On Saturday the puck will drop for the start of the new Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League season for the Humboldt Broncos.
It will be another step in building this year’s edition of the Broncos. New head coach and general manager Darcy Haugan, a former SJHL player and assistant coach, has emphasized that it is a process to build a team. The desire of any sports squad is to be playing at its best come playoff time.
“What we are trying to get across to people is to come to the rink, work hard every day, get better every day, and see what happens,” said Haugan, who emphasized that applies to him as well.
Following training camp and the preseason, Haugan feels the building blocks – the “foundation” – is there for the team.
“The leadership has been fantastic,” Haugan said. “It is just a great group to be around. … They are working hard. I think we have the makings of a really tight-knit group.”
Haugan is taking over from Ryan Smith, who departed for the Western Hockey League. In Smith’s one season with the Broncos, the team finished eighth in the SJHL with a 24-25-5-2 record. In the playoffs, Humboldt fell 3-1 to the Weyburn Red Wings in the opening round. After an uncharacteristic early round knockout, the Broncos are looking to extend their season this time around.
Opening Weekend
The Broncos open their SJHL schedule hosting Notre Dame on Saturday, Sept. 19. A tailgate party will be held before the puck drops at the Elgar Petersen Arena. The two teams play again on Sunday in Wilcox.
Last season, Notre Dame went 37-14-1-4. The Hounds made it all the way to the SJHL finals where they were swept, 4-0, by the Melfort Mustangs.
On Tuesday, Sept. 22, the Broncos host the Battlefords North Stars.
Defence
With a strong defensive core returning, the blue line should be a strength for the Broncos as the season starts. The top returning defencemen include last year’s captain Anthony Kapelke, Greg Moro, Corey Dambrauskas, Josh Bergen, and Connor Swystun. Moro was fourth on the team last season with 27 points.
Forwards
Up front the Broncos will be a mix of old and new faces this season. The returning crew is led by hometown standout Jarrett Fontaine. Last season, the former Western Hockey League player had a team-high 17 goals and was third on the squad with 34 points. Among the other top returning forwards are Michael Korol (fifth last season with 26 points), Logan Schatz (19 points) and Trevor Posch (10 goals in 45 games).
The Broncos have added experienced players such as Connor Kortko and Daniel McKitrick. Kortko had 13 goals in 24 games for La Ronge last season and also played in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League. McKitrick had 33 points in 50 games in his rookie season ion the Superior International Hockey League.
Humboldt has also brought in a number of new recruits. They include Star City’s Josh Roberts, who had 23 points last year for Prince Albert in midget AAA action, and Lethbridge’s Andrew Thompson, who had two goals in a preseason contents for the Broncos.
Gone are top scorer Gray Marr to the North American Hockey League; Matthew Kenney (second in points for the Broncos last season), who was swapped to Weyburn who sent him to Ontario; and Jon Brumwell, who graduated and will play for Concordia University Wisconsin; among others.
Goalies
Last season the Broncos entered the season without their two top goalies from the season before. However, the position became one of the team’s strengths. The Broncos are hoping this happens again. Haugan praised Smith and assistant coach Brayden Klimosko for the players they brought in. He said the competition with that group and the other goalies brought in has been very good.
In the preseason, Brett Friesen, Brett Clark, and Josh Weber have each impressed. A 20-year-old, Clark played for the B.C. Hockey League’s Trail Smoke Eaters last season. Friesen is an 18-year-old who played for AAA midget for the Yellowhead Chiefs in Manitoba last winter. Weber, 18, played high school hockey in Minnesota.
Jack Romanuik, who had a team-high 10 wins last season, graduated and will play for Concordia University Wisconsin this coming winter. Brock Hamm won nine games with the Broncos last season and was called up to the Western Hockey League’s Saskatoon Blades. Ryan Larochelle had five wins, but was traded to Winkler of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League in the offseason.
Preseason
The Broncos went 2-3 in the preseason. Those five games were played in six days. Haugan said it was an interesting and productive preseason.
“We had a chance to evaluate,” Haugan said in a Sept. 14 interview. “We had a chance to play everyone. …“I am very pleased with the character and the work ethic of everyone here. We have some tough choices to make.”
While Haugan saw some good things in the preseason, he noted there will be a focus on improved puck movement and play away from the puck.
Results from preseason play included: Sept. 8 – Nipawin 3, Humboldt 2; Sept. 9 – Humboldt 4, Melfort 1; Sept. 11 – Humboldt 3, Battlefords 2; Sept. 12 - Battlefords 3, Humboldt 2 OT, and Sept. 13- Melfort 5, Humboldt 1.
