The Rundown - The Playoff Picture
Math: Zero (clinched)
Record: 16-1-1-0 (34 points)
UBC is the lone team who has already clinched a playoff spot, so they get the luxury of being able to rest players as they see fit. That might not be in their best interest, however, as they added an international star over the break by signing Russian forward Ilona Markova who was drafted by PWHL's Boston Fleet last season. The catch here will be finding players who complement Markova's playing style as she can be an aggressive goal scorer. Whether Markova is game-ready is also a question as she took a year off from hockey, but the Thunderbirds have the entire second half of the season to get her ready for a run at another Canada West banner. It's never a negative to add more scoring punch, and Markova could take pressure of Elliott's line.
Math: Six games
Record: 9-3-5-1 (29 points)
You might be asking how the math is six games, but if both assuming all of Mount Royal, Saskatchewan, and Regina open their second half with wins, the Alberta cats will officially clinch with six wins as Regina will run short in games when it comes to catching Mount Royal. Any other combination of Mount Royal wins and Regina losses totalling six games will allow Mount Royal to clinch. Did I mentioned that Mount Royal and Regina play one another in the fifth and sixth games back after the break? Mount Royal could clinch a playoff spot on home ice depending on how each fares to open the second half of the season. Regina has Calgary, Alberta at home, and Mount Royal to deal with while Mount Royal hosts UBC, visits Saskatchewan, and welcomes Regina to their barn. Mount Royal still has work to do.
Math: Two wins plus six games
Record: 10-4-1-3 (25 points)
As stated above, the Calgary Dinos have work to do right in the opening games of the second half as they host the Regina Cougars. If they can earn the full four points on that weekend, all they need to do is find any other combination of wins and Regina losses totalling six games, and they clinch a playoff spot. If they were to lose or split those two games, things could get more complicated for the Dinos as they visit UBC, have a bye, and then play the Crowchild Classic against the Cougars. Those two games against Mount Royal could be must-win games depending on what other teams do, but they should already be must-win if the Dinos want to bump Mount Royal from first-place in the division. Like Mount Royal, the Dinos still have a lot of work to do in the second half if they want to host playoff games.
Math: Six games
Record: 7-6-0-5 (19 points)
First-place in the West is likely out of the question despite the math saying there's a chance. That being said, Alberta is playing for second-place and a chance to host the crossover team from the East. With MacEwan back eight points, any combination of Alberta wins and MacEwan losses totalling six games will give the Pandas entry into the Canada West playoffs. It seems as though the battle for second-place will come down to the wire with Trinity Western, but the Pandas and Spartans will not see each other again this season. Therefore, they'll need some help from the Spartans' opponents if they hope to claim second-place in the West. For the Pandas, it's all about winning.
Math: Four wins plus five games
Record: 5-6-3-2 (18 points)
The Huskies have two key divisional matchups they have to win if they want to clinch a playoff spot: they need to sweep Manitoba at home in the first week back, and they need to sweep the home-and-home on January 30 and 31 against Regina. Splitting either or both series isn't the end of the world, but they need help if those results are recorded. If they do sweep both series, any combination of Huskies wins and Cougars losses totalling five games will give push the Huskies into the playoffs. Saskatchewan does play in Calgary against the Dinos and at home against Mount Royal to finish the season, so winning as many games before February starts should be the goal for the Huskies. If they do that, they're playoff bound.
Math: Four wins over MacEwan
Record: 3-9-5-1 (17 points)
The Spartans can do themselves a huge favour by sweeping the MacEwan Griffins in the first weekend back on the ice. They can lock up a playoff spot if they do the same in the first week of February as the Griffins won't have enough games left to make up the point difference. The Spartans struggled going into the December break with five-straight losses, so jumping into the win column in January against the team chasing them would do a world of good. Of course, the remaining games against Manitoba, UBC, and Regina could very well determine if the Spartans will host playoff games. However, focusing on beating MacEwan four times puts them in the playoffs.
Math: Two key sweeps plus help
Record: 3-8-2-3 (13 points)
The only way that the Regina Cougars make the playoffs at this rate is to sweep both the Huskies and Bisons in their second-half series, and to grab as many points off of Calgary, Alberta, Mount Royal, and Trinity Western. Even then, they may still need help from other teams. Regina entered the December break on a six-game slide where they were shutout three times and scored just six goals - five of which came against Manitoba. The Cougars need to simplify their game, get pucks and bodies to the net, and start denting twine if they want to play into late February. Sweeping those series against Saskatchewan and Manitoba would put them right back into the thick of the race. Anything less might result in a longer offseason.
