Waves of shock and grief from the bus crash that claimed the lives of 14 players, coaches and staff of the Humboldt Broncos Friday afternoon have hit the Power Dodge Estevan Bruins, who were awaiting the winner of the series between the Broncos and the Nipawin Hawks.
Talking Saturday afternoon, Bruins head coach and general manager Chris Lewgood said the crash is beyond any nightmare or anything he’s ever imagined.
“There’s too many young people affected and families affected,” he said at Affinity Place, where the team has gathered twice in the immediate aftermath. “It’s just such a tragedy and obviously we’re thinking of those who have been affected directly and who have lost somebody or have been severely injured.”
Some of the players on the Bruins have been teammates with the victims, including Bruins affiliate player Eric Houk who was with the Regina Pat Canadians for most of the season until their season ended. He was a teammate this year of Adam Herold, 16, one of the Broncos affiliate players up for the playoffs. There are other connections that will be coming as the days move forward.
“There’s a lot of personal loss in our dressing room with friends and former teammates,” Lewgood said. “Most of us have lost friends.”
Humboldt head coach and general manager Darcy Haugan, a former Bruins assistant coach, was one of those lost, and Lewgood spoke of the long time they’ve known each other, going back to camps with the Weyburn Red Wings.
There is no plan as of yet as to what to do with the rest of the Calata Cup playoffs.
