The GMHL will be profiling one team per month for the duration of the season to highlight a team that has combined on ice success with strong fan support, community involvement, a winning culture, and player development. This month we will be featuring the High Prairie Red Wings.

 

The Red Wings joined the GMHL last season and immediately established themselves as the class of the GMHL Western Division, in their second season they won both the regular season title (18-3-0) and the inaugural GMHL West Playoff Championship and are well on their way to not only repeating but establishing a dynasty out west having just had their GMHL record 60 game winning streak only recently come to an end.

 

2019-2020 Record (As Of February 24h, 2022): 36-1-0 (1st in West Division)

All Time Record: 71-19-4 (.759 Winning Percentage)

Leading scorer this season: F Theo Cunningham, 79 Points (9th in League)

All Time Leading Scorer: F Mikal Chalifoux, 152 Points (90th All-Time)

GMHL West Russel Cup Finals Appearances: 1

GMHL West Russel Cup Championships: 1

League Award Winners: N/A

General Manager: Kevin Hopfner

Head Coach: Trent Meyaard

Staff: Assistant Coach Bruce Cunningham, Assistant Coach Dwayne Auger, Assistant Coach Jerry Kruger, Trainer Lyndon Anderson, Trainer Logan Krupa, Trainer Charity Meyaard

Captain: Avery McNabb

Alternate Captains: Gabriel Blais, Theo Cunningham

 

Top Performers: 6 of the top 39 scorers in the GMHL this season play in High Prarie, who boast one of the most impressive and balanced offenses in the entire league. Led by Theo Cunningham who sits 8th in the league scoring race with 79 points, he is followed by Keaton and Braydan Auger with 73 and 59 points respectively. The Red Wings also have a pair of defensemen in their leadership group who have proven too be a pair of some of the best in the Western Division. Gabriel Blais and Avery McNabb have both established themselves as elite two way defensemen In the league. In net the Red wings boast the only 2 goalies in the league without a loss as their number 1 as Keygon Okemow has led the way going 16-0-0 and leading the division Save Percentage while his partner Ethan Bewer is 10-0-0 and leads the division in Goals Against Average with a 1.91 mark.

 

Fan Support and Community Involvement: The Red Wings have done well to build an outstanding fan base for the players they have had from all over the world and have amassed a total of over 2500 followers on their social media accounts. The Red Wings have raised thousands of dollars over the years for charity and are regularly involved in both community events and minor hockey team ups!

 

Arena and Facilities: The Red Wings play out of the High Prairie Ice Palace and regularly sell out the arena.

 

 

Mikal Chalifoux: The 2020-2021 GMHL Scoring champion with 81 Points, Chalifoux helped lead the Red Wings to a championship before returning at the beginning of the season. Chalifoux was quickly called up for a pro shot with the Binghamton Black Bears in the FPHL where he had 4 points in 11 games.

 

Jacob Boucher: Boucher appeared briefly for the Red Wings in 2020-2021 putting up 10 points in his 2 games proving to be one of the most offensively gifted players in the league, this season he has returned for his 4th season of CHL Hockey scoring 21 points in 32 WHL games between the Edmonton Oil Kings and Vancouver Giants.