Math: Three key sweeps plus help
Record: 2-8-2-4 (12 points)
It's hard to play from behind all season and expect to win many games, so the Bisons need to prove that they belong in the playoffs by scoring first, scoring more, and winning key games. They can do that with a sweep in Saskatoon to start the second half, earning a sweep against MacEwan, and sweeping Regina on the road. Those twelve points would put them back in the race, but the wins over the Huskies and Griffins are vital for the wins against the Cougars to even matter. Taking points off the Spartans, the Pandas, and the Dinos would also help, but sweeping the teams that the Bisons should beat are key to their postseason hopes. Otherwise, see you next season.
Math: Four wins over TWU plus help
Record: 2-12-2-2 (10 points)
No team is out of the race at this point, and MacEwan has a chance to earn eight points against a team that has a seven-point edge on them. That alone should be enough motivation for the Griffins to throw everything they have at this second half, but sweeping the Bisons would put all sorts of pressure on both Alberta and Trinity Western. Like Manitoba, MacEwan has to start scoring first more often and score a pile more goals for insurance in those games, but they have shown they can defend well and have solid netminding to earn wins. It's still a longshot for them to make the playoffs, but if they can put it all together in the second half we may have our first Griffins sighting in the Canada West playoffs! It's still possible!
The Three-Point World
In a perfect world, Canada West would be using the three-point system for regulation wins while playing as one conference, so let's take a look at how the standings would look if they had implemented that system this season. Note the differences in point totals.| School | Record | Points | 3pt Points | Div. Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UBC | 16-1-1-0 | 34 | 50 | 1st in West |
| Mount Royal | 9-3-5-1 | 29 | 38 | 1st in East |
| Calgary | 10-4-1-3 | 25 | 35 | 2nd in East |
| Alberta | 7-6-0-5 | 19 | 26 | 2nd in West |
| Saskatchewan | 5-6-3-2 | 18 | 23 | 3rd in East |
| Trinity Western | 3-9-5-1 | 17 | 20 | 3rd in East |
| Regina | 3-8-2-3 | 13 | 16 | 4th in East |
| Manitoba | 2-8-2-4 | 12 | 14 | 5th in East |
| MacEwan | 2-12-2-2 | 10 | 12 | 4th in East |
There's zero change in the standings as you can see, but the reward for winning in regulation time is significant in a number of occasions. Note that Mount Royal and Calgary are currently separated by four points (two wins), but Calgary only trails by three points (one regulation win) when the standings shift to the three-point system. Additionally, Alberta has a mere two-point lead on Trinity Western currently, but it jumps to a six-point lead (two regulation wins) in the three-point system. This is significant for two reasons.
Rewarding teams for losing means nothing once a team hits the playoffs. Trinity Western has gathered 11 of its 17 points this season in overtime or the skills competition (3-1 in OT; 2-0 in the shootout), but they sit two points back of Alberta who have seven regulation wins. While no one is faulting the Spartans for battling to a conclusion, Alberta should be rewarded for winning in regulation more than Trinity Western who recorded five wins in extra time.
The same goes true for Saskatchewan who would boast a seven-point margin over Regina thanks to winning more games in regulation time. It also closes the gap between Mount Royal and Calgary as Calgary has more wins in regulation time. Winning in sixty minutes should mean something more if the losing team gains a point in an extra time loss.
Secondly, it's time to abolish the shootout entirely because it means nothing. If neither team earns a victory in regulation time, both get a point. If both sides fail to score after a ten-minute overtime period, they both LOSE the opportunity for an extra point. Extra time losses and ties would be worth the same amount in the standings, but no team would take home that key third point in the game. Hockey games are won and lost by teams, not breakaway competitions.
At some point, common sense will make the Canada West standings make better sense. These are easy fixes that should be implemented sooner than later so that good teams are rewarded for hard work.
The Last Word
We're four days from starting a new calendar. With 2025 coming to an end, we're leaving behind the Alberta Pandas hanging another banner in Clare Drake Arena, the Bishop's Gaiters winning their first U SPORTS National Championship, Grace Elliott's assault on the UBC and Canada West record books, and Elise Hugens setting new goaltending records. 2026 will see another banner awarded to the Canada West champions, another Golden Path Trophy awarded to the best team in Canadian university women's hockey, and a reset in the fall when all nine teams begin their quests for glory and championships again.Happy New Year, folks. Canada West hockey's back in two weeks!
Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!
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