So what have we learned so far from the first month or so of the 2016-17 Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League season?
Well for starters, trying to predict the results of the games on any given night is just as foolish as predicting the weather.
Heading into Tuesday night, the race for first place in the 12-team league is a very close one.
The Estevan Bruins and the Humboldt Broncos both have 29 points, while the Battlefords North Stars sit just one point behind them.
While the always-debatable Canadian Junior Hockey League Top 20 have the Bruins as the best team of the lot with a 10th place ranking at the moment (the Broncos are in 18th and the North Stars have received an honourable mention), I don’t think it’s that clear cut for who leads the pack.
Now naturally, I see the North Stars on a regular basis so I’m biased in that regard when compared to the other two sides.
With that said, their offensive attack has been tremendous during their six-game win streak, especially since Coby Downs has returned from the USHL’s Omaha Lancers.
It’s their defence, though, that stands out the most for me, especially with the outstanding play from goaltenders Taryn Kotchorek and Joel Grzybowski.
Looking at the Bruins, their offence is something to behold so far, as they led the league with 87 goals in 18 games.
However, they are giving up goals at an alarming rate, as their 69 goals against is tied with the Melfort Mustangs for the second most allowed so far this year.
They’re winning the high-scoring contests at the moment, including a wild 8-7 thriller in Melfort Sunday, but how long is that sustainable?
Although they didn’t show it in their first trip to the Civic Centre, the Broncos are a well-balanced team from top-to-bottom.
They also have a flair for the dramatic, with two late comebacks this past week over the Notre Dame Hounds and the Mustangs.
However, there’s more to the league than just those three teams.
Weyburn, Nipawin and Flin Flon can all sneak into the race for the league lead, and there’s a heck of a battle brewing for seventh spot between Notre Dame, Melville, Kindersley, Yorkton and Melfort.
And even though La Ronge has struggled out of the gates, they have been much better as of late.
I would advise everyone to strap themselves in. This year is going to be fun.
