If you've ever had a chance to sit and chat with a professional hockey player in a less-formal setting, you know that all players have about a million stories from their careers they enjoy telling. Minor-league hockey players always seem to have more of the crazier stories thanks to there being less cameras and eyeballs on them, so I couldn't pass up the opportunity to add another great read to the library that is all about one man's hockey experiences. Teebz's Book Club is proud to review Tales from the Bus Leagues, written and published by Jamie McKinven. This book is one hundred stories from Jamie's life where hockey was his only concern as he played in the NCAA, the ECHL, the CHL, and in Europe over the course of his career, and the end result is a book where I couldn't turn pages fast enough when it came to reading about these stops in his career!
Jamie McKinven's biography comes from his Queen's University page where he serves as the women's hockey assistant coach! That biography reads, "Jamie is in his 9th season as an Assistant Coach with the team where he specializes in working primarily with the defense and on defensive systems and tactics on top of individual skill development & data/analytics. A Kingston, Ontario native, McKinven played NCAA Division I hockey at Clarkson University, earning the Fran Narigan Award for excellence in academics, athletics, and humanitarianism in his senior year. Following his collegiate career, he played professionally in the ECHL, Central Hockey League, and Europe. After his playing career, McKinven served as Assistant Coach and Director of Player Development for the Kingston Voyageurs Jr. A Hockey Club and as a skill development specialist with FL Sports Inc. and McKinven Hockey Development & Consulting." It should also be noted that he's written three books about hockey including Tales from the Bus Leagues!
Tales from the Bus Leagues takes you through Jamie McKinven's career, starting in junior hockey in Ottawa to his university days in Potsdam, New York to playing in hockey hotbeds such as Shreveport, Amarillo, Augusta, and more! McKinven's experiences are documented along the way as he includes lessons learned in and around the game, pranks pulled and experienced, teammates that made his career memorable, and some of the more memorable events and people that make Tales from the Bus Leagues a funny and enjoyable read!
You might be asking who McKinven played with or against that you know, and there were some notable names who skated in the leagues he did. Former NHL defender Grant Clitsome is the victim of a McKinven prank in one story, former NHL centerman Craig Conroy rewards McKinven and his teammates for their hockey skills, and former NHL forward David Desharnais was an opponent at one point. McKinven tells the story of Mike Sgroi who might be the scariest man on skates, and he talks about fighting the much larger Joel Irving, a Montreal Canadiens prospect. Through it all, McKinven ensures the humourous look at his career continues in Tales from the Bus Leagues.
What kept me hooked into Tales from the Bus Leagues early on was McKinven's experience in Serbia. During his time over there, the former Yugoslavia had broken up and there were still remnants of the war that went on all around Belgrade where he was playing. Rather than focusing on the conditions in and around Belgrade, McKinven spoke of the culture and people with very high regard. He writes,
"Considering that Serbians have been living with the constant presence of war and conflict for centuries, it makes complete sense that they would be extremely proud people. Family, religion and deep-rooted cultural values are what have guided the Serbians through their darkest days. It's the foundation of their perserverance, something we, as Canadians, were lax and somewhat absentminded about. It wasn't that we didn't appreciate the importance of these values. It was more that we never had to rely on them for survival."
That's a profound statement from a guy who was there to play hockey, but his experiences there and the teammates he befriended in Belgrade were reminders that he was stranger in a foreign land. I appreciate his cultural perspective on his time in Serbia, and I'm glad he wrote about it with such clarity, honesty, and transparency.
There are a range of hilarious and entertaining stories in Tales from the Bus Leagues that include McKinven's experiences as a hockey player at The Masters, life as a university student-athlete, bus trips on two different continents, run-ins with coaches, and a pile of other stories that came from his career in the minor leagues. Some are admittedly childish in nature, but they're all part of Jamie McKinven's experience in being a minor-league professional hockey player!
Overall, Tales from the Bus Leagues is a fun read that should generate a smile during some of the stories thanks to the craziness in which McKinven and his teammates indulge. McKinven makes it clear that anyone who is a minor-league hockey player isn't playing for the money, and this is a lesson repeated in a number of the stories. What should be remembered, though, is that McKinven has had himself a lifetime of experiences doing what he loved, and it's easy to award Tales from the Bus Leagues the Teebz's Book Club Seal of Approval!
