Another week, another player acquired by the Power Dodge Estevan Bruins for a low price.
The Bruins got Jayden Davis back from the Western Hockey League's Lethbridge Hurricanes, the team announced on Tuesday – coinidentally Davis' 18th birthday. Davis scored five goals and 16 assists for 21 points in 45 games with the Bruins. He notched five assists in eight playoff games last year.
Getting Alameda's Davis, who scored one goal in 11 games with the 'Canes this season, back from Lethbridge wasn't a surprise to Bruins head coach and general manager Chris Lewgood.
“We certainly didn't bank on it, but it wasn't a surprise,” he said. “We keep an eye on the guys that are up at that level, just as much to root for them and see how they're doing as anything. But in doing so, you see that he's not playing a lot and his responsibilities are dwindling as they added players. So it wasn't a real big surprise to get the call on Saturday.”
Now that he's a year older and has some WHL experience, Davis becomes yet another highly skilled player to add to the roster.
“Right away last year it was evident he was going to be one of the best skaters in the league and certainly that hasn't changed,” Lewgood said. “His speed... is exceptional. He plays the game the right way and he never takes a minute of practice off, let alone a shift...”
He'll be chipping in with secondary offence, Lewgood said.
The Bruins have also picked up 20-year-old defenceman Jake Tesarowski and he played four games last week on their 2-1-1 road trip. He becomes the team's ninth defenceman, adding to 17 forwards and two goaltenders still on the roster.
“Jake's a top four guy for us and he's going to play in all situations, all scenarios,” Lewgood said.
Tesarowski played 11 games with the North American Hockey League's Brookings Blizzard, picking up a single assist. In his four games on the trip with the Bruins he scored a pair of assists. Since Melvills still had his SJHL rights, the Bruins had to surrender a third round bantam pick to get him.
“He brings a lot to the table and we knew him very well coming through midget,” Lewgood said. “It's come full circle now and we're excited to have him.”
Tesarowski now becomes the sixth member from the 2015 Telus Cup-making midget AAA Regina Pat Canadians on the Bruins' roster, joining Arthur Mller, Mark Edmands, Jake Heerspink, Matthew Chekay and Tanner McKechnie (six games as an affiliate player). Also on that team was ex-Bruin goaltender Curtis Meger, now with the Prince Albert Raiders.
The team's backlog on the back end doesn't worry Lewgood, who doesn't have to make a move to shrink the roster till Dec. 1.
“We're just going to play it out and it'll sort of take care of itself,” he said. “We're confident with all nine guys and that's an odd scenario. Normally you can't find six or seven defencemen that you can put out there with confidence. Over time, it'll play itself out.”
The Bruins' next games are this weekend's battles at home Friday with the Battlefords Stars and Saturday against the Humboldt Broncos. Both games are at 7:30 p.m.
