The Humboldt Broncos have named Nathan Oystrick to be their new head coach and general manager in the wake of the April 6 bus tragedy.
Oystrick takes over as Broncos coach from Darcy Haugan, the team’s former coach and general manager, one of the 16 people who lost their lives in the collision.
“I did not know Darcy Haugan, but I wish I had,” Oystrick said during the news conference in Humboldt.
Oystrick is from Regina and played midget hockey with the Pat Canadians before moving on to junior hockey with the South Surrey Eagles.
He then played collegiate hockey with Northern Michigan University and has played professionally with four teams in the AHL and 65 games in the NHL with the Atlanta Thrashers, Anaheim Ducks and St. Louis Blues.
Since then Oystrick has been in the coaching ranks, most recently as an assistant with the Atlanta Gladiators in the ECHL and last year at the high school level with Colorado Academy.
At the news conference Oystrick described himself as an open, positive person who tries to keep things upbeat. He lives in Colorado right now but the plan is to move to Humboldt by the end of July.
