With the Whitehorse Mustangs AA midget rep hockey team busy preparing in its quest for provincial gold, at least seven more Yukon hockey players could be raising a championship trophy above their heads this season.

In Fort St. John, four athletes from the territory will aim not only for a provincial title, but the Air Canada Cup as well, with the Northeast B.C. and Yukon District Tracker Flyers. So far, the AAA midget squad is undefeated, heading into this weekend's series against Camrose and Fort McMurray.

'We've been playing great,' said head coach Scott Longstaff, in an interview from Fort St. John Thursday. 'We can pretty much evaluate where we are with the team, it's just a matter of getting our systems in place. The kids are working hard and they're excited for the rest of the season.'

Longstaff said he knew coming in that this year's crew was a strong one and he honestly would have been surprised if they weren't undefeated at this point.

The Yukon players forwards Adam Henderson, Neil Chambers and Cam MacKinnon, along with defenceman Reid Campbell were a key part of last year's team and will play an even bigger role this time around, said Longstaff.

Henderson is the new captain of the Flyers while Campbell is one of the assistant captains.

'Adam looks like he's going to lead this league in scoring this season,' said an obviously pleased Longstaff. 'Reid is looking great out on the ice as well and he's another leader for our team. Neil is second in team scoring and is really developing into an offensive threat. And Cam is really coming along for us as well.'

Longstaff wasn't sure Henderson would be in the lineup this year, after being protected by the Western Hockey League's (WHL) Kelowna Rockets last season. But you won't hear too much complaining now that he is suiting up for the Flyers.

'I'm very happy, but I would have been happier if he had made Kelowna. Obviously, as a 16 year old, it's tough to do.

'We were preparing for life without Adam, but we're happy to have him back.'

Henderson said he made it past the first couple of cuts in Kelowna and felt like he had a good cut, but there were 12 19-year-olds in camp and nearly the entire roster was returning from last season, so there weren't many open spots.

'They said I really improved a lot from last time they saw me and that I've jumped up the depth chart. If I have another good season, they said I should have a good shot at making the team next year.'

One of the highlights for Henderson was getting to practice with Shea Weber, a defenceman who will suit up for Nashville in the NHL this year after winning gold with the Canadian junior national team at the world championships.

Henderson also attended a junior A camp in Quesnel, B.C. (the Quesnel Millionaires), where he was one of the last cuts. The Millionaires are hoping to make him an affiliated player this season, which means they can call him up if he's needed.

If last season was any indication, Longstaff sees no reason why Henderson won't someday play in the WHL.

Henderson was named top forward in the Rural Alberta Midget Hockey League (RAMHL) last season, an award voted on by all the coaches. He was highlighted as one of the kids to watch in Hockey Now magazine, which is circulated in B.C. and Alberta.

He's off to a torrid start this year, too, with six goals and six assists in six games, putting him fifth in league scoring.

'He definitely has a shot (at making the WHL),' stated Longstaff, who has previously pointed out Henderson has probably got an even better attitude than he is a player.

'That's our job here, to mold him and prepare him for the WHL.'

Longstaff's goal for the team this year goes beyond individual successes. The coach wants to win nationals, plain and simple. It's something he said has been his goal since the team was implemented in 2004.

It will take a lot of things in order to get there, he said, but most of all, the team needs to believe in each other and the coaching staff.

'We just need to work on building a team atmosphere and the camaraderie you need to win a national championship.

'We have scoring, some great speed and we have good goaltending this year. We're extremely happy with our team so far.'

Henderson agrees this year's Flyers are strong and says camaraderie won't be a problem. There are only a few new players on the team this year and no rookies.

'Everybody knows each other, so we have good chemistry.'

The first real challenge for the Flyers will be Saturday against Camrose, a team ranked first in their division. Henderson said they need to keep their discipline under control in order to be successful in Alberta, since Camrose had a good power play.

'We just want to win this year. We'll try to go as far as we can in provincials and then see what happens.'

Another Yukoner aiming for a championship trophy in hockey this season is 19-year-old Crystal Stewart, who will be suiting up for the St. Francis Xavier University X-Women between the pipes once again this season. While Stewart stole the show in the second half of the last regular season, veteran goaltender Chelsea MacKenzie was given the ball when the X-Women made the national championships.

This time around, it's all up to the Yukoner, as MacKenzie has moved on from the university. Stewart suffered an injury to her rotator cuff in practice, but was in net for StFx last Friday in their exhibition game against the Guelph Gryphons, where she posted a shutout.

'Crystal played very, very well,' said head coach Dave Synishin, about the X-Women's 2-0 victory. 'At times, she certainly made some big saves.

'She is certainly going to be the key to our success and she's looking great. Crystal will be someone we will rely upon at the next level (nationals) especially, she thrives on a high level of competition.'

One huge advantage for StFX this year will be the fact they're hosting the nationals. They also have a strong number of players back for their second and third seasons, so they've seen national-level competition before.

'And one of the things we're doing new this year, is a lot more off-ice strength and conditioning,' said Synishin. 'I think that's going to pay huge dividends.'

The X-Women will open their regular season Oct. 22 and 23, with a series against St. Thomas University (Fredericton, N.B.). They hope to play another exhibition game before then, perhaps against Dalhousie, which Synishin said should be strong competition.

'Four or five programs continue to develop every year and certainly, Dalhousie has been knocking on the door.

'We won two games against them last year, one in the final minute and one in the final few seconds. They're going to be very good competition and that's what we need throughout this year.'

Synishin believes the strength of his team will be speed, as well as defence, which he said is something StFX takes pride in.

A sound defence is something the junior A Merritt Centennials like to see as well. That's where Yukoner Jared Tuton is offering his services on the blue line for the second season.

The Cents have gotten off to a rough start, sporting three wins, five losses and an overtime loss after nine games. Tuton has played in eight of those games, recording three assists.

The squad opens a home-and-home series against the Chilliwack Chiefs tonight.

Also hitting the ice in B.C. is former Yukoner Daniel Salamandyk, who moved to Kelowna with his family last year, after playing most of his minor hockey in the territory.

Salamandyk was drafted by the Kootenay Ice this past summer and attended their main camp in August.

'There were about 65 players at the main camp (five goalies),' said Salamandyk's father, Denny. 'They were very pleased with his performance. When we had our meeting with them, they said they wanted to AP (affiliate) him for this year.'

Daniel was the only 15-year-old goalie at the camp, which Denny called 'very high tempo.'

After trying out for the Ice, he returned to Kelowna, where he will suit up for the AAA midget team there. There are only three 15-year-olds on the AAA team and Daniel will be competing for the number one job in goal.

They've already played two games and are now off to a tournament in Kamloops this weekend.

'Right now, he needs to prove that he's number one,' said Denny. 'But he's in a pretty good position to do his thing.'