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By Red Deer Vipers

.833 Winning per centage

At halfway point, Vipers lead HJHL

Nov 24, 2025 | 5:22 PM

The Red Deer Vipers are halfway through the 2025-26 season and to date are the class of the Heritage Junior Hockey League.

Through 18 contests, the club has racked up 14 victories with just two defeats and two losses beyond regulation time. Those 30 points are good for first place in both the North Division and entire HJHL.

Though tied in points with arch-rival Sylvan Lake, the Vipers hold the tie-breaker with one fewer game played.

“The kids deserve a lot of credit.” said Hockey Operations Director, Brady Sim. “Especially the guys who’ve been here three and four years. They’ve been here when times were a little leaner, but they bought in. They believed in themselves and what we have been trying to do. It’s nice to see them be rewarded in the first half here.”

Head Coach, Matt Michalezki agrees. “I think the culture changed. We’ve created a group that knows that playing defence first and working hard are non-negotiables. Our group knows that it all starts at practice and that’s where we’ve formed the habits that have made us successful.”

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When it comes to the team’s success, Michalezki believes a multitude of factors have contributed. “We are a team built on hard work and a team first mentality. We play with speed and grit and when you add the level of skill we possess to that, that’s a lethal combination. If we continue what we’ve built on here in the first half, we will win our share of hockey games.”

Despite the early run of success, it hasn’t all been roses for the Vipers this year. Special teams, specifically the power play has been a source of consternation for the team since September.

“If I had to pick the most important thing to improve on in the second half, it’s the power play.”

The Viper man advantage is a rather meager 16.7 per cent this season, 10th in the 13-team HJHL.

“It creates looks, but that’s all it does. We don’t seem to have the killer instinct on it yet, it’s led to us being in some closer games than we should’ve been.” said bench boss Michalezki.

Despite the first-half success, no one is resting on their laurels yet.

“There’s a lot of work yet, we all know that.” Sim said. “We have a whole half of the season and the playoffs, which matter most obviously to go yet, so we aren’t satisfied. We know what the goal is for each and every one of us and that is a championship. That’s the ultimate goal. No one is going to remember who was in first place in late November.”

As the north division’s leaders at the midway point, the Vipers will send their hockey staff to lead its division all-stars at the league’s all-star game in December in Strathmore.

“Matty deserves all the credit in the world.” Sim said. “Our staff is the best and most prepared in the league. Matt and all of our coaches are second to none. We are very proud they’ll represent us in Strathmore.”

Michalezki will be joined by Vipers’ assistant coaches Mark Dobler, Daryn Hebert, Brody Kalinowski and Bosten Lajeunesse on team North’s bench. Kara Wedge, Tosha Sim & Mike Howell will also join as part of the training and equipment staff as will Sim & Dale Scott representing Vipers’ management.

The Vipers will return home this Saturday at 8 p.m. to battle their division rival, the Airdrie Thunder, before a Sunday matinee in Cochrane at 3 p.m. against the Generals.