The Humboldt Broncos may not be the top team in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League, but they have some of the best talent as eight Broncos were named to one of the three teams for the upcoming SJHL/MJHL Showcase in Regina, Jan. 15-16.
The Broncos’ eight player representatives ranks second among the 12 SJHL teams for most players sent, ranking behind only the Notre Dame Hounds’ ten representatives.
Seeing so many players sent to the showcase is great says assistant coach Mark Cross, who says it is a great indicator of the level of talent the Broncos have on their roster.
“There’s also a couple other guys in there who are also very deserving and could have likely very well made that team as well,” says Cross. “It shows the skill that we have in there but even more so I’m a fan of the character that we have in our room, which speaks volumes about the guys we have.”
The eight players are spread across three teams, with Logan Schatz, Bryce Fiske, and Brayden Camrud selected to Team Mitchell, newly acquired Bronco Nick Shumlanski, and Conner Lukan to Team Kunitz, and Ryan Straschnitzki, Xavier Labelle, and Logan Hunter to Team Schwartz.
Schatz is in his fourth full season with the Broncos, serving as captain since early 2016, where he has appeared in 170 games, scoring 39 goals, and 122 assists for 161 points.
In 40 games so far this season, Schatz ranks third in league scoring with 55 points, including 15 goals and 40 assists.
“His offensive speed, edges, and puck work is elite in this league. Very dynamic skater,” noted Cross.
Fiske meanwhile, is in his first season with the Broncos, after being acquired earlier this season from La Ronge, where he spent the first three years of his junior career.
In 199 career SJHL contests, the La Ronge native has accumulated 14 goals and 58 assists for 72 points, with 369 penalty minutes.
In 36 games so far this season, Fiske has three goals and 21 assists for 24 points, with 60 penalty minutes.
“(He’s a) great two-way player. Probably pound for pound one of the hardest hitting players I’ve ever seen,” noted Cross.
Rounding out the Broncos’ contingent on Team Mitchell is second year Bronco Brayden Camrud.
The left shooting Saskatoon native has appeared in 82 games as a Bronco where he has piled up 16 goals and 45 assists for 61 points.
In 39 games this season, Camrud ranks third in the club in points with 33 thanks to a career high 11 goals and 22 assists, one shy of his career high.
“(Camrud is) very similar to Schatz in his skating and his shiftiness and his agileness on the ice. Very dangerous offensive threat,” says Cross.
Sitting between Schatz and Camrud in Broncos’ scoring is newly acquired Nick Shumlanski.
Shumlanski joins the Broncos having played in parts of four seasons with the Flin Flon Bombers, where he accumulated 155 games, 40 goals, 83 assists, and 123 points.
In 37 games so far this season Shumlanski has 12 goals and 28 assists for 40 points, good enough for a tie for 14th in league scoring.
Cross notes he would love to see Schatz, Shumlanski, and Camrud play on a line, noting they are all terrific offensive players, but says Shumlanski’s greatest trait is not his offensive ability.
“The one thing I like about Shumlanski is his effort all over the ice, 200 feet, he’s working as hard on offense as he is on defense and that speaks well to his character.”
Joining Shumlanski on Team Kunitz is another newly acquired Bronco Conner Lukan.
Lukan joined the Broncos earlier this season in a deal with the Spruce Grove Saints.
The 20-year-old Slave Lake, Alta. native is in his fourth season of junior hockey, where he has amassed 200 games, scoring 39 goals, and 57 assists for 96 points.
In 39 games with the Broncos this season Lukan has 11 goals and 21 assists for 32 points, setting career highs in assists and points and sitting just three goals shy of tying his career high.
Cross notes that Lukan’s greatest attribute is that he never takes a shift off.
“He plays with his heart on his sleeve and gifted player also. Blocks shots, makes hits, he’s a complete player.”
Another newly acquired Bronco will be making an appearance at the showcase as Ryan Straschnitzki is one of three young Broncos on the squad.
Straschnitzki joined the Broncos earlier this season in a deal with Whitecourt.
Straschnitzki is in his first season of junior hockey, appearing in 36 games between the Wolverines and Broncos, where he has one goal and six assists.
“(He’s) probably one of the better offensive defensemen. His rushing ability, rushing of the puck, which includes his vision and his skating and his stick handling are all very good,” noted Cross.
Joining Straschnitzki on the Team Schwartz blueline is second year Bronco Xavier Labelle.
In 85 games at the junior hockey level, the Saskatoon native has compiled four goals and 13 assists for 17 points.
Labelle got off to a slow start this season missing more than a month with an injury, but in 23 games since returning to the ice, the 18-year-old has three goals and three assists.
“(He’s a) smart defenseman with good edges. A smooth skater and very intelligent hockey player,” noted Cross.
The eighth and final member of the Broncos who will be appearing at the showcase is rookie Logan Hunter.
The 18-year-old St. Albert native is having an excellent season with the Broncos scoring 13 goals and 15 assists for 28 points in just 38 games.
“He has a great shot, good vision on the ice, good protection of the puck and likes to score a lot of goals,” says Cross.
In addition to having three youngsters on Team Schwartz, the Broncos will also be sending goaltender Jacob Wassermann to the Canadian Junior Hockey League top prospects game.
Having four players considered to be top prospects is great, says Cross.
“Obviously we’re making a big push for it this year with the pieces we have,” he says, “but knowing that you have those guys who are in our lineup...the future is going to be a good thing for us.”
Broncos head coach Darcy Haugan will also be making an appearance at the Showcase, serving as the assistant coach on Team Mitchell.
The SJHL/MJHL Showcase features the 60 best college eligible players as chosen by the coaches, with two teams featuring the top 1997-1998 born players, and one team featuring the top 1999-2000 born players.
