Swift Current does it up right ... T-Birds, Rebels swap defencemen ... Two WHLers get NHL deals

Four Broncos Monument has been unveiled. #NeverForgotten pic.twitter.com/eLcHMyqi9q

— SC Broncos (@SCBroncos) December 30, 2016

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An emotional day at the site of the @SCBroncos bus crash as a memorial is unveiled 30 years later. @ShelKenn @bcostellothn @DanLambert15 pic.twitter.com/F94cBgzpRr

— Candace (@c_woodside) December 30, 2016

A lot of emotion was on display Friday morning as a memorial was unveiled in honour of four players who were killed when the Swift Current Broncos’ bus crashed while en route to Regina for a game with the Pats on Dec. 30, 1986.

The monument features the smiling faces of Trent Kresse, Scott Kruger, Chris Mantyka and Brent Ruff.

Family members were present for the unveiling, as were this season’s Broncos, some survivors of the crash and various dignitaries.

“Every Christmas it seems like, it’s ‘there,’ ” Don Mantyka, Chris’s father, told Candace Woodside of the Southwest Booster. “As much as you want to spend Christmas with your family . . . it’s that presence still there. It’s an anniversary each and every year. It doesn’t go away. You think that sometimes it’s supposed to live its life out, but it doesn’t . . . the 20th anniversary was up, now the 30th . . . and it keeps coming up. And I appreciate it because the boys haven’t been forgotten.

“With Bill (Lee), the tremendous job he's done, you can’t even explain, from our point of view, what it means, what this man has done. It’s tremendous.”

Lee, who is from Swift Current, was the push behind getting the memorial built.

Woodside’s story is right here.

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F Jesse Schultz (Tri-City, Prince Albert, Kelowna, 1999-2003) has been released by the Sheffield Steelers (England, UK Elite). He had eight goals and 11 assists in 23 games. . . . 

D Brett Festerling (Tri-City, Vancouver, 2001-07) has signed a three-year extension with the Nuremberg Ice Tigers (Germany, DEL). This season, he has a goal and 10 assists in 31 games.

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With some time on his hands over Christmas week, The MacBeth Report did some research and came up with this:

“Elliotte Friedman's research shows that since 2005-06, only six NHL teams four or more points out of the playoffs on Nov. 1 have gone on to make the playoffs. I have always wondered if it would apply to the WHL. After wading through the schedules on the WHL website . . .

“Beginning with the 2005-06 WHL season (11 seasons), only eight teams that were four or more points out of a playoff spot on the morning of Nov. 1 actually made the playoffs. The most recent was last season. The Edmonton Oil Kings made the playoffs after being four points out on Nov. 1 and they needed a victory in a one-game tiebreaker to do it.

“There was one season (2006-07) when the 16 teams in a playoff spot on Nov. 1 all made the playoffs.

“On average, slightly more than two teams (2.2 average) out of a playoff spot by any margin on the morning of Nov. 1 finish in the playoffs at the end of a season.

“This season, on the morning of Nov. 1, three teams in the Eastern Conference (Edmonton, Kootenay Ice, Prince Albert Raiders) and one team in the Western Conference (Seattle Thunderbirds) were four or more points out of a playoff spot. Right now, Edmonton is in the first wild-card spot in the East and Seattle is in possession of the second wild-card in the West.”

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The Seattle Thunderbirds have acquired D Austin Strand, 19, and a sixth-round selection in the 2019

AUSTIN STRAND

bantam draft from the Red Deer Rebels in exchange for D Brandon Schuldaus, 18.

Schuldaus didn’t return to the Thunderbirds after the Christmas break and requested a trade.

BRANDON SCHULDAUS

Strand, 6-foot-3 and 190 pounds, has a goal and four assists in 38 games with Red Deer this season. In 163 career games, he recorded seven goals and 34 assists. From Calgary, he was a third-round pick by the Rebels in the 2012 bantam draft.

