Northern Manitoba Blizzard

The Northern Manitoba Blizzard are a Junior "A" ice hockey team from The Pas, Manitoba, Canada. They are members of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League, a part of the Canadian Junior Hockey League and Hockey Canada.

History

The team was founded by the Opaskwayak Cree Nation as the OCN Blizzard in 1996. It was a year in the making with the Cree Nation's goal to enter the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League. Their hockey development and recreation department spent many months prior getting the community members on board through community meetings and house to house visits. Boh Kubrakovich, Jim Smith and Nathan McGillivary spent time working with the SJHL prior to entering their current league, the Manitoba Junior Hockey League.
The Blizzard name and jersey was styled after the Utica Blizzard of the Colonial Hockey League. It was through a Blizzard like snow storm that the new directors of the team made it to Winnipeg to announce the team. During the press conference the directors decided to call the team the OCN Blizzard.
Founding directors were James Smith, Chief Frances Flett, Gordon Lathlin, Gilbert Lathlin, Nathan McGillivary and recreation director/director of hockey Boh Kubrakovich. They selected as their first head coach and director of hockey. Leonard Strandberg was then hired as the general manager in 1996. Wayne Hawrysh was also a large contributor to the formation of the Club, acting over his tenure as a founder, governor, assistant coach, marketing director, and more.
From the 1998–99 season until 2002–03, the Blizzard became the second team in MJHL history and the first team in over sixty years to win five straight Turnbull Cup titles as MJHL playoff champions. At the ANAVET Cup regional tournament, in succession, the Blizzard lost to the SJHL's Estevan Bruins in 1999, to the Battlefords North Stars in 2000, the Weyburn Red Wings in 2001, defeated the Kindersley Klippers in 2002, and then lost in 2003 to the Humboldt Broncos. By winning the ANAVET Cup in 2002 the Blizzard earned them the right to compete in the 2002 Royal Bank Cup. They finished the Junior A national championship round-robin with a 2–2 record. In the semi-final OCN defeated the British Columbia Hockey League's Chilliwack Chiefs 4–3. They would go on to lose in the national final to the Halifax Exports 3–1.
In December 2016, the OCN council declared its intention to cease team operations following the 2016–17 season. The Blizzard board of directors were later granted permission to operate the team for another season, but without funding from the band council.
In 2018 a pair of businessmen, brothers Salman Safdar Dhillon and Usman Tahir Dhillon, jumped in to save the club. A proposal was presented in front of elected chief and council of Opaskwayak Cree Nation and it was unanimously approved and a sale agreement was signed. That sale was brought before the MJHL board of governors and after meeting a few more conditions was approved.
In 2024, the team was sold to Rob & Bonnie White, of The Pas, Manitoba, and the team name was changed to Northern Manitoba Blizzard.

List of championships

Season-by-season record

Playoffs

1997 Lost final
1998 Lost semi-final
1999 Won League, lost Anavet Cup
2000 Won League, lost Anavet Cup
2001 Won League, lost Anavet Cup
2002 Won League, won Anavet Cup, lost 2002 Royal Bank Cup final
2003 Won League, lost Anavet Cup
2004 Lost quarter-final
2005 Lost quarter-final
2006 Lost final
2009 Lost quarter-final
2011 Lost quarter-final
2012 Lost semi-final
2013 Lost semi-final
2014 Lost quarter-final
2015 Lost Survivor Series
2016 Lost quarter-final
2017 Lost final
2018 Lost quarter-final
2019 DNQ
2020 DNQ
2021 Playoffs cancelled
2022 DNQ
2023 ''Lost quarter-final''
Centennial Cup

Maritime Junior Hockey League, Quebec Junior Hockey League, Central Canada Hockey League, Ontario Junior Hockey League, Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League, Superior International Junior Hockey League, Manitoba Junior Hockey League, Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League, Alberta Junior Hockey League, and Host. The BCHL declared itself an independent league and there is no BC representative.
Round-robin play in two 5-team pools with top three in pool advancing to determine a Champion.

Year	Round-robin	Record	Standing	Quarterfinal	Semifinal	Championship
2025	OTL, Trenton Golden Hawks, 4-5 W, Greater Sudbury Cubs, 6-3 W, Kam River Fighting Walleye 3-2 L, Grande Prairie Storm, 3-6	2-0-1-1	2nd of 5 Pool A	Lost, 0-4 Rockland Nationals	Did Not Qualify	Did Not Qualify

Retired numbers

#10 Gary Constant Jr.
#18 Cliff Duschesne
#22 Terence Tootoo
Notable alumni

Many players have used the OCN Blizzard as a stepping stone into a career in the professional leagues across Canada, the United States, and Europe.

Name	Team
Ryan Constant	Hartford Wolfpack
Josh Elmes	Rapid City Rush
Derek Ernest	Wheeling Nailers
Andrew Gallant	Elmira Jackals
Mike Gooch	Wheeling Nailers
Kristjan Jefkins	Victoria Salmon Kings /Amsterdam Tijgers
Darcy Johnson	Long Beach Ice Dogs
Brady Keeper	Florida Panthers
Charles Lachance	Tulsa Oilers
Steve MacIntyre	Edmonton Oilers
Jon Mirasty	Syracuse Crunch /HC Vityaz
Konrad McKay	Bridgeport Sound Tigers
Chris Murphy	Greenville Grrrowl
Jamie Muswagon	Wheeling Nailers
Mike Ouellet	Long Beach Ice Dogs /VisbyRoma
Ryan Person	Greenville Grrrowl
Russell Spence	Greenville Grrrowl /RT Bad Nauheim
Jordin Tootoo	Chicago Blackhawks
Terence Tootoo	Roanoke Express
Dale Warkentin	Bakersfield Condors
Wally Wuttunee	Wheeling Nailers