The Humboldt Broncos are planning to return to the ice in time for the 2018-19 Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League season.
The team announced in a statement Friday that they are in the process of hiring a head coach and general manager to take over the role that was held by Darcy Haugan, who lost his life along with 15 others in a bus accident last month.
"Darcy Haugan was selfless, inspirational and motivating, building up his players to be great ambassadors and role models both on the ice and in the community," Broncos team president Kevin Garinger said.
"He took our team to new heights. It will be incredibly difficult to find someone that can rise to his standards."
The Broncos are also holding a invite-only camp for 80 players in Saskatoon from May 25 to 27, while season tickets are expected to go on sale soon.
Meanwhile, Broncos forward and former Battlefords AAA Stars player Kaleb Dahlgren, who was injured in the bus accident, has signed a letter of intent in U Sports with York University.
Dahlgren hopes to be in the lineup for the Lions when the season begins, but the school plans to honour his committment for whenever he's ready to take to the ice.
In other SJHL news, Battlefords North Stars Layne Young was topped by Chris Van Os-Shaw of the Alberta Junior Hockey League's Spruce Grove Saints in voting for the Canadian Junior Hockey League's top forward award.
Young and Van Os-Shaw, who previously played in the SJHL for the Weyburn Red Wings and the Broncos, are also finalists for the CJHL's most valuable player award, along with Jasper Weatherby of the British Columbia Hockey League's Wenatchee Wild, Dexter Kuczek of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League's Winnipeg Blues and Andrew Petrucci of the Ontario Junior Hockey League's Toronto Patriots.
The winner of that award is expected to be announced during the course of this week's RBC Cup, which begins Saturday in Chilliwack, B.C.
Broncos netminder Jacob Wasserman was a finalist for the CJHL rookie of the year award, which was won by Alex Newhook of the BCHL's Victoria Grizzlies.