Schuldaus, a native of Houston, Texas, who now calls Calgary home, had two goals and three assists in 33 games with Seattle this season. In 90 games over two seasons, he had four goals and seven assists. He was a fifth-round pick by the Thunderbirds in the 2013 bantam draft. The 6-foot-3, 205-pound Schuldaus played bantam in Airdrie, Alta., and midget at Shattuck St. Mary’s.

Schuldaus was in Calgary when he was informed of the trade, so was able to get to Red Deer in time to play last night against the visiting Kootenay Ice.

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The Columbus Blue Jackets have signed F Calvin Thurkauf to a three-year, entry-level NHL contract. Thurkauf is playing in the World Junior Championship at the moment; he is captain of Switzerland’s national junior team, although he sat out Thursday’s 5-4 shootout victory over Denmark in Montreal thanks to a one-game suspension for slew-footing an opponent. . . . From Zug, the 6-foot-2, 200-pound Thurkauf was a seventh-round pick in the NHL’s 2016 draft. . . . With the Rockets, he has 31 points, 17 of them goals, in 28 games. Last season, as a freshman, he put up 45 points, including 18 goals, in 61 games.

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The Edmonton Oilers have signed F Tyler Benson of the Vancouver Giants to a three-year, entry-level contract. The 6-foot-0, 200-pound Benson, who is from Edmonton, was a second-round selection in the 2016 NHL draft. . . . This season, he has 10 goals and 30 assists in 31 games with the Giants. He lost a lot of the 2015-16 season to health issues, finishing with 28 points, including nine goals, in 30 games. In 130 career regular-season games, he has 33 goals and 80 assists. . . . The Giants selected him with the first overall pick in the WHL’s 2013 bantam draft.

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D Bryan Allbee has joined the BCHL’s Prince George Spruce Kings. Allbee, 19, is from Prince George. He was released earlier in the week by the Seattle Thunderbirds. . . . He had three assists in 33 games with Seattle this season. He also has played in the WHL with the Kootenay Ice. In 146 career regular-season games, the 6-foot-0, 180-pounder has 11 goals and 17 assists.

There has never been a subscription fee for this blog, but if you enjoy stopping by here, why not consider donating to the cause? Just click HERE. . . and thank you very much.

Day to remember in Swift Current ... Milestone for Mackie ... 350 games played in one season?

Drive safe @victoriaroyals and best of luck on the road trip! #travellingwiththeteam pic.twitter.com/Ns8IPe7aym

— Chris Baier (@Cbaier15) December 29, 2016

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The Coquihalla Highway between Kamloops and Hope B.C., was closed for part of Thursday, while the Trans-Canada Highway, which is the other route to and from Vancouver, also was shut down.

Yes, the weather was nasty, as it often is in the mountains at this time of year.

The Victoria Royals, however, were able to get through. After all, they’ve got a Friday night date with the Rockets in Kelowna. Later today (Friday), the Kamloops Blazers have to get to Langley, B.C., in order to play the Vancouver Giants. The Blazers, then, will be heading over the Coq sometime today.

Having lived in Winnipeg, Brandon and Regina from 1971 until the spring of 2000, and having written

extensively about the crash of the Swift Current Broncos’ bus on Dec. 30, 1986, I thought I knew something about what WHL teams and their bus drivers are sometimes faced with in terms of weather.

But that was before I knew anything about the Coquihalla, the Coquihalla Connector that runs from Merritt, B.C., to Kelowna, or what is referred to as the Canyon route, which is the Trans-Canada Highway through the Fraser Canyon. (The latter was shut down again late last night when a semi jack-knifed near Yale.)

I have sat alongside the Vancouver Giants’ bus driver, Derek Holloway, in the press box in Kamloops for years now and watched him, phone in hand, check regularly — like every 10 minutes — for highway conditions. He’s a regular on the DriveBC website where highway cameras keep him up to date.

Earlier this season, Holloway told me that road conditions on a trek from Prince George to Calgary were the worst that he had encountered. Ever.

On Thursday night, with the Giants scheduled to head for Calgary on Saturday, he already was watching forecasts and checking highway conditions.

“I think our trip to Calgary could be nasty,” he told me.

In this part of the world, there are all kinds of stories of trips delayed and close calls. A number of years ago, the Giants didn’t