The 2017-2018 Hanover Tache Junior Hockey League season begins Saturday night in Oakbank, Mitchell and St. Adolphe.

"It's an exciting time of the year," said HTJHL president Ray Laing. "We have, what I would consider to be, six strong teams. They've all got good management and they look like they're excited to get the season started."

Those six teams include the Steinbach Huskies, the Red River Mudbugs, Lorette Comets, Mitchell Mohawks, St. Adolphe Hawks and defending champion Springfield Xtreme.

The Grunthal Red Wings have taken a one-year leave of absence.

"They struggled to get players," said Laing when asked about Grunthal's situation. "The last few years the Red Wings had a couple of skaters from Notre Dame and that area coming in and they've moved on to other things. Grunthal has a strong minor hockey program through bantam and midget and we hope that somebody will take the bull by the horns and maybe next year get it going again."

Laing adds the competitiveness of the six teams will make for an interesting 2017-2018 season.

"We've had different champions the last four years and it's good when any team can come in and have a chance at winning it all."

Playoff hockey has always been an exciting time in the HTJHL and last years final between the Xtreme and Mudbugs, which was played in jam packed arenas in Oakbank and St. Jean, was no exception.

"It seems it doesn't matter whether it's Hanover Tache Junior or right up to the NHL and everywhere in between - once you get a couple of communities and a rivalry going - when it's good, even competitive hockey, people like to come out and watch and that was proven again last spring."

All six teams will be in action when the HTJHL's 31st season begins Saturday night as the Xtreme face the Huskies in Oakbank, the Mohawks host the Mudbugs and the Hawks and Comets meet in St. Adolphe.