On March 14, 1968, at home in St. James, the St. James Canadians corralled the Manitoba Junior Hockey League championship, and on March 26, in Selkirk, the Canadians captured the Turnbull Cup defeating the Central Manitoba Junior Hockey League champions Selkirk Steelers.

League notes

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During the summer of 1967, the MAHA agreed to allow three teams to enter the WCHL: the Brandon Wheat Kings and the Flin Flon Bombers from the MJHL, and the Ben Hatskin-owned Winnipeg Jets. Hatskin also owned three MJHL teams. Part of the agreement was the continuation of the MJHL; Hatskin sold his three teams to local interests, and the Winnipeg Warriors became the West Kildonan North Stars, the St. James Braves became the St. James Canadians, and the Winnipeg Rangers became the St. Boniface Saints. These three teams joined the Winnipeg Monarchs to form the new MJHL. The Selkirk Steelers however joined the Central Manitoba Junior Hockey League.

The league dropped the final three games of the regular season in order to accommodate Memorial Cup playoff elimination series within the province with the Central Manitoba Junior Hockey League.

Regular season

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League Standings GP W L T Pts GF GA
Winnipeg Monarchs 36 20 13 3 43 200 157
St. Boniface Saints 36 18 17 1 37 157 152
West Kildonan North Stars 35 17 18 0 34 151 189
St. James Canadians 37 14 21 2 30 155 165

Playoffs

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Semi-Finals

Winnipeg lost to West Kildonan 4-games-to-1
St. Boniface lost to St. James 4-games-to-1

Final

West Kildonan lost to St. James 4-games-to-none

Turnbull Cup Championship

St. James defeated Selkirk Steelers (CMJHL) 4-games-to-2

Western Memorial Cup Semi-Final

St. James lost to Westfort Hurricanes (TBJHL) 4-games-to-2

Awards

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Trophy Winner Team
MVP Jim Trosky St. Boniface Saints
Top Goaltender Alan Hanna Winnipeg Monarchs
Rookie of the Year Wayne Chernecki West Kildonan North Stars
Hockey Ability & Sportsmanship Award Andy Miles Winnipeg Monarchs
Scoring Champion Wayne Chernecki West Kildonan North Stars
Most Goals Wayne Chernecki West Kildonan North Stars
Coach of the Year Jim Walker St. James Canadians

All-Star Teams

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1968 First All-Star Team
Goaltender Alan Hanna Winnipeg Monarchs
Defencemen Jim Trosky St. Boniface Saints
Al White Winnipeg Monarchs
Centreman Wayne Chernecki West Kildonan North Stars
Leftwinger (tie) Andy Van Hellemond St. James Canadians
Brian Howie West Kildonan North Stars
Rightwinger Brian Stephenson Winnipeg Monarchs
1968 Second All-Star Team
Goaltender Allan Loewen St. James Canadians
Defencemen Ken Friesen St. Boniface Saints
Jim Gair West Kildonan North Stars
Centreman Chris Oddleifson Winnipeg Monarchs
Wingers Jim Malcolm Winnipeg Monarchs
Andy Miles Winnipeg Monarchs

References

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