Tales from the Bus Leagues was released back in 2015, so you can likely find it on library shelves right now. I read the eBook version that is linked above, and it was easy to get into the book as it's funny, has short stories that last only a few pages at most, and is all about hockey. McKinven's stories occasionally contain some strong language, so it would recommended for older teens and adult hockey fans. However, Tales from the Bus Leagues is an excellent, fun read with great hockey stories, and it comes highly recommended!
I have never been to Stavely, Alberta, but the town was shaken to its core tonight upon hearing the news that three young hockey players lost their lives today following an automobile accident. The three players from the Southern Alberta Mustangs were reportedly headed to practice when their small car collided with a truck carrying gravel at an intersection just outside of town on Highway 2. This is a heartbreaking moment for the town and the team, and I can't imagine the grief that is being suffered in the town of approximately 550 people and by the families of the three players. This is a tragedy and HBIC sends its deepest condolences to the players' families, friends, and teammates.
The three players - 18 year-old players JJ Wright and Cameron Casorso from Kamloops, BC, and 17 year-old player Caden Fine of Birmingham, Alabama - were pronounced dead on the scene following the accident. RCMP are still investigating what led to the collision, but the the driver of the truck, a 40-year-old man living in Stavely, was treated for minor injuries. I can't imagine what he's going through tonight, and my hope is he can find peace at some point.
The loss of the these three young men will undoubtedly ripple through the hockey community, and there have already been incredible gestures made as the Calgary Flames held a moment of silence in honour of these young men while Prime Minister Mark Carney issued a statement in finding out about this tragedy. We can talk about scores and stats all we want, but it's times like these where the humanity of the game comes through as the hockey community bands together to support one another in a time of need.
Mike Gilroy, a former player co-ordinator with the Mustangs, worked with the three players last summer, telling The Canadian Press, "They had the spark in their eyes and the fire in their hearts every day and enjoyed being a part of a team and took the time to put in the extra work to be successful.
"It is far too soon for young, talented people like this."
Gilroy's statement is entirely right as forward JJ Wright, goaltender Cameron Casorso, and centerman Caden Fine were just starting to find their stride in the United States Premier Hockey League with the Mustangs. The USPHL prides itself as a "top junior hockey level, with more than 1,000 alumni In college hockey every season" and these players looked like they were following that path before this tragedy. It's with a heavy heart that their stories come to an end today.
The Southern Alberta Mustangs issued the following statement today:
"It is with unimaginable heartbreak that we confirm three players from the Southern Alberta Mustangs were killed in a motor vehicle accident earlier today while travelling to team practice.
"There are no words that can adequately express the depth of our grief. These young men were more than hockey players — they were teammates, sons, brothers, friends, and deeply loved members of our Mustangs family and the communities we call home.
"Our hearts are with the families, friends, billet families, teammates, coaches, and everyone who loved them. We ask that their families be given privacy and compassion as they navigate this devastating loss.
"The Southern Alberta Mustangs organization is working closely with authorities and will continue to support our players, staff, and families in every way possible during this incredibly difficult time.
"We are a family, and today our family is hurting."
Signed by team owners, I cannot even comprehend how difficult it would have been to compose that statement. Games will undoubtedly be put on hold as the Mustangs work through the grieving process, but I don't know how any team would regroup for games following a loss like this. They seem meaningless considering what has happened.
My thoughts are with the team, coaches, and families tonight in this unimaginable tragedy. I can't imagine the pain they're feeling, and I want to pass on my deepest condolences to all whose lives had been touched by these three men because they are gone far too soon.
There was a delay on this article thanks to Mother Nature interfering with the schedule set out by Canada West. Regina and Saskatchewan were forced to play the second game in their two-game set on Sunday as a winter storm swept into the rectangular province, and full credit to the two teams for not putting anyone at risk by travelling when it wasn't ideal. As such, this article was on pause when it came to being published until those teams got that final contest of the weekend in, but let's see how everything played out this week on The Rundown!
THURSDAY: You know it's Crowchild Classic season when the Calgary Dinos and Mount Royal Cougars are playing on a Thursday afternoon inside the Saddledome! The Dinos were looking to close the gap between themselves and the Cougars when it came to first-place in the East Division while the Cougars wanted to stretch the lead and lockdown a quarterfinal bye before February. With playoff positioning on the line and playing in the big rink, this was a marquee matchup!
