Yorkton, Saskatchewan hockey fans can look forward to seeing star defenceman Thomas Ries back on the ice at Westland Insurance Arena next season. The Yorkton Terriers have announced that Ries, who was just named team MVP and the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League’s top defenceman, will be back for another year.
Ries, from Humboldt, had an outstanding 2025-26 season, leading all SJHL defencemen with 16 goals and 48 points. His performance earned him the SuperU Defenceman of the Year award, tied with Boston Harkness of the rival Melville Millionaires. “It was such a great year and such a great group of guys. I can’t wait for next year,” Ries said after receiving the team MVP honours.
Head Coach and General Manager Emery Olauson is building on a season that saw the Terriers win their first Viterra Division title in six years and reach the league semifinals. The team also recognized other top performers: forward Gabriel Courchesne took home awards for regular season top scorer, playoff top scorer, and scholar athlete. Goaltender Callum Creig and Tylan Henrikson were co-winners of the Ed Ruf Memorial Award, and Creig was a finalist for SJHL Goaltender of the Year. Rookie Cash Lanigan, who was named the league’s top first-year player with 48 points, also figures to be a key part of next year’s squad.
The Terriers selected nine players in the 2025 SJHL Draft last June, including first-round picks Nash Bullman and Trae Peterson. With Ries returning, the team is signaling a commitment to keeping a strong core together.
Fans can expect the Terriers to be a competitive force again when the new SJHL season gets underway. With a mix of veteran leaders like Ries and rising young talent, the team looks poised to build on last season’s success.
