Jan. 10 was an important day for junior hockey teams across the country and it was no different for the Humboldt Broncos.
They were hard at work making last minute roster changes in the lead up to the Jan. 10 trade deadline.
The Broncos made a quartet of moves prior to the deadline, waving goodbye to a pair of players and hello to two others.
The biggest move made by the green and gold came with the acquisition of 20-year-old forward Nick Shumlanski from the Flin Flon Bombers.
The Tisdale product comes to the Broncos with 155 games of SJHL experience, all with the Bombers, where he accumulated 40 goals and 83 assists for 123 points.
In 35 games this season with the Bombers, Shumlanski has 12 goals and 27 assists for 39 points, good enough for 14th in SJHL scoring.
Heading back to the Bombers are future considerations.
Shumlanski admitted the news did not come as a surprise to him, noting that through conversations with his coach in Flin Flon he knew he was being traded it was just a question of where and when.
“It was exciting for me. I was real excited to get up here. I came up here the next day and I was ready to get things going.”
Shumlanski brings a tremendous amount of offensive upside, notes assistant coach and general manager Mark Cross.
“We saw a top end guy in our league who could really be a difference maker and we went after him pretty aggressively.”
Shumlanski noted he knew there were a number of teams interested in his services, but said when he learned his new home would be Humboldt, he was pretty excited.
“It wasn’t any disappointment or anything. I’m friends with a couple of guys I used to play with on this team so that kind of helped the transition.”
Over the course of his hockey career Shumlanski has played with a few of the Broncos, including captain Logan Schatz and defenseman Bryce Fiske, and says he also knows Kaleb Dahlgren.
Having that familiarity with some of the players is nice, says Cross, who notes Shumlanski has fit in already.
“Especially approaching the playoffs you want that tight bond with these guys so I don’t see any issues that way and I think he’s going to be a big asset to our team.”
In addition to the transition being easier due to knowing some of the players, Shumlanski notes that the transition has also been easier because he got to stay in the SJHL.
“It’s a little more comfortable because you’re more used to the rinks and you’re more used to who you’re playing against so that helped a little bit too,” he says.
“I know Humboldt had a pretty good team this year so it was nice to get moved to a team that possibly has a chance at winning a championship.”
The Broncos also bolstered their blueline with the acquisition of 18-year-old defenseman Cale Cripps from the Olds Grizzlys in Alberta Junior Hockey League.
“It’s a new opportunity, a fresh start after the deadline to prove myself and come in and hopefully make an impact with the team and see how far we can get,” noted Cripps of his feelings upon learning the news of the trade.
The 5’11”, 190lb Grande Prairie, Alta. native joins the green and gold after spending the first 30 games of his junior hockey season with the Grizzlys where he scored one goal and added two assists while piling up 89 penalty minutes.
In exchange for the defenseman the Broncos send future considerations to the Grizzlys.
“(We were) looking for a solid D-man with a little grit and that’s exactly what he brings to our game,” notes Cross.
With the club holding nine 20-year-olds on their roster, Cross noted the club could not add another, and says having Cripps potentially in their lineup for two more years in exciting.
“We heard nothing but positive things about his character, his work ethic, and then obviously his game on the ice as well. So to be able to bring in a kid like that to have him for two more years it’s huge for us.”
Cripps joins the Broncos, knowing very little about the club, he admitted, saying he knew head coach Darcy Haugan a little growing up in the same area, but says he is unfamiliar with the players.
“A lot of new faces here… I’ve met most of the guys and they seem great so I’m looking forward to the rest of the year.”
Being a youngster and moving to a new province where you do not know many people is not always easy, but Cripps says the transition has not be too bad.
“It’s a whirlwind for sure. A lot of different things, moving into billets, I had a (30-minute) skate before my first game so a little different getting used to all the different gear and the ice, everything so a lot of factors in there but I think it’s good so I can’t complain at all.”
Cross noted the club had their eyes on both pieces, and says he was pleased with what they were able to do at the deadline.
“I think both pieces will fit in really nicely.”
In a separate deal with the Grizzlys, the Broncos traded goaltender Sam-Jaxon Visscher to Olds, in exchange for future considerations.
Visscher was in his first season with the Broncos, appearing in nine games where he posted a 3.30 goals against average and a .882 save percentage.
The Broncos’ busy day finally came to an end late in the day when they sent McKullen Astill to the South Shore Lumberjacks in exchange for future considerations.
Astill appeared in eight games with the Broncos, after being acquired from Merritt earlier this season, scoring one goal and adding two assists.
Shumlanski has played in two games since joining the Broncos where he has scored one assist.
Cripps meanwhile, has appeared in one game as a Bronco finishing scoreless.
Both Cripps and Shumlanski will have their next chance to suit up for the green and gold when the Broncos travel to Melfort to take on the Mustangs on Jan. 20.
