The future of the Estevan Bruins junior A hockey team was on full display Sunday at the SJHL/SMAAAHL Showcase at Warman Legends Arena.
The Saskatchewan Junior A Hockey League and Saskatchewan Minor AAA Hockey League competition featured 14 future Bruins in the 1998 born and 1999 born midget AAA showcase games that kicked off the three-day event. The 14 future Bruins are all of the team’s list players in these age categories who are playing midget AAA this season.
“The depth of our list is starting to pay off,” said Bruins head scout Todd Ripplinger. “I’m happy for all the boys that got the opportunity to play. I know there are a lot of good players out there who didn’t get a chance. They’re selected by SJHL and midget AAA teams, so it just shows you that guys are noticing our list players and they’re doing quite well.”
Suiting up for the 1998 AAA Showcase game were future Bruins goaltender Curtis Meger (Regina Pat Canadians), defencemen Mark Edmands (Pat Canadians) and Jake Heerspink (Pat Canadians) and forwards Ty Barnstable (Pat Canadians), Turner Ripplinger (Pat Canadians) and Bryce Platt (Pat Canadians). In the 1999 AAA Showcase game, defenceman Tyler Ludwar (Pat Canadians) and forwards Matthew Chekay (Pat Canadians), Jayden Davis (Moose Jaw Generals), Logan Foster (Tisdale Trojans), Matthew Kesslering (Swift Current Legionnaires), Tyson Manz (Generals), Tristyn DeRoose (Yorkton Rawtec Maulers) and Tanner Manz (Generals) took the ice.
“Long term we’re really excited about the guys we have,” said Bruins head coach and general manager Chris Lewgood. “Some of them will move on to play elsewhere whether it is the Western League (WHL) or the USHL (United States Hockey League), but for the most this is really the core, the future of the Estevan Bruins. We’re excited to have that many of them recognized as elite players in their AAA league.”
Ripplinger said he isn’t aware of any other SJHL team that has this level of representation in the AAA Showcase and that has a lot to do with the elite players picking Estevan as their destination of choice. He said guys want to play for Lewgood and the program he’s building, plus the opportunity to play at a state-of-the-art arena like Affinity Place is too good for them to pass up.
A few of the players participating at the AAA Showcase have already dressed for the Bruins in Turner Ripplinger, Heerspink and Meger. Edmonds, Platt and Barnstable are all expected to suit up for Estevan at some point this season as well.
“I would say all the graduating 17-year-olds will have a chance to crack the Bruins roster next year,” said Ripplinger. “Some of these 16-year-olds, don’t count them out either. They’re going to have a good opportunity as well.”
Ripplinger said this group of players includes some guys with good speed and some with size, but all have great character. He said each kid is coachable, are from good families and are good people on and off the ice.
“The cupboards are full,” said Lewgood. “We’re pretty excited about the longterm. A lot of people understand we built this team for this year, but we’ve done it without sacrificing the future. We believe that we have an above-average quality core for several years to come.”
