The Kimberley Dynamiters are back to work, getting ready to compete for the 2024 Mowatt Cup, which the team hosts April 18 to 21 at the Kimberley Civic Centre.

After a significant hiatus, the historic Mowatt Cup will be hoisted by B.C.’s Junior A Tier II provincial champion in Kimberley, during a four-team tournament in April.

“The Mowat Cup has long symbolized Junior A hockey excellence in British Columbia,” BC Hockey Chief Executive Officer Cameron Hope said. “It’s fitting to see its return, and we all look forward to seeing a champion hold it high in Kimberley for the first time in several seasons.”

First round playoff victims, the Dynamiters must wait for ongoing provincial leagues to conclude playoff series before victors advance to the Mowatt Cup. The Nitros qualify for the tourney by being hosts.

“This month hasn’t been much fun for the guys,” said Dynamiters head coach and general manager Derek Stuart. “Our practices have been focused on competing, battling drills and conditioning as we’ve hit the reset button. For me, the most important thing is battling and competing for pucks – wanting it more than the other team is something that was lacking in the playoffs.”

A learning lesson taken from their opening round loss in the Teck Cup playoffs to the Columbia Valley Rockies is that “we just took them too lightly and weren’t ready to do what it took in round one.” Stuart says that’s a “mistake that can’t happen again.”

He wants to make sure his team is in a position to compete with the champions of the three leagues – Kootenay International Junior Hockey League (KIJHL), Pacific Junior Hockey League and Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League.

Players who Stuart feels could step up and rise to the occasion are Jackson Murphy, Nicholas Hughes, Nate Murdoch and Tyler Lindal.

“I’m expecting everyone to produce and be much better than they were in the playoffs, but those are some players that I think people might not know too much about that were outstanding for us in the first round,” he said.

After the Easter weekend, the Dynamiters will begin focusing on what it means to be in the tournament and have a chance to win, and what it means to the community. There is excitement building around the community and those involved with it.

“The Dynamiters have never won the gold medal at the provincial championship. They’ve had some success getting there – some silver medals, a bronze – but that’s something you know that could be a motivator,” Stuart said.

KIJHL

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