The Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League released its 2000-01 schedule on Sunday and the Weyburn Red Wings are pleased with how it shook down.

"It's a pretty good schedule for us," says head coach Dwight McMillan. "It's as good as it can be."

As in past years, the SJHL schedule concentrated on a weekend-based schedule, with the majority of the home games falling on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

The Red Wings, who finished second in the south division with 71 points last season, opens the 2000-01 campaign at home on Saturday, Sept. 16 against the Yorkton Terriers in one of 11 Saturday home dates this season. The remaining Red Wings home contests are split with nine Tuesday games, seven Friday games and singles on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday.

The day after opening the season at home, the Red Wings hit the road for the first time as they travel to Notre Dame to take on the Hounds, before returning home September 22 to take on last season's south division leaders the Melville Millionaires.

A date which will be surely circled on the schedule of the 14 returning Red Wings is September 30, when they will travel to North Battleford for a rematch of last year's Hanbidge Cup final. Last season Weyburn was spurned in the final by the North Stars who needed the full seven games to dispatch the Red Wings. Last month the defending champions announced a name change that will see them known as the Battlefords' North Stars.

Although the North Stars will be formidable opposition this season, with many graduating players, McMillan is looking towards the Kindersley Klippers as being the toughest competition from the north division.

Along with Melville, the Estevan Bruins, who have a well-documented past with the Red Wings, should provide the biggest test while challenging Weyburn for first in the south division.

Other dates of interest during the Red Wings 2000/01 season include a two-game mini-series December 16-17 in Flin Flon, Man. against the Bombers as well as a home-and-home set January 26-27 with the Notre Dame Hounds.

The Red Wings end their season on the road with rival Estevan on April 3.

This season's All-Star Game will take place in La Ronge.

With the season just a month and a half away Red Wings fans won't have long to wait as training camp gets under way on Friday, Sept. 1, with the first preseason game slated for Tuesday, Sept. 5 in Estevan.