SATURDAY: After having an extra day to lick their wounds following the loss, Mount Royal met Calgary at Father David Bauer Arena. The Cougars wanted the split to restore the gap following Thursday's setback, and the Dinos were looking for another win to put pressure on Mount Royal. The stakes remained high between these two teams with points on the line and a potential bye waiting for the winner!
Cougars goals: Gabby Lindsay (3), Julia Duke (9), Allee Gerrard (10)
Cougars assists: Kaia Borbandy (6), Kiana McNinch (10), Isa MacPhee (10), Summer Fomradas (11)
Cougars netminder: Scout Anderson (23/27) in 63:02
Dinos goals: Solana Cooper (3), Brooklyn Anderson (6), Jess Martens (7), Brooklyn Anderson (7)
Dinos assists: Bree Kennedy (5), Solana Cooper (2), Sydney Mercier (5), Emma Tait (2), Alex Spence (11), Evelyn Lawrence (7)
Dinos netminder: Amelia Awad (34/37) in 63:02
Result: 4-3 overtime victory for Calgary over Mount Royal.
FRIDAY: The Manitoba Bisons hit the road with their destination set as Edmonton where the Alberta Pandas were waiting. The Pandas were looking to open up a wider gap between them and idle Trinity Western with wins over Manitoba. The Bisons were hunting for points in their attempt to catch and overtake Saskatchewan, so both teams came into this weekend's series knowing their assignments!
Pandas goals: Raegan Yewdall (4), Jadynn Morden (6), Abby Soyko (8), Natalie Kieser (6), Natalie Kieser (7)
Pandas assists: Hayleigh Craig (7), Sara Kazeil (2), Natalie Kieser (9), Alexandra Black (1), Sara Kazeil (2), Holly Magnus (12), Riley Smith (5)
Pandas netminders: Mackenzie Dojahn (19/23) in 61:56
Result: 5-4 overtime victory for Alberta over Manitoba.
SATURDAY: The stakes remained the same as the night before as both Alberta and Manitoba were seeking points. Both teams got points on Friday, but finishing off the weekend with a regulation win would be big for both sides. Manitoba, who held a one-goal lead after rallying in the third period on Friday, ended up on the wrong side of another game where they led, so will those losses come back to haunt them?
FRIDAY: There wasn't a lot of math needed for the MacEwan Griffins this weekend: win against UBC to keep their season alive. A sweep would keep their slim playoff hopes alive. Anything less would mean another offseason starting in February for MacEwan with the remainder of the schedule switching to "spoiler mode". For UBC, this weekend was about playing well and preventing injuries.
SATURDAY: With UBC's win, MacEwan was officially out of needed games to overtake anyone for a playoff spot in the West Division, so this second game of the two-game set was nothing more than two teams at different levels of Canada West hockey. That being said, the Griffins weren't about to roll over on home ice as they looked to give UBC a headache and, potentially, a loss as this series came to an end.
FRIDAY: The U Prairie Challenge was center-stage for the province of Saskatchewan as the Huskies met the Cougars in Regina. Two wins in regulation time by the Huskies would eliminate their southern counterparts from the playoffs, so Saskatchewan was looking to make things very unhappy in Regina. The Cougars were needing to beat the Huskies to close the gap between them as they needed to leap past Manitoba and Saskatchewan to make the playoffs. Sweeping the opposition was the goal for both squads in this U Prairie Challenge!
SUNDAY: As stated at the top of the article, Mother Nature's wintery grip on Saskatchewan pushed the second-half of the U Prairie Challenge to Sunday as Regina and Saskatchewan met in Saskatoon late this evening. If the Huskies win in regulation, the Cougars would not be able to overtake them in the standings, eliminating them from the playoffs. If the Cougars earn a point or more, it sets up an important battle with Manitoba next weekend to keep their playoff hopes alive. Would we see desperation hockey from Regina?
Huskies goals: Paris Oleksyn (3), Kahlen Wisener (6)
Huskies assists: Jayde Cadieux (9), Julianna Herman (1)
Huskies shootout scorers: Sara Kendall
Huskies netminders: Colby Wilson (25/27) in 65:00 plus 4/6 shootout attempts
Don't even ask about divisions. I'm not interested in that setup. It's one conference, nine teams, and we'll see who is best in the west.
