THE BATTLEFORDS — The Battlefords North Stars are hosting the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League Hall of Fame weekend, June 21-22.
Two stories in the North Battleford Regional News Optimist and SASKTODAY.ca outlined the first six inductees selected for this ceremony. 2 Battlefords families to be inducted to SJHL Hall of Fame. - SaskToday.ca and Four more inductees to SJHL Hall of Fame from North Stars. - SaskToday.ca .
The remaining six inductees are finalized for these induction ceremonies coming up in the Battlefords.
The 2016-17 Battlefords North Stars team will be inducted. They ended the regular season with a 48-9-1 record, posting a total of 223 goals for and only 103 goals against, which set the SJHL record for fewest goals against in a season.
This team finished first in the league heading into playoffs that year where they put up a 12-0 record to sweep all rounds against Weyburn, Estevan and Flin Flon. This achievement had only occurred two times prior in SJHL history, up until this point, with the most recent being 35 years ago. The second championship in North Stars history was won with this remarkable team.
Several members of this 2016-17 team lead the league in points as well as Cody Spagrud was named the SJHL Defenceman of that year. Goaltending was another highlight as the duo of Taryn Kotchorek and Joel Gryzbowski finished first and second in every goaltending stat in the league that season.
Travis Clayton is another inductee named from the North Stars, who joined the team in 1992, playing until 1997. Clayton played a total of 208 games earning 397 points. A pro career followed with the CHL and IHL from 1997-2001 where Clayton amassed 1013 points in 913 games, before transitioning to coach. His most recent job was in the AJHL.
Three other well-known individuals honoured at this June 2024 induction ceremony are Drew Bagnall, Todd McLellan and Kelly McCrimmon.
Bagnall started his North Stars career in 2000 where he played until 2003. From the SJHL he played four years with St. Lawrence University followed by five years in the minor leagues. At the age of 27, Bagnall made his NHL debut playing for the Minnesota Wild, and primarily played captain as the Wild’s affiliate AHL, Houston Aeros. Bagnall left the Wild organization in 2013 spending his time in the Buffalo Sabres organization with the Rochester Americans, serving as captain. He announced his retirement in August of 2015.
Todd McLellan is a well-known hockey personality, once affiliated with the Battlefords North Stars, serving as their coach in 1994, migrating to the WHL Swift Current Broncos. While with the Broncos he earned WHL Executive of the Year in 1997 and Coach of the Year in 2000.
Following his WHL experience he transitioned to the NHL beginning with the Minnesota Wild and several teams in the IHL and AHL before returning to NHL coaching duties, He won his first Stanley Cup with the Detroit Red Wings in 2007-08 season. He earned several accolades in the NHL. Before coaching he played in the WHL, MHL and AHL along with a short stint in Europe
Another recognizable name from the Battlefords North Stars inductees to the SJHL Hall of Fame is Kelly McCrimmon. McCrimmon spent his first years of coaching junior hockey in the SJHL, serving with the North Battleford North Stars for two seasons.
McCrimmon also has a long WHL and NHL resume including winning a Stanley Cup as general manager for the Las Vegas Golden Knights in the 2023-24 season.
Tickets are now on sale for this exciting event being held in the Battlefords on June 22 weekend and include weekend packages of golf and banquet as well as individual banquet tickets.
