The highly entertaining hockey put on display this past season in the Big Six Hockey League continued to keep communities buzzing in the southeast all winter long.

And just one season after the league expanded to nine teams, there's a real possibility of the Big Six reaching double-digits for next season.

While watching Game 4 of the league final between the Carnduff Red Devils and Redvers Rockets on Saturday night, Big Six President Rae Wright confirmed that Kipling's senior hockey team would be attending the Big Six spring meeting in hopes of joining the league for the 2018/19 season. 

Rae Wright (left) With Redvers' Jordon Miller.

"Kipling has called and shown interest in coming over into our league," explained Wright during the CJ1150 broadcast for Game 4, where Redvers claimed the 2018 Championship. "With the geographical location of them, I'm sure that our current teams won't have a problem with it."

"Any of the teams I've talked to so far are good with them coming in, so we could likely see Kipling join the league for next season."

The Kipling/Windthorst Oil Kings have played in the Triangle Hockey League since the 2012 season. Kipling/Windthorst's closest geographical rival would be the Wawota Flyers and is roughly 60 kilometres northwest of Wawota on highway 48. Yellow Grass would be the furthest distance to Kipling/Windthorst at around 170 kilometres and Midale is 140 kilometres. However, that would still not exceed the current longest distance between two towns in the Big Six (Yellow Grass to Carnduff, approximately 200 kilometres).

RAE WRIGHT:

President Wright says the fact that Kipling/Windthorst would prefer to join the Big Six and leave the Triangle Hockey League looks good on the state of senior hockey in the southeast.

"When teams from other leagues are looking at leaving to come to our league, it speaks volumes as to how good of a league the Big Six is," adds Wright. 

Yellow Grass Joined The Big Six In 2016/17.

The number of teams in the Big Six Hockey League has fluctuated many times over it's 59-year history. The last time it featured ten teams was during the 2010/11 season when the Lampman Imperials and Pierson (Manitoba) Bruins were in the league in addition to current teams from Redvers, Carnduff, Bienfait, Midale, Oxbow, Wawota, Carlyle and Arcola/Kisbey.

Two seasons ago, the Carlyle Cougars rejoined the Big Six after a three-year absence while the Yellow Grass Wheat Kings participated in the Big Six for the first time. Yellow Grass joined in part due to the Arcola/Kisbey Combines taking a leave-of-absence for the 2016/17 season, with the Combines rejoining the Big Six this past season.

The Big Six Hockey League spring meeting will be held this Thursday, March 29th, where a decision could be made on adding the Kipling/Windthorst Oil Kings to the league for the 2018/19 season.