Lakers Luke Judson named SIJHL Coach of the Year

Johnathan Price April 17, 2026 11:53 am Last Updated on April 17, 2026 11:53 am

The Fort Frances Lakers first place finish this past regular season continues to be celebrated.

Luke Judson has been named as the SIJHL Coach of the Year.

As a first year Head Coach, Luke volunteered his time to oversee one of the most complete turnarounds in recent SIJHL history.

The Lakers jump from a 0.490 win percentage in 2024-25 to a 0.813 win percentage this year. It’s the biggest improvement for any team in the entire Canadian Junior Hockey League this season.

Luke guided the Lakers to a 37‑7‑2‑2 record, allowing just 98 goals against in 48 games, which was the lowest total in the SIJHL.

The Lake are set to face off against the Thunder Bay North Stars in the SIJHL final for the Bill Salonen cup, with games one and two taking place in the Ice For Kids Arena at the Memorial Sports Centre on April 17th and 18th.

This is the first final appears for the Lakers in a decade. They previously won three straight championships in 2014, 2015 and 2016.

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Johnathan Price

Johnathan has been a fixture in the Borderland for over a decade. He takes great pride in not only being an on-air host but an active and engaged member of the local community. He has a passion for connecting with people from behind the microphone as well as in person. He’s grateful to be living and working in the Borderland.