin played the last half of a season with the Dogs, coming over in trade from the Swan Valley Stampeders, and also plays for the C-Hawks.