Cubs prepared, excited for provincials opportunity

By JAMES TUBB on April 1, 2026.

jtubb@medicinehatnews.com@ReporterTubb

Like a child at a birthday party, the Medicine Hat Cubs are looking for a little more icing on their championship season.

The Heritage Junior Hockey League champions hit the road today for Lloydminster as one of six teams vying for a Jr. B provincial championship. The provincials start tonight and finish Sunday with a bronze medal final and a provincial championship final.

They captured a South Division title this season before reaching the HJHL finals and winning the franchise’s first title in the league. They’ve cooked together a historic year, their 26th in the HJHL, looking to add onto the success.

“We’ve won what we set our hopes on winning this year as far as the league goes,” head coach Trent Derzaph said. “Going up for provincials is icing on the cake now. We all like icing and that’s what we’re after now.”

The Cubs’ provincials action starts tonight at 8 p.m. against the host Lloydmisnter Bandits before they face CNHA Black on Thursday at noon. A quick turnaround for their first two games outlines a busy week that will see them play five games in five days if they make it to one of Sunday’s finals.

Derzaph says they’ve been working on their lineup strategies while also trying to learn as much as they can about their opponents.

“It’s going to be a challenge and I think I’ve mentally prepared the group for it,” Derzpah said. “The biggest thing for the Cubs is rolling four lines, that’s what it took to win it and that’s what we’re going to continue to do. Keep all legs as fresh as we possibly can. I’m taking a number of fellows up there, so everybody’s going to get a chance at playing in this championship.”

The Cubs are able to take 28 players to provincials, they’re taking three goalies and 25 skaters as they look to tackle the task of a lot of high-end hockey in a short amount of time. The games and results will dictate full plans, but Derzaph knows he’ll need everyone to get that icing on the year.

“Everybody’s going to get some action and that includes my skaters as well my forwards and defence, we’re carrying extra going up there and everybody’s going to get an opportunity to play in the game and take it one shift at a time,” Derzaph said.

The Cubs face the Sherwood Park Knights on Friday at noon and wrap the round robin against the Vermilion Tigers on Saturday at 6 p.m.

The finals are set through standings, with the third and fourth place teams facing off for bronze on Sunday at 10:30 a.m. The top two teams will play in the gold medal game at 2 p.m.

However the week goes, Derzaph says the Cubs get a chance to extend their season and continue playing as a group for at least four more games.

“The vibe around the room is just amazing right now,” Derzaph said. “We got everybody as ready as we can be and we’re looking forward to playing out the last of the season, one more road trip.”

The Cubs will be led out of town this morning by the Medicine Hat Fire Department, Medicine Hat Police Service and RCMP, leaving the Kinplex at 10 a.m. A full route map can be found on the Cubs’ social media.

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