Gelderland relishing leadership role with Miners
Justin Gelderland has been involved with the Red Lake Miners since he was a kid.
The hometown defenceman is in his last year of junior hockey and says that his family began billeting players when the team moved to Red Lake.
“Being the captain has been both fulfilling and stressful, and it’s made this year feel even more personal,” said Gelderland. “It has definitely come with extra responsibilities that have pushed me to take a more mature and responsible approach to my final season.”
“Leading such a young team has been challenging with the adversity we’ve faced, but it’s also been rewarding. There have been a lot of teaching moments where guys need some guidance to adjust their play style. Seeing how quickly they’ve developed and how much confidence they’ve gained has been impressive.”
The Miners only two victories came away from Red Lake: October 11th against the Ironwood Lumberjacks and October 17th versus the Thunder Bay North Stars.
Each team in the Superior International Junior Hockey League (SIJHL) will make the Bill Salonen Cup Playoffs with the regular season champions earning a bye into the semi-finals.
“We hired a new head coach in August, and because of that we got a later start to the season than we would have liked,” Gelderland added. “That naturally created some issues with preparation and execution.”
Billy Keane, older brother of former NHLer Mike Keane, is the fourth Head Coach and General Manager for the Miners since the 2015 campaign (Derek Sweet-Coulter 2015-2019, Geoff Walker 2019-2022 and Lee Stone 2022-2025).
Gelderland was quick to compliment Thunder Bay defenceman Graeme Tenhunen.
“Graeme has taken full advantage of the opportunities that have been provided to him. He plays a solid defensive role for us, and regularly logs 25 minutes including power play and penalty kill,” mentioned Gelderland. “He has already secured himself as a top 3 defence man in our lineup, and with the experience he’s gaining now, I have no doubt he’ll make a strong impact in every game he plays when he is the regular age of a junior hockey player.”
Gelderland suited up in regular season game number 100 against the Thunder Bay North Stars on November 8, 2025. His first game with his hometown team came against the Dryden GM Ice Dogs on December 10, 2022.
“Hitting that milestone definitely made me think back to my first game as a Miner,” reflected Gelderland. “It reminded me of how much I’ve grown as a player and a person, and all the experiences along the way. It was a cool milestone to reach, and it gave me a moment to appreciate every step of the journey.”
Gelderland is hoping to work towards getting his pilot’s license while also playing college hockey next season.
JANUARY 2026 SCHEDULE
Friday 9th vs. Sioux Lookout Bombers
Saturday 10th vs. Sioux Lookout Bombers
Tuesday 13th @ Dryden GM Ice Dogs
Friday 16th vs. Kam River Fighting Walleye
Saturday 17th vs. Kam River Fighting Walleye
Friday 23rd @ Dryden GM Ice Dogs
Saturday 24th vs. Dryden GM Ice Dogs
Tuesday 27th vs. Fort Frances Lakers
Saturday 31st vs. Thunder Bay North Stars
