After dropping their first two games of the season to the Dryden GM Ice Dogs, they swept a pair of games against the Kam River Fighting Walleye on Friday, Sept. 25, and Saturday, Sept. 26, to conclude the month with a 2-2 record.
Kurt Walsten is the new face and voice behind the Miners bench and feels there is still room for improvement.
“We didn’t quit at the end of either game this weekend,” Walsten mentioned following his team’s 4-3 overtime victory against the Fighting Walleye on Sept. 26. “Every time we took away their time and space is when we were successful. We were able to capitalize on their mistakes when they were sitting back, and in turn they did the same with us. These games could’ve gone either way.”
“Early in the year, you want to let everyone play and see what they can do. We have a few bad habits that we want to break, but coming down (to NorWest Arena) and winning two games gives our guys a little bit of confidence, especially with what they went through last year.”
Walsten inherited as many as 10 returnees from last year’s squad and had to rebuild a program that managed just five wins in 2025-2026.
“When I was recruiting for the Miners, players and parents were looking at what the organization did last year, which I understand,” Walsten reflected. “I wanted this team to be more aggressive, and if we’re going to lose a game, we’re going to make the other team earn it. You might not win every game, but good things do happen when you work hard.
“People in Red Lake pay money to watch these kids play so the least we can do is compete for 60 minutes. Not only are these guys playing for the logo on the front of the jersey, but their last names are on the back so if you have a bad game, you’re making yourself and the organization look bad.”
Following the conclusion of his playing career in 2007, Walsten continued his coaching career with the Beausejour Blades of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League (MJHL), where he spent a pair of seasons before taking a position as general manager and assistant coach with the Miramichi Timberwolves of the Maritime Hockey League (MHL).
His other stops included with the former Sioux Lookout Flyers, Drumheller Dragons, Prince George Spruce Kings and the Dryden GM Ice Dogs.
Walsten, who won back-to-back Bill Salonen Cup championships with the Ice Dogs in 2017 and 2018, feels teaching is the whole point of junior hockey.
“You also have to hold your players accountable,” Walsten added. “Whether it’s your best player or your 25th player. Nobody gets a free pass, and you obviously expect more from your 20-year-old players and those guys that wear letters.”
“When you do the work, good things happen. (Kam River) might have thought the game was over being up 3-1 today, and then all a sudden we started to come back and were able to tie the game with two seconds left. The Fighting Walleye are a very good team in the middle of the ice, which forced us to try and find a way to move the puck north-south instead of east and west. When we were able to stretch the ice out, it led to more success.”
Walsten is the fifth head coach and general manager for the Miners since the 2015 campaign (Derek Sweet-Coulter 2015-2019, Geoff Walker 2019-2022, Lee Stone 2022-2025 and Billy Keane 2025-2026).
Walsten noted that an existing relationship with president Jason Vinet helped him land the job with Red Lake.
“For all of the years that I’ve coached in the SIJHL, if my team wasn’t going to win, I was always pulling for Red Lake,” added Walsten. “I had a few different options that I could have went to this year, but I really like the SIJHL, I like Northwestern Ontario and the people here in Red Lake. Many times, young coaches come into the league for a year or two and are trying to go somewhere else, whereas with me, I want to be here.
“I’ve known Jason for a lot of years, and this organization is first class when it comes to how they treat players, the locker room and how they outfit them. I’m glad to be here.”
UPCOMING OCTOBER SCHEDULE
Friday 2 @ Sioux Lookout Bombers
Saturday 3 vs. Dryden GM Ice Dogs
Friday 9 @ Dryden GM Ice Dogs
Sunday 11 vs. Kam River Fighting Walleye
Monday 12 vs. Kam River Fighting Walleye
Friday 16 @ Fort Frances Lakers
Saturday 17 @ Sioux Lookout Bombers
