The 35th season in Bonnyville Pontiacs franchise history begins on RJ Lalonde Arena ice this weekend with the home opener against the Devon Xtreme.
On Friday night before the game, come to the Centennial Centre early for our Tailgate Party kickoff. Come hungry, as there will be free burgers and cake for the first 200 fans starting at 5:00 pm.
On the ice, the Pontiacs have returned some familiar names fans will recognize, with some exciting young talent ready to take a step into junior hockey.
Head coach Chad Mercier is back for his second straight season and ninth overall as bench boss, providing stability for the organization. Hardy Sauter, who’s been a head coach at the WHL and ECHL levels, is also on the staff as an assistant coach, while Chad Carder returns for his third season after his promotion to associate coach.
Like every season, there’s the difficulty of replacing 20-year-old veterans like Ben Constantino, Brynn MacLean, Brent Hoshowski, Darren Wilson, and Ben Laurette. Plus, Bonnyville saw CJHL Rookie of the Year Gavin Harrison graduate to the WHL with the Swift Current Broncos, and other scorers like Max Pendy and Christophe Lussier go west.
With general manager Chad Nelson busy recruiting and acquiring fresh talent, the Pontiacs are ready for their first games at home, especially with seven of the first nine contests this season on the road.
Veterans to know
Deegan Kinniburgh is back for his third season in Bonnyville, after scoring 10 goals and 27 points a year ago. A veteran of 175 games in the WHL and AJHL, he will be leaned upon as a two-way centre for the Pontiacs in his 20-year-old year.
Maxim Shushkov is also in his third campaign and could be poised for a big offensive season on the Bonnyville blue line. In fact, the home opener on Friday will be Shushkov’s 100th AJHL regular season game. If the opening weekend in Grande Prairie is any indication, Shuskov will be a regular feature on the blueline as a 20-year-old.
Riley Pederson already had the makings of a power forward, standing 6-foot-4 and 219 pounds, but he worked in the offseason on improving his speed. He looked noticeably faster in Grande Prairie last weekend, and chipped in with a hard-working power play goal in front of the net, plus an assist. Acquired from the Olds Grizzlys midway through last season, Pederson is in his 19-year-old year, which could be a breakout for the Smithers, B.C. product.
Locals to know
Ismail Abougouche is no stranger to junior hockey. The Lac La Biche native has played over 200 WHL games with the Tri-City Americans, Edmonton Oil Kings, and Victoria Royals over the last four seasons. On the Yaks’ blueline last weekend, Abougouche played in all situations and will be a veteran presence that teammates look up to on a young defence corps.
Rylan Emigh returns for his second season of junior hockey at just 18, and his family name has lineage in the organization as we celebrate 35 seasons in the AJHL. His older brother Cam was a Pontiac, plus his dad, Chad, was a member of the inaugural team in 1991-92. They all got to play together during August’s alumni game.
Ryder Naim is back for his second season with the Pontiacs, but is currently on the mend from offseason shoulder surgery. It’s hoped that the Bonnyville defender can rejoin the Yaks sometime soon. He suited up 20 games in 2025-26, scoring two goals and five points. In global competition, Naim has played with Team Lebanon twice in the Challenger Series.
Kael Scott made his junior debut on Friday in Grande Prairie, and, boy, was it memorable. The 16-year-old stood up for his teammate Eric Ripka just eight minutes into the first period and had a doozy of a fight with the Storm’s Kane Pickford. Scott led the Lloyd Lancers U18AAA program in scoring with 21 goals and 46 points.
Connor Nickle is a Cold Laker looking to break into junior hockey, but an injury held him out of the lineup in the opening weekend. A teammate of Scott’s on the Lancers U18AAA team, he was third in scoring with 14 goals and 29 points. He did play in two exhibitions and earned an assist, and it’s hoped that he can make his regular season debut soon.
New guys to know
In goal as the Pontiacs’ starter is 20-year-old Jake Pilon, who made his debut last weekend. Pilon was in the WHL last season and looks to provide stability to Bonnyville’s crease, with two of their young netminders from a season ago, Nathan Salisbury and Ryley Budd, going full time to the WHL.
Damen Vanderberg created not one, but two breakaways in a period last Saturday to draw penalties, and should blossom into an exciting offensive threat. The 17-year-old scored 15 goals and 39 points on his South Alberta Hockey Academy U18 academy team a year ago, while being named to the CSSHL U18 Second All-Star Team. He also notched his first point on the weekend.
Brock MacDougall scored goals last year in U18AAA, leading the entire Alberta Elite Hockey League in that category with 27 as a member of the Leduc Oil Kings. MacDougall has good offensive instincts and scored his first junior goal on the weekend at the age of 17.
Eric Ripka plays the game a lot bigger than his 5-foot-6 frame, and it shows with his tenacious style of play. The former captain of the Edmonton Jr. Oilers U18AAA was an AEHL league champion last year, while finishing third on his team in points. He was also a First Team All-Star with 22 goals and 41 points. Ripka was one of the earliest commits from the offseason and got his first junior point against Grande Prairie.
Ewen Willers hasn’t made his Pontiacs debut yet, but keep an eye when he does. The Dallas kid was the second overall selection in the WHL US Prospect Draft in 2024 and was second on his prep team in scoring a year ago.
