Listen to the full interview with 730 CKDM's Darnell Duff:
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It wasn’t until late summer that he learned several of last year’s top players were making their return.
For Gavin Nemis, preparation was second nature. As he geared up for his second season in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League (MJHL) with the Dauphin Kings, there was no doubt he was ready to make an impact.
Nemis arrived in Dauphin after three seasons with the Rink Hockey Academy program in Winnipeg, where he honed his skills against elite competition. In his lone year with the U-18 Prep team, he racked up seven goals and 19 assists in the regular season, then elevated his game in the playoffs with three goals in as many contests.
The leap from U-18 to junior hockey was no small adjustment, but Nemis embraced the challenge, quickly recognizing the intensity and speed of the MJHL. Now, the Winnipeg product is back for year two—wiser, stronger, and more determined than ever. A rising star in the Kings' lineup, Nemis isn’t just returning—he’s ready to lead.
"It's great to be back, we have a great group of guys this year," said Nemis. "We're hoping to make a big run this year."
Gavin was already fired up about returning to Dauphin for his second season, but that excitement hit another level when he found out he wouldn’t be doing it alone. With key players like Cole Sheffield, Cayden Glover, Gabriel Bugeaud, and Naaman Hofer also back in the mix, the stage was set for something special.
"I was pumped when I found out those guys were back," continued Nemis. "Everyone saw what they did last year. They work extremely hard and are unreal on the ice and off the ice as well."
Nemis played only 37 regular season games last year, scoring three goals and totalling 14 points. He dressed in four of the team's playoff games against the Northern Manitoba Blizzard, notching one assist. Nemis knew that he had way more in the tank. So he went home and had an incredible off-season. He was in the gym and on the ice and now, Nemis has become one of the top two-way players in the league.
"I wasn't happy about being in and out of the lineup last year, not what I wanted," commented Nemis. "So I worked out every day in the summer and skated three times a week. I was always shooting the puck and working on my skills at home as well, I wanted to be in the lineup every night helping the guys win."
Gavin has incredible speed and his work ethic can't be beat. Need him to go in the corner and come out with the puck? Nemis will do that. Need him to score a clutch goal? Nemis is turning into a player that will do just that. In 49 games this season, Gavin is averaging nearly a point per game with 12 goals and 48 points, sitting second in team scoring.
"There are games where I'm really happy about what I brought to the table," said Nemis. "Then there's games where I'm not really pleased. When it comes down to it, it's all about the team winning games, I'll do whatever I can to help them do just that."
Nemis has also had to adapt to playing with a few different players this year. He was starting to hit his stride alongside Cayden Glover and Madden Murray. The trio was taking over games and were fun to watch. Glover, who still leads the league with 33 goals, suffered an upper-body injury on January 31 and isn't expected to be back until the playoffs. Murray, meanwhile, has 28 points and last played on February 8. He's not slated to return until the middle of March, at the earliest.
Great players thrive under pressure, and Nemis is no exception. Just like the rest of the team, he hasn’t just adapted to adversity—he’s embraced it, elevating his game when it matters most.
"Yeah, it was pretty tough losing Cayden and Madden, we were playing very well together," continued Nemis. "With that being said, we have guys that have taken a step up and are playing unreal. So it's all good."
Nemis is firing on all cylinders at the right time with seven points in his last six games and he scored a clutch goal against Niverville last Saturday which forced overtime as Dauphin earned a key point. He paired that with an assist and had a goal in the team's 4-2 win against the Blues the following day.
Saturday's overtime loss against Niverville was the second time in a matter of weeks that Dauphin has rallied from a multi-goal deficit to steal a point. On February 7 in Steinbach, Dauphin trailed 3-0 and 4-1 before forcing overtime before ultimately losing in the shootout. Nemis had two primary assists in that game. Against Niverville, Dauphin was down 2-0 before storming back and 24 hours prior against the Pistons, Dauphin nearly stormed back from a three-goal deficit before falling 5-4 in regulation.
The Kings may be battered and bruised, but their relentless work ethic never wavers. They battle until the final whistle, embracing the ‘Comeback Kids’ mentality and proving time and time again that they’re never out of the fight.
"We're always pushing each other and our practices are super intense," continued Nemis. "The guy next to you is always pushing you to keep going. So we take that mentality into games, it's not over until the final buzzer. I'm pretty proud of how our group has been able to fight and battle, regardless of if we're down or up."
Nemis' contributions earned him a spot on Team MJHL U-18 for the MJHL-SJHL Showcase which happened in January at the Seven Oaks Sportsplex in Winnipeg.
"That was really cool. I had played with a couple of my teammates before so it was nice to be with them," commented Nemis. "It was also nice to meet other guys and play for different coaches."
Nemis helped Team MJHL 18-U win both games over Team SJHL 18-U. Nemis is now preparing for a return to game action as Dauphin heads to Neepawa on Friday to play the Titans before returning home for a clash against the Nighthawks on Saturday.
Dauphin wrapped up a stretch that saw them play 13 games in 24 days last Sunday. Dauphin went 6-5-1-1 in that period and sits six points ahead of the Northern Manitoba Blizzard for first place in the West Division, with a game against the Blizzard coming up next Tuesday at Credit Union Place.
"The body was so sore, guys were beat up and sore after that stretch," said Nemis. "It's nice that we got a few days off to rest and recover."
The Kings’ march toward the Turnbull Cup playoffs is in full swing. Having secured their spot two weeks ago against Neepawa, Dauphin is now focused on using the lessons learned from last year’s unforgettable postseason battle.
In one of the longest series in Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL) history, the Kings went the distance against the Northern Manitoba Blizzard. Game six was a marathon, stretching into five overtimes, only to be followed by an epic game seven that needed three more to decide a winner. When the dust settled, Dauphin had fallen just short—a heartbreaking end to a gruelling war on the ice.
But setbacks fuel comebacks, and Nemis believes that experience will be a weapon in their arsenal this time around. With the scars of last year still fresh, the Kings are hungrier than ever to write a different ending.
"We know that it's not always highly skilled goals that get the job done," said Nemis. "It's about getting greasy and going hard to the net. We have a pretty similar roster compared to last year, so all the guys have experienced what happened. Everyone wants to push to go on a longer run this year."
You can hear Gavin's full chat with Darnell Duff during the Dauphin Kings Power Play Show on Friday afternoon at 4:00.
Get to know Nemis:
What are some of your hobbies? I love fishing and anything outdoors. Golf, pickleball, I just love being outside.
What's your biggest catch on the water? I would say a 32-inch Walleye, I caught it up in Northern Manitoba a few years ago.
What is one of your favourite hockey memories? When I played with Rink Hockey Academy, we would travel to Penticton for the playoffs. It was super cool to have all the teams under one roof and the facility was awesome. It was sweet to play in a facility that calibre.
Any family trips that you've been on? One that sticks out is going to Hawaii. We went cliff jumping together which was great. We also jumped off a super cool pier.