As they gear up for a home game at the Civic Centre Friday night against the Melville Millionares, the Battlefords North Stars have welcomed a new face to their lineup.
On Wednesday afternoon, the team acquired 20-year-old forward Chaseton Braid from the Alberta Junior Hockey League’s Lloydminster Bobcats in exchange for a player development fee.
“He’s a smart and skilled player who makes his linemates better,” North Stars head coach and general manager Brandon Heck said.
“He’s played with elite level players and the veteran experience that he has is something that will help our team.”
Braid, who is from Chauvin, Alta. and played in 71 WHL games over the last three seasons with the Kamloops Blazers and the Saskatoon Blades, had 22 points in 35 games last year for the Bobcats.
Through nine games this season, he had five points in nine games to sit in a tie for second in team scoring.
“He’s good friends with [North Stars forward Tre] Doyon so I had heard some good things about him before I saw him play in person,” Heck said. “I went to one of his games at the AJHL Showcase [in Camrose] and he had a three-point night against Okotoks, who are the top ranked team in Canada right now.
“We enquired about him early in the season, but obviously Lloydminster didn’t want to part ways with him at that point as they wanted to see where they were in the standings.”
The Bobcats, who lost the RBC Cup final on home ice in 2016 to the British Columba Hockey League’s West Kelowna Warriors, currently have a 3-7 record and are holding on to the seventh and final playoff sport in the North Division.
Braid is expected to join the team for a practice session Thursday morning before suiting up for Friday’s 7:30 p.m. home tilt with the Millionaires.
Tuesday SJHL Recap
In the first game for the league after Thanksgiving, the Estevan Bruins picked up a road win as they defeated the Yorkton Terriers by a 4-3 score Tuesday.
Jake Heerspink had a goal and an assist to pace the Bruins on offence, while Hayden Guilderson had a pair of assists.
Zach Goberis, Kaelan Holt and Jack Kilroy also scored in the victory, which moved the Bruins into a tie for first place in the league standings with the Melfort Mustangs on 17 points.
Cody Bruchkowsi found the back of the net twice for the Terriers, who also got a goal from William Brochu.
Players of the Week
In the latest batch of SJHL honours that came out on Monday, Notre Dame Hounds forward Alec Zawatsky was named the player of the week after scoring two goals and setting up four others in a pair of games.
Nipawin Hawks blueliner Josh McDougall was named defenceman of the week after scoring his first goal of the year and picking up five assists in two games.
Flin Flon Bombers netminder Brenden Newton received the goaltender of the week accolades for the second straight week after posting a 1-0-0-1 record and a 0.96 goals against average in a pair of games against Kindersley.
Defenceman Tim Gould of Notre Dame was named the rookie of the week after a three-assist week in the two games he played.
CJHL Top 20
Despite playing just one game last week, a 3-2 overtime win over the Humboldt Broncos, the Battlefords North Stars have moved up three spots to fifth overall in the Canadian Junior Hockey League’s Top 20 rankings that came out on Monday.
The Melfort Mustangs, who won their first eight games prior to a pair of losses last week, dropped from second to eighth.
The Alberta Junior Hockey League’s Okotoks Oilers are now the top team in the country, followed by the Maritime Hockey League’s Edmundston Blizzard, the Superior International Junior Hockey League’s Thief River Falls Norskies and the BCHL’s Penticton Vees.
Wednesday SJHL Schedule
- Flin Flon vs. Humboldt – 7:30 p.m.
- Melville vs. Melfort – 7:30 p.m.
- La Ronge vs. Weyburn – 7:30 p.m.
Standings
Olympic Buildings Division
1. Battlefords North Stars – 11 points (5-0-1 – 3W)
2. Kindersley Klippers – 11 points (5-4-1 – 1W)
3. Notre Dame Hounds – 10 points (4-3-1-1 – 1W)
4. Humboldt Broncos – 9 points (4-4-1 – 3L)
Sherwood Division
1. Melfort Mustangs – 17 points (8-1-1 – 2L)
2. Flin Flon Bombers – 13 points (5-1-0-3 – 1L)
3. Nipawin Hawks – 12 points (5-1-1-1 – 2W)
4. La Ronge Ice Wolves – 3 points (1-6-0-1 – 4L)
Viterra Division
1. Estevan Bruins – 17 points (8-2-1 – 2W)
2. Weyburn Red Wings – 9 points (4-2-1 – 2W)
3. Melville Millionaires – 7 points (3-6-0-1 – 1L)
4. Yorkton Terriers – 6 points (2-7-2 – 1L)
Scoring Race
1. Zach Goberis (Estevan) – 23 points (11 goals and 12 assists)
2. Michael McChesney (Estevan) – 19 points (11 goals and 8 assists)
3. Layne Young (Battlefords) – 16 points (6 goals and 10 assists)
4. Jake Fletcher (Estevan) – 14 points (5 goals and 9 assists)
5. Josh McDougall (Nipawin) – 14 points (1 goal and 13 assists)
Goals Against Average Leaders
1. Brendan Newton (Flin Flon) – 1.53 (5-1-0-3)
2. Jake Anthony (Nipawin) – 1.91 (2-0-0-1)
3. Evan Plotnik (Melfort) – 1.97 (8-1-1)
4. Jacob Wasserman (Humboldt) – 2.17 (2-1-1)
5. Taryn Kotchorek (Battlefords) – 2.34 (4-0-1)
