Three players from the Yorkton Terriers are among the top athletes of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL). As the SJHL’s regular season enters its final weeks, three Yorkton Terriers players are near the top of the points race. “It’s a tremendous honour to be up there with a lot of guys,” said Jye Zawatsky, the Terriers’ left winger. “There’s a lot of good players in the league, so it’s pretty special.” Zawatsky, a hometown player, is currently third on the SJHL leaderboard with 69 points. “It’s a dream come true. My uncle used to coach the team when I was little, and my cousin played [here] as well,” he told CTV News during the team’s morning practice. “There’s a lot of history for the Zawatskys here and I’m happy to play for the team.” At the top of the list is the Yorkton Terrier’s forward, Quebec-born Gabriel Courchesne. The former Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League player joined the team this season. “I had my friend William that [is here], so I wanted to play with him this year,” Courchesne explained. “It was easy to join this team.” Despite being far away from his home province, he said he’s enjoying his time in Yorkton. “The city is nice and the fans are always coming to the games. We always have a lot of people here and it’s always a fun time to play here,” he said. With both individual points totals and the team’s success, the Terriers are the top team in their division and the second overall in the SJHL. Fighting for the top spot requires a lot of effort from each and every one of the players. “We usually go to the gym at 8:15 a.m., and then we go to the rink for like and hour and a half for practice,” William Leonard told CTV News. “And then school.” Leonard is also a top SJHL player, currently holding 4th position with 65 points. Like most junior hockey players, many of the Terriers have their eyes on eventually joining the NHL. “I’ve always wanted to be a professional player, so if I can get my schooling and degree after juniors, then hopefully I’m going to play pro,” Zawatsky said. The Yorkton Terriers are among the five teams who have already locked their spots in the playoffs, along with the Weyburn Red Wings, the Battlefords North Stars, the Nipawin Hawks, and the first place Flin Flon Bombers.
