CW Coaches Poll: Griffins voted sixth ahead of season opener at UBC on Friday night
Canada West Communications
With four different champions in four seasons, parity across Canada West men's hockey has never been higher.
Who will lay claim to the Dr. W. G. Hardy Trophy in 2026? The journey begins on Friday night.
The MacEwan Griffins will be in the mix, voted to finish sixth in the annual Canada West Coaches Poll, released Thursday.
MacEwan will kick off its 2025-26 season on the road at the UBC Thunderbirds on Friday (8 p.m. MT) and Saturday (4 p.m. MT, both Canada West TV).
The Saskatchewan Huskies enter as defending champions, capturing their 12th CW title last season after defeating Mount Royal in a tightly contested three-game series. The Huskies sit atop this year's Canada West coaches poll, earning seven first-place votes.
Mount Royal claimed second and received one first-place vote, while UBC placed third and also earned a first-place nod.
The MacEwan Griffins and Alberta Golden Bears will join UBC and Trinity Western to comprise the West Division in 2025-26. Calgary and Mount Royal move to the East Division, joining Manitoba, Regina and Saskatchewan.
The top three teams in each division will qualify for the post-season.
The regular season runs through Feb. 14, with the best-of-three Canada West Final scheduled to begin March 6.
2026 U SPORTS nationals are headed to the Maritimes, with the University Cup set to be hosted by Saint Mary's in Halifax from March 19-22.
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2025-26 CW MHKY PRE-SEASON COACHES POLL
Team - Points (First-place votes)
Saskatchewan Huskies - 71 (7)
Mount Royal Cougars - 64 (1)
UBC Thunderbirds - 58 (1)
Alberta Golden Bears - 49
Calgary Dinos - 48
MacEwan Griffins - 36
Manitoba Bisons - 31
Regina Cougars - 23
Trinity Western Spartans - 16
MacEwan Griffins preview
Coaches Poll Rank: #6
Team Outlook: After making the Canada West playoffs for the first time in 2023-24, the Griffins took the next step last season by winning their first playoff game. MacEwan will be looking to go further in the playoffs and challenge for the Canada West title in the coming seasons as they continue to stack strong recruiting classes together. Deeper and more physical than they were in 2024-25, the Griffins will look to make some noise as they move to the West Division.
From the coach: "We look to be a team that plays fast, is structured and is hard to play against. We will rely on our depth to be successful." - Zack Dailey
Key Performer: Kadyn Chabot
Forward | 3rd Year | Cranbrook, B.C.
Possessing a lethal shot and ability to find open seams, Chabot is set to lead the Griffins' offence as he heads into the 2025-26 as a seasoned vet, now with two Canada West seasons under his belt.
Chabot is a shoot-first player, who regularly leads the Griffins in shots; in fact he holds the program record for the most by a MacEwan player in a Canada West season. The former Spruce Grove Saints forward is also an important member of the power play for the Griffins, scoring five points on the unit in 2024-25. More than that, he also plays a penalty killing role well, as evidenced by a short-handed tally he had last season.