CANADA WEST WOMEN'S HOCKEY
School
Record
Points
GF
GA
Streak
Next
UBC
22-2-2-0
48
80
23
W6
vs ALB
Mount Royal
12-6-6-2
38
64
43
L3
BYE
Calgary
13-5-3-4
34
58
44
W2
vs SAS
Alberta
8-7-2-7
27
50
55
L1
@ UBC
Saskatchewan
6-9-4-5
25
38
53
L1
@ CAL
Manitoba
7-9-2-6
24
55
62
W1
@ REG
Trinity Western
5-12-6-1
23
53
58
L3
@ MAC
Regina
4-12-4-4
20
37
59
W1
vs MAN
MacEwan
3-17-2-2
12
23
61
L3
vs TWU
Honour Roll
Each week on The Rundown, I highlight the best performances from the weekend's games. It won't always be the top scorer or the best goalie, but I'll have a reason for who gets picked each week. She normally shows up earlier on this list, but there's no doubting that Manitoba Bisons forward Norah Collins is an important scorer for Manitoba. Adding three goals and three assists against Alberta this weekend helped the Bisons earn three points, but Norah Collins' six-point effort was big and that's how she made the Honour Roll!
Collins was a phenomenal scorer at the AAA level in Manitoba, and I expected to see her put into prominent offensive opportunities with the Bisons after she committed to them. Her first two seasons with the squad saw her play 27 games combined which was wholly puzzling considering how good she had been, but she broke out with 12 goals and 16 points last season to announce her presence in Canada West.
This season saw her getting chances, but pucks weren't finding twine. That all changed when the calendar flipped to 2026 as Collins has gone off since returning from the break. She has scored five of her eight goals over the last eight games and eleven of her 15 points have been scored over the last four weeks. As we know, six of those points came against the Pandas, and the Bisons are going to need Collins to remain hot if they're going to overtake the Huskies. Scoring points on 75% of the goals scored in a weekend is one way to do that, and that's how Manitoba Bisons forward Norah Collins made the list!
Big Crowd!
The Crowchild Classic was another success for the Dinos and Cougars this season as Calgary's two U SPORTS schools saw both the men's and women's games played at the Scotiabank Saddledome. While the crowd was sparse on Thursday for the afternoon women's game, the men's game was sold out weeks ago as 13,324 people pushed through the turnstiles in downtown Calgary! That total might be more than all of Canada West's season combined! Well done, Dinos and Cougars!
Full marks go out to everyone who attended the Crowchild Classic at the Saddledome because that place was rocking on Thursday night who set a U SPORTS record for the largest crowd for any U SPORTS game! The record they smashed this season was the one they set last year at the Saddledome when 13,139 fans watched the schools' hockey squads battle! My only question is why this crowd doesn't materialize every weekend in Calgary for Canada West hockey.
The fans clearly enjoyed the games, these four teams are highly-competitive, and all four have a shot at a National Championship berth. I know they don't play in the Saddledome every week, but seeing that electricity in the building is something both athletic departments should be looking to replicate each week!
Playoff Picture
It should come as no surprise that UBC is in and they have home-ice advantage throughout the playoffs. Mount Royal is in, but are still battling for a quarterfinal bye with the Calgary Dinos, and things could get very interesting based on next weekend's results. Calgary, for the record, is also in, but here's where the math gets involved:
All of the head-to-head stats are identical as both teams have 3-2-1 records for seven points, and both teams have scored 13 goals against one another. Throw away the head-to-head stats.
Total wins in league play would be the next tie-breaker, and that's where Calgary would move ahead if they win both games against Saskatchewan. Calgary would have 17 total wins to Mount Royal's 16 wins. At the end of the day, wins matter.
It isn't often that Mount Royal cheers for the Saskatchewan Huskies, but they'll be pulling for the team in green next weekend in order for Mount Royal to stay ahead. Four points by the Dinos would push them into first-place in the East Division with two games remaining for each team. The Dinos play the Bisons in Winnipeg on the final weekend while Mount Royal is in Saskatoon to play the Huskies.
