He's signed the contract, but Lynnden Pastachak's future remains very much unclear.
The 17-year-old right winger from Bienfait signed a player card with the Estevan Bruins over the weekend, but he may still wind up with the WHL's Red Deer Rebels this fall.
For the Bruins, getting Pastachak signed merely locks up his Junior A rights.
He is coming off an excellent season with the Yorkton Harvest, finishing fifth in Saskatchewan Midget AAA Hockey League scoring as a 16-year-old with 29 goals and 58 points.
"Even though he's a young guy, I think he could step right in and contribute. I think he's going to fit right in, in probably a top six role. He could be one of the top rookies in the SJHL," said new Bruins head coach and GM Chris Lewgood.
"It's especially sweet (because) he's a high-end local product and to me, those guys are the centrepiece of the club. When they come in and are able to contribute and be a part of the team, that's just huge. The community loves it and I believe that kids with a background like his - I mean, his dad (Kevin) played for the Bruins - they're going to play harder for the crest on the front."
Pastachak is the sixth player the Bruins have signed so far, with the other five announced Thursday.
Here's what Lewgood had to say about those players:
1995 G Brett Lewchuk (Saskatoon Blazers)
"It's no secret that it's a challenge for a young goalie to step in and be an everyday guy, but I think we're going to look to him more often than sometimes you'd see with a rookie goaltender, to give him some extra experience. Hopefully he can carry the load for us long-term. As for this year, he's going to push our starting goalie and add some depth to that position."
1995 LW Chris Thorimbert (Saskatoon Blazers)
"I know our staff is really high on Thorimbert and say he brings a lot to the table, two-way player, a good character kid. I had a chance to speak to him and he's really excited about being part of our team. That's always important. The excitement level often goes hand in hand with the training and level of commitment."
1995 C Keegan Allison (Saskatoon Blazers)
"We believe he could be a high-end player in our league long-term. He's going to get a lot of looks this year to help him grow into that player. We're really excited about the potential of him being one of our guns long-term."
1995 F Keaton Longpre (Thunder Bay Kings)
1995 D Nolan Nicholas (Thunder Bay Kings)
"I do know that our guys are very high on them and thought they stood out as leaders in our spring camp. These guys were, according to the staff, no-brainers and Cole (Zahn) was excited enough that he went out to Thunder Bay to meet with them, and said they were both very excited. He thinks they're going to be a very good fit for our club."
Lewgood said he doesn't anticipate any more imminent signings. He went on to speak about the battle for roster spots at training camp.
"I think we're off to a really good start. There's some other really strong Bruins prospects who have a good shot at making our club and you never know who walks on at camp. All spots are open this year up for grabs. Our veteran players will have a leg up and a foot in the door because we know what they can bring to the table, and we believe that we have a solid returning group.
"That being said, there's no limit to the amount of first-year guys we'll take. Whoever comes in and proves that they want it and deserve a spot will basically be who's on the team. With this crop of young guys we've already signed, that opens it up even more with the veteran guys. I think we're going to have a very competitive camp."
