In the midst of a rebuild and having undergone a coaching change, the Moose Jaw Warriors are hoping to take their next step toward returning to the Western Hockey League’s (WHL) playoff picture. “This is a different year,” head coach Scott King told CTV News Thursday. “Expectations are different, and that’s a good thing. It’s not something you should try get away from. It’s good to have expectations and we’ve got the group to do it.” King took over as the Warriors’ head coach this summer after previous bench boss Mark O’Leary departed for a professional opportunity with the Abbotsford Canucks – the AHL affiliate of the Vancouver Canucks. Although he’s been with the franchise in various roles for a decade, King says he’s ready to hold the reigns behind the bench. “I’ve been ready for a while now,” he added. “[With] ten years with the organization and working with Mark pretty closely – especially being here in [2024] – it’s been great so far. I’m really enjoying everything that comes with it.” King is no stranger behind the Moose Jaw bench. In 2023-24, King took on an expanded role as an associate coach. He’s a familiar voice for returning players Landen McFadden and Connor Schmidt. “Kinger’s believed in a lot of us since we came here when we we’re younger,” said McFadden. “He’s been our guy who’s helped us through a lot of things. Head coaches, they don’t talk to the younger guys about stuff. He kept us on track and kept us going.” “It’s a different look,” added Schmidt. “But there’s new thoughts, new ideas, and the boys are liking it so far. We’re very excited to see where it goes.” King admits the transition is still underway as the team gears up for the regular season opener on Saturday. The past experience, however, has been crucial in helping the change. “You’re putting your own twist on things as well, so it’s been great,” King said. “Training camps were really good, pre-season has been good. It’s a different animal here when the regular season starts, but we’ll be ready to go for Saskatoon.” “There’s a lot of trust in our players in our room that he’ll lead the ship the right way,” McFadden added. The past is the past After winning the WHL championship in 2024, the Warriors are still working through the latest cycle of rebuilding. Moose Jaw was the worst team in the entire WHL in 2025, but made big strides last season. In a playoff battle that came down to the wire, the Warriors were eliminated from postseason contention on the final day of the regular season – finishing outside the playoffs picture by just a single point. “It definitely deflated our group for sure,” said McFadden. “We didn’t make the playoffs the year before either, and from the start of training camp that was our goal – getting in the playoffs. We had a chance to do it and our group fell short.” Moose Jaw finished the regular season 25-36-5-2 with 57 points in 2025-26. Red Deer finished with 58 points to take the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. “There wasn’t a guy that was in that room who wasn’t disappointed or mad with the outcome,” McFadden added. “But obviously you learn from that and try to use your experience from that into this year and you do something about it.” “We’re just going to use it as motivation this year and hopefully have a different outcome,” said Schmidt. “We honestly just need to play with more passion. Every game means something. It’s a long season. If we can start those good habits at the start of the year, it will carry on closer to the playoffs.” King knows the additional experience does not automatically guarantee success. “It doesn’t just magically happen,” the coach said. “You have to put the work in every day. Every day you just keep building another day on top of another good day and by the end of the year, you’re a much better team and a much better player.” Reinforcements between the pipes One key addition to a young Warriors’ squad came in net, with the addition of Jordan Switzer, with Moose Jaw trading for the former Medicine Hat Tiger this offseason. “It was a little weird, obviously being my first time getting traded,” Switzer admitted. “But I’m adjusting to Moose Jaw well.” Switzer has postseason experience in critical games, including being a part of Medicine Hat’s 2025 WHL championship team. “It’s a lot of on and off the ice habits,” the 19-year-old goalie said. “It’s working out hard in the gym, pushing each other every day on the ice; things like that. And I think I’m just trying to show these guys what it takes to win.” Switzer believes Moose Jaw’s young core resembles some of the qualities he saw over his time in Medicine Hat. “These guys want to win and we’re pushing each other every day,” he said. “Goaltending is it’s your biggest position, there’s no two ways about it,” added King. “It will win you games, it will lose you games. Getting him, alone, is huge, it’s going to help us a lot. He’s made good runs in the playoffs and obviously won, so he knows what it takes.” McFadden, also from Edmonton, knows his new netminder well. “I’ve been player with Switzer since I was eight years old,” he laughed. “I’ve got a lot of trust in him and I know what he’s going to bring to the table every single night. We just have to put up on our end, and we’ll know he’ll put up on his.” “I know last year these guys were just on the outside of a playoff spot,” added Switzer. “It’s just those little details every day, push each other on and off the ice and I think we can get it done this year.” Moose Jaw opens its regular season at home against the Saskatoon Blades on Saturday night. Puck drop at the Temple Gardens Centre is set for 6:00 p.m.