Alberta and Trinity Western are both in thanks to UBC defeating MacEwan this weekend, but where they finish is still up in the air. Alberta has a four-point lead on Trinity Western, but Trinity Western holds the tie-breaker over Alberta. With Trinity Western playing MacEwan next week and Alberta meeting up with UBC, there's a chance that this race comes down to the last weekend of the season as well. In that case, Alberta and MacEwan have a home-and-home series whereas Trinity Western hosts Regina. Home-ice advantage for the quarterfinal series is still up for grabs in the West Division.
Saskatchewan holds a one-point lead over Manitoba for the final playoff spot in the East Division, and the Huskies may be in tough with back-to-back weekends against Calgary and Mount Royal. If they want to play at Nationals, however, they'll likely need to beat at least one of those teams in the playoffs so maybe this is what they want. In any case, Manitoba needs to sweep Regina in the Queen City and handle the Dinos at home. Nothing is guaranteed as of yet, so the final playoff spot looks like it will be a race to the finish!
Speaking of which, the Regina Cougars, thanks to their shootout win over the Huskies tonight, kept their hopes for a postseason berth alive for another week. Regina has to sweep the Bisons next week at home while getting some help from the Calgary Dinos in order to jump right back into the race, so the Cougars have to win if they want a shot. If they split with Manitoba, the playoff dream is over.
Unfortunately for the MacEwan Griffins, they'll be playing spoiler for the final two weekends of the season. They were officially eliminated with their loss on Friday to the UBC Thunderbirds, so they'll do their best to ruin playoff hopes for both Trinity Western and Alberta who they meet over the final two weekends of the campaign.
The Last Word
We're now into February on the calendar with five playoff spots still to be determined. I don't know if anyone could have predicted that we'd have playoff races right into the final weekend this year based on how some of these teams started the season, but this is where we find ourselves. If you're not excited for Canada West hockey over the next two weeks, you may want to check your pulse just to be sure.
Obviously, things may be a little different for the Mount Cougars as they go into the bye week by sending their coach to Italy, but I want to wish Scott Rivett all the best as he gets ready for Czechia's opening game in four days against Team USA! Czechia is looking for a medal at these Olympic Games, and the only question might be what colour that medal is when the dust settles! Good luck, Scott!
UBC will be down a solid player as well as Vanessa Schaefer will suit up with the Swiss team in Milano-Cortina! The last time we saw a player go to the Olympics, win a medal, and return to help her team win Canada West and the U SPORTS National Championship was 2018 when Venla Hovi captured a brozen medal in Pyeongchang only for her to return, help Manitoba dispatch Alberta and Saskatchewan, and then play a significant role in helping Manitoba secure the National Championship in London, Ontario! Is this Vanessa's time to shine?
Schaefer has a chance to do the same as she'll compete with Switzerland, rush back as fast as she can to suit up with UBC, and see if she can help the Thunderbirds win Canada West before heading out to Elmira, Ontario for the U SPORTS National Championship. I'm not saying there are similarities here, but there seems to be a number of opportunities for Schaefer to replicate what Hovi did! Could we see her bring home a medal only to help UBC capture a banner and bring home another important medal? We'll know soon enough!
The storylines are full of drama as we enter the two weeks of the season. How can anyone not get excited for what lies ahead?
I'll be fully honest in saying that I don't follow the CHL or its respective leagues likely as much as I did when the Winnipeg Ice were still a team. The Ice gave a reason to check in on the WHL and the other leagues under the CHL's umbrella, but I admittedly have not being doing that since they relocated to Wenatchee. Having spent the day in Brandon, it got me thinking that I should do more, and then social media got into the act tonight as several accounts posted the same clip from the OHL that will likely give one player a league-imposed break from hockey. The player pictured above is that player, and his name is Adam Levac who is a second-year centerman for the OHL's Peterborough Petes.
Levac is having himself a solid season this year. He skated in 57 games last year as 16 year-old where he had six goals and ten points, and he's shown solid improvement this season with 14 goals and 36 points in 48 games. Being a solid scorer at the OHL level is always encouraging to see because younger players can be overwhelmed by the league and its older players who often get the scoring chances.
In saying that, there is one thing that Levac doesn't do at this point in his career, and that's being an enforcer for the Petes. Levac has just one career fight in the OHL so far, but has been known to a throw a big hit every now and then as he has a physical side. Tonight, though, he used a move during a skirmish that will force him to miss games.
Let's go to the video from tonight's contest between the Petes and the Ottawa 67's where a melee broke out on the ice where Levac was paired up with Ottawa defender Kaleb Dietsch for some dancing.
I'm not sure what was going through Levac's mind when he swept the leg out from under Dietsch, but that move earned him a five-minute major penalty and a match penalty. I can understand Levac likely wasn't appreciating Dietsch's jabs despite him wearing his gloves, but that's what can happen when a player stands three inches shorter in a fight. What Levac did was completely uncalled for and rightfully deserves supplemental discipline, so he should expect a call from the OHL as early as tomorrow before the Petes arrive in Kingston.
I believe it should be a heavy suspension based on Levac's actions. As we know, the slew-foot alone will like get him a game or two, so that's a given. However, the fact that Levac landed on top of Dietsch and then started throwing punches will likely get him the longer suspension that he deserves. Had Dietsch been injured by the slew-foot move, this could have been much worse. Thankfully, it wasn't, but Levac doesn't get rewarded because Dietsch avoided injury.
Secondly, Dietsch has six total fights in his career. The jabs he threw with a gloved hand are done to keep Levac at a distance rather than trying to hurt him. I'm not saying that Diestch wasn't prepared to drop the gloves, but the fact that he still had his gloves on as Levac engaged him suggests he wasn't looking for a fight. In using his longer reach, he kept Levac where he could avoid damage, and that's when Levac pulled out the slew-foot to put Dietsch on his back.
Based on all of this evidence, this has to be a ten-game suspension. The slew-foot alone has to be worth two or three games just for safety reasons, but Levac landing on top of him and throwing punches will add another six-to-eight games for me. I'm not saying that Levac and Dietsch weren't going to fight had this played out normally, but the fact that Levac decided to commit two egregious acts - slew-footing an opponent and punching a player whil he's down - means that a message must be sent so this doesn't happen again.
No one is saying that Adam Levac is a bad player. He simply made bad decisions that could have resulted in terrible things happening to another player. I'm glad that Kaleb Dietsch is alright and will likely play against Sudbury on Sunday, but Levac should probably be prepared to watch a lot of game film over the next two weeks because he won't soon be on the ice for the Peterborough Petes.
The Hockey Show, Canada's only campus-produced radio show that strictly talks hockey, is back in the cozy confines of the UMFM studio tonight where it will be a normal temperature unlike our rink setting last week. Obviously, our hosts had a blast seeing some of the best women's hockey action this province has to offer at the 2026 Female World Sport School Challenge, and they'll wrap up that experience with some well-deserved thank-yous, a recap of what happened, and a discussion on where the tournament may go from here. And then they'll talk other hockey stuff too! It's a fun episode with looks at hockey from across the globe tonight on The Hockey Show at 5:30pm CT!
Tonight, Teebz and Jason show a little gratitude in thanking at all the people who made the 2026 Female World Sport School Challenge memorable, entertaining, and fun. Beyond that discussion, they'll also chat about the results and who finished where, highlights for each of the two radio voices, and where they may see the tournament going in 2027. They'll also discuss a former Bisons coach getting the bump to head coach in another league, an SDHL team that is making a hard decision on its future, the KHL being the KHL with some of the news coming out of that league, and there's an exciting development coming out of the University of Waterloo about concussion detection! It should be an interesting show based on those stories and more, so make sure you're listening tonight to The Hockey Show at 5:30pm CT on one of 101.5 FM, Channel 718 on MTS TV, or via UMFM.com!
If you live outside Winnipeg and want to listen, we have options! The UMFM website's streaming player works well if you want to listen online. We also recommend Radio Garden if you need an easy-to-use online stream. If you're more of an app person, we recommend you use the TuneIn app found on the App Store or Google Play Store.
If you have questions, you can email all show queries and comments to hockeyshow@umfm.com! Tweet me anytime with questions you may have by hitting me up at @TeebzHBIC on Twitter! I'm here to listen to you, so make your voice heard! And because both Teebz and Jason are on the butterfly app where things are less noisy, you can find Teebz here and Jason here on Bluesky!
Tonight, Teebz and Jason chat about great people, great moments, big wins, new jobs, less teams, questionable hires, former stars, brain care, and much more exclusively on 101.5 UMFM and on the UMFM.com web stream!
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