The Humboldt Broncos have agreed to a new five-year contract with coach and general manager Dean Brockman, the team announced on July 21. The contract extends to the end of the 2017-18 season.
"To have someone with Dean's caliber, desire to succeed and penchant for winning, it was a no-brainer," said Broncos' president Jamie Brockman. "We are honoured to have him as a part of our organization for five more years."
Brockman has been with the team since the 1997-98 season, first as an assistant coach. He took over as head coach and general manager prior to the 2004-05 season and has enjoyed a period of sustained success since then. He guided the Broncos to a Royal Bank Cup win in 2008 and two other appearances in the national tournament, most recently when Humboldt hosted the championship in 2012.
Despite these many successes, this past season was perhaps Brockman's finest. Widely viewed as a rebuilding year, Brockman led the Broncos to first place in the North Division before losing a tough six-game series to the Yorkton Terriers in the Canalta Cup Final.
Brockman's contract expired at the end of this past season and he took the time to consider moving to a job in the Western Hockey League (WHL).
"I spoke with a few teams," Brockman said. "Some were offering head coaching jobs, some assistant coaching jobs." None of the discussions with WHL teams worked out and so Brockman turned to considerations of his future here in Humboldt.
With two kids at home the impact of any decision on his family was paramount.
"My family had to be a part of the decision, that was one of the biggest things," Brockman said. "We felt we could manage to free up more time for me to be at home."
Brockman continued to work for the Broncos during contract negotiations and eventually decided the security of a long-term deal in Humboldt was too good to pass up.
"We wanted to be able to tell our protected players that there was security in coming to the Broncos," he said. "Five years is a long time and when you have a chance to get that opportunity to get that security you jump on it."
Brockman said he's gradually learned over his nine seasons as head coach that his coaching philosophy has to fit with the roster he's helped put together.
"Your style changes yearly based on the roster and kids you have," he said.
Coaching a team with as rich a history as the Broncos also keeps Brockman on his toes.
"Every day you feel pressure to be successful because the franchise is known for it," he said.
As a competitor, the feeling of losing that last game to Yorkton also lingers with Brockman.
"Anytime you don't win your last game you always want to outdo the previous year so that certainly came into play."
By the end of his contract Brockman will have been the head coach for 14 seasons. Based on the first nine seasons, fans in Humboldt can expect to see a lot more winning hockey.
