Warman Wolverines make SJHL debut with 3-0 loss to Humboldt Broncos
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When the former Notre Dame Junior A Hounds announced they’d be moving their Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League team to Warman, hockey fans in the community eagerly awaited a historic puck drop.
That moment arrived Friday night for the Warman Wolverines as they charged onto the ice at the Warman Home Centre Communiplex, led by inaugural season captain Vincent Palmarin.
“I’m very honoured to be the first captain in Warman history,” Palmarin said. “I just want to lead my team and set a good role for them, just help them win some games and help build around the community.”
The Wolverines era is now underway following the team’s 2025-26 SJHL season opener, falling 3-0 to the Humboldt Broncos.
A sold-out crowd of over 1,300 fans turned out for the first game in franchise history, something that struck Palmarin when looking around the arena. “It obviously shows they care about us and they want to grow around us,” he said. “Now, it’s our turn to win some games for them.”
The Wolverines wound up in Warman following the SJHL announcement in Feburary that the Athol Murray College of Notre Dame in Wilcox, south of Regina, was looking to step back from its Junior A franchise to focus on programming at the school. A trio of investors — Cole Kachur, Jonathan Abrametz and Tyler Helm — co-founded the Wolverines franchise, following a successful season-ticket drive and approval from the SJHL board of governors.
Wolverines head coach and general manager Brett Pilkington said it was special seeing the community turn out for a game which had been months in the making. “It was amazing… This is a hockey town here in Warman and the surrounding area. To see a hit or see a good save and the crowd erupt was pretty cool, for sure.”
Among those dotting the crowd was Melissa Kehler, a self-proclaimed football mom who became a billet parent this year, housing Wolverines defenceman Karson Kerbes. “My son plays in Regina and they don’t have a billet program,” Kehler said. “I thought I would do that for Warman and have parents sleep at night knowing that their sons are well taken care of here.”
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While standard across most junior hockey teams, billeting is new for those former members of the Notre Dame Hounds who moved with the team to Warman and were accustomed to staying in dorms on the Notre Dame campus during the SJHL season.
Defenceman Luke Lawford, who is staying with Kehler, is one of them “Living with the billets is great,” he said. “I haven’t heard any complaints from anyone. Everyone loves the billets, being with the family, getting home-cooked meals. We’re all super happy that the community was able to give back and do that for us.”
SJHL commissioner Kyle McIntyre also attended the game, calling the franchise’s roughly 320-kilometre move to Warman, north of Saskatoon, a win for both the Wolverines and Notre Dame.
He added the turnout and support from fans validated a long-held belief that Warman deserved a franchise of their own after years of hosting the SJHL Showcase event.
“We’ve been waiting for Warman to come on for a number of years,” McIntyre said. “It’s a terrific crowd, it’s a terrific atmosphere. We just need Warman to pump in a couple goals and then this place will go wild.
“We really think this is going to be a tremendous hit long-term not only for the SJHL, but for the community of Warman.”
Fans are waiting for that first goal at home, however. The Broncos spoiled the party with their opening-night victory, led by a two-goal performance from Jacob Strizzi and a 30-save shutout courtesy of goaltender Charlie Tritt.
“We’re all looking for it,” Lawford said. “We were wanting it really bad, it sucks for us and obviously for the fans that we couldn’t do that for them. Next Saturday against Kindersley, we’re hoping to do that for them.”
With the first game in the team’s history in the books, fans like Kehler believe this is just the start for what they hope will be years of Wolverines hockey in Warman.
“I think it’s great for the community,” Kehler said. “I think the energy is great and Warman is a hockey town. We will support these guys, 100 per cent.”
Following their opening weekend home-and-home series against Humboldt, the Wolverines return to Warman on Sept. 27 to battle the Kindersley Klippers.
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