The Battlefords North Stars acquired defenceman Alex Coventry and goaltender Spencer Michnik ahead of the SJHL trade deadline on Jan. 10. (Byron Hildebrand photography/Facebook)

By Ryan Lambert

north stars at the trade deadline

North Stars’ Connor Logan reflects on the SJHL trade deadline

Jan 13, 2026 | 3:17 PM

The SJHL trade deadline has come and gone, and all the teams have made their moves for the rest of the season. While some teams were busier than others, the Battlefords North Stars were maybe the least busy team in the league during the deadline. They made a pair of moves getting defenceman Alex Coventry from the Bonnyville Pontiacs, and goaltender Spencer Michnik from the Camrose Kodiaks.

While the moves could be seen as replacement moves with Sebastian Miles signing with the Nanaimo Clippers of the BCHL during the Christmas break and the Prince Albert Raiders keeping Steele Bass around for the season, North Stars head coach and general manager Connor Logan knows the players he got are essential pieces and is happy with the moves.

“Coventry, hard to pass up a right-handed shot, 6-7 defenceman. He’s come in and has really played well for us through four games. I really like some of the things that he’s done, and he’s found some offence,” said Logan.

“When he came in here (he) was trying to develop into a two-way defenceman. Starting to see that. Then Michnik, guy with lots of ties to the Battlefords, obviously has a nice resume to come in and had a really good performance there against Weyburn.”

Logan says they look forward to developing Michnik and having him work with the team’s goalie coach, Taryn Kotchorek.

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Winning five straight games before the deadline, the North Stars found themselves in a position where they felt comfortable with their roster without necessarily having to force a move.

“I think prior to Christmas, we were seeing a lot of our younger guys, growing their games, finding roles, sort of starting to find their identity as a player. Then after Christmas, we’ve really just seen them pick up right where they left off. So for us, we were happy with a lot of guys. And just didn’t feel like it made any sense for us to do anything dramatic,” said Logan, who expanded on not wanting to give up some future pieces in potential trades.

“(Player development) is important to us. So we’re never going to, give up on a player at the expense of, trying to bring somebody in. Like I said, if it makes sense, it makes sense. But for us, we have a lot of time of day and runway for the guys that we have in the locker room. I mean, they’re all selected to be on this team for a reason.”

The North Stars have won six straight games and are undefeated since the Christmas break. They are 21-8-2-2 and currently sit in second place in the SJHL. The entire interview with Connor Logan about the trade deadline will be aired on Jan. 16 during the first intermission of the North Stars game against the Warman Wolverines on CJNB/CJNS.

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Ryan.Lambert@pattisonmedia.com