New Pembina Valley GM hoping to turn team around

The Pembina Valley Twisters find themselves in unfamiliar territory this season, and have brought in some extra help to try and rise up the standings.

The Manitoba Major Junior Hockey League (MMJHL) team hired John Mintenko as a general manager. The Twisters have been a solid franchise over the years in the MMJHL, which differentiates itself from other junior leagues with looser age restrictions.

Those results have taken a step back this season.

Pembina Valley, which plays out of the Morris Multiplex, are at the bottom of the league’s standings, with only seven points in 23 games this season.

“It’s certainly exciting for me to try and build something back up here,” Mintenko said.

“We’ve got a good group of guys, but it’s not a familiar territory for us to be at the bottom of the league right now. It’s a challenge, but it’s a work in progress.”

The Twisters made the MMJHL finals last season, but were forced to deal with massive roster turnover after a number of players chose to not return to the team and suit up in other leagues. While those departures have left the franchise struggling this year, Mintenko is confident the Twisters can quickly return to competitiveness.

“The program speaks for itself,” he said.

“Look at the history of the club, and the success the team has had… If anyone’s unsure, all they need to do is come to the rink once, meet the ownership group, meet the coaches, see the dressing room and the facilities and everything offered to the players with our organization. It’s second to none.”

Pembina Valley is one of two teams in the MMJHL based outside of Winnipeg alongside Stonewall. Historically, players have come from the Pembina Valley and Eastman minor hockey systems, which stretch as far west as Notre Dame and as far north as Lac du Bonnet.

“I want to see us use our whole region, obviously,” Mintenko said.

“We want to get the best players possible, but further than that, we want to have good people in that room… We want kids that want to be there.”

Mintenko spent four seasons playing with the Charleswood Hawks in the MMJHL in the late 90s/early 00s and suited up for the Altona Maroons in the South East Manitoba Hockey League for 14 seasons.

“I’m getting to learn the league again, it’s been a long time since I’ve been a part of it,” Mintenko said.

“The first month has been fun, it’s been good. Obviously some frustrations about not winning many hockey games, but like I said earlier it’s a work in progress and we’re excited to build it back up.”

A boom of new teams playing in the region, including La Broquerie in the junior B Capital Region Junior Hockey League, and three new teams in the Hanover-Tache Junior Hockey League ate into Pembina Valley’s Eastman recruitment efforts.

Challenges could multiply for other teams in the region, as Altona is pushing to join the CRJHL as well.