Each new season in the SJHL is a turn of the page, and for the Humboldt Broncos, the new chapter begins on Friday night with their pre-season opener against the Kindersley Klippers. Last year, the Broncos put together a fast, exciting brand of hockey with an array of offensive weapons and defensive moxy. That spirit carried them well into the playoffs. 

This year coach Scott Barney is looking to put that kind of lightning back in the bottle. The pre-season games are a proving ground both for incoming and returning players. It’s all about assessment, and in a pre-camp interview, Barney says they have the ammunition they’re looking for as the coaching staff continues its assessment.  

“We’ve got players from all over Canada and into the U.S.,” said Barney. “It’s been a lot of hard work by our scouts watching different players and bringing them in, so it’s going to being good seeing how they are against different competition. Obviously, there’s going to be a lot of jockeying for spots. We’re excited about the season, and obviously our goal is to win every game – that has to be the goal no matter where you are coaching.” 

Fans will see plenty of rotation through the line-ups as that evaluation continues. Key for the club will be the personnel between the pipes. Last year, Benjamin Motew had the lion’s share of business between the pipes. This year, a pair of newcomers, Aiden Fischer and James Hunt will contend for a spot. Along with a cast of returning players, fans can get excited about new prospects like centre Jeter Korte, with Muenster connections, hitting the ice with the team.  

Pre-season for the Broncos starts at the EPA on Friday with a return matchup the following night in Kindersley.

 

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