Portage Terriers

Changes keep coming for the Portage Terriers. The latest change will see a new face behind the bench, joining Blake Spiller's staff.

Brock Trotter has played hockey across the world, and after stepping into a coaching role last season with the Virden Oil Capitals, has joined the Terriers bench.

Another domino has fallen in the Portage Terriers commitments this summer.

Daniel Siso has committed to Calvin University in Grand Rapids, Michigan this fall.

Siso notes that joining Calvin will give him the opportunity to do something he never got to do in his youth.

The Portage Terriers have announced their season schedule for the upcoming year on their social media. 

The team kicks off the season with a back-to-back against the Neepawa Titans on September 20 and 21, playing the Saturday night in Neepawa, and on Sunday back in Portage.

For the first time since the COVID-19 Pandemic, the league has handed the schedule-creation responsibilities back to the teams. 

Commissioner Kevin Saurette shared why that change was made.

The Portage Terriers have acquired D Rylan Bray (06) from the Neepawa Titans for a Player Development Fee.

Bray (6’2, 170) started last season playing six games for the Titans before being moved to the Yellowhead Chiefs U18 AAA. “Rylan is a skilled puck moving defenceman,” says Terrier head coach and GM Blake Spiller. “We are excited to have him join our organization.”

Heading into his 18-year-old season, the Neepawa product was drafted in the 7 round (#145 overall) by the Red Deer Rebels (WHL) in the 2021 WHL Bantam Draft.

The Portage Terriers joined the other members of the league for the MJHL Draft on Sunday morning. 

Portage made selections in the first, fourth, fifth and sixth rounds.

Ninth overall, they selected Jonah Lemoine of the U18 Brandon Wheat Kings. Terriers Head Scout Angus Moar shared his perspective on the selection.

"He's a skilled right winger from Brandon. He has always been a contributor to the Brandon AAA programs."

With their next pick, 48th overall, Portage selected Jack Perrier from Darlingford. Moar added his thoughts on who Perrier is as a player.

The Portage Terriers will be protecting local players F Koy Funk (08) and D Lawson O’Ray (08) ahead of the MJHL entry draft on Sunday, June 2.

Each MJHL team is eligible to select up to two local players from their region to be added to their protected list. The draft will begin at 10 am on Sunday and will be updated live through RinkNet Live Draft Centre technology. See full list of MJHL Auto protected players here.

Another former Terrier has announced their commitment to university hockey.

Ashton Fishley announced this week that he has committed to play at the USPORTS level in Regina with the University of Regina (U of R) Cougars.

The Portage Terriers annual Rookie Camp was the main event at Stride Place this weekend. Over 100 young hockey players took to the ice in hopes of impressing the Terriers staff and trying to earn a shot at coming to training camp in the fall. Angus Moar, the Terriers' Head Scout, describes the process of finding these young players.

Tayem Gislason has become the second Portage Terrier from this season to announce his commitment to college hockey. He shares where he'll be playing.

"I just committed to Ontario Tech University. It's a USPORTS school here in Canada, so I'm pretty excited."

Gislason had previously explained he hoped to have his decision "very soon." He'll join a Ridgebacks team that finished their season with a record of 14-15-0. The team also saw their captain, Sean Ross, sign a professional contract in the East Coast Hockey League.

Another former Portage Terrier has committed to a post-secondary school while pursuing hockey. However, he's not from the group you might be expecting.

Brock MacDonald committed to Elmira College today, after splitting this past season between the Colorado Grit and Kenai River Brown Bears of the North American Hockey League.