The CanElson Drilling Estevan Bruins hockey team will have a slightly different look when the 2015-16 Saskatchewan Junior A Hockey League (SJHL) season starts next month due to two key departures over the summer.
Talented left winger Brad Arabia is now a member of the Superior International Junior A Hockey League's (SIJHL) Thunder Bay North Stars after being dealt for future considerations by the Bruins Monday. The trade comes on the heels of the departure of Bruins captain Nolan Nicholas, who has left the team for the opportunity to patrol the blue line of the United States Hockey League's (USHL) 2015 Clark Cup champion Sioux Falls Stampede in 2015-16.
Chris Lewgood, head coach and general manager of the Bruins, said Thunder Bay expressed interest in acquiring 19-year-old Arabia last season and when they called again this summer Estevan decided to accommodate them. A Thunder Bay native, Arabia played one season with the Bruins where he tallied three goals and four points to go along with six penalty minutes in 35 games.
“Brad came to us as a pretty highly touted offensive player and just seemed to struggle in this environment and never really got going as a Bruin although he worked hard and was a good teammate,” said Lewgood. “He just didn't find his game here in Estevan, so we thought it was a good opportunity to find him a fresh start.”
Lewgood said the left wing position on the Bruins is a hotly contested one with a lot of good players vying for a spot. He said the move will enable some of their young players coming in to have a bigger role.
“Really, somebody wasn't going to be here in the end,” he said. “It turns out with us finding a good solid junior A home for Brad, it worked out that way.”
Nicholas, 20, leaves the Bruins after two seasons by signing with Sioux Falls earlier this summer. This past season the 6-0 200 pound rearguard served as Bruins captain and potted one goal and 10 assists in 53 regular season games along with one goal and four points in five playoff games. He scored three goals and assisted on nine others in 42 games during the 2013-14 season.
Lewgood said Nicholas was one of their top defenders and a definite leader. He said the club is going to miss him in the dressing room and all their players are going to have to band together to take on a little more responsibility "leadership-wise" to fill his shoes.
“Over the next few weeks here leading into camp we'll have further discussion on our entire leadership group,” said Lewgood, noting they have not yet discussed who would take over as Bruins captain. “Our team is full of leaders and guys capable of wearing C's and A's. In the end, this year there's likely to be some guys that we consider part of our leadership group that aren't wearing letters, so it'll be an interesting conversation and we haven't had it yet.”
Calling Nicholas an exceptional young guy, Lewgood said his loss in the community is disappointing, but it is for the right reason. He said losing Arabia is also tough for the community because of how well thought of he was in Estevan.
“He was well liked by his teammates and did a lot of good work in the community with minor hockey and different not-for-profit groups around town, so we definitely want to wish him well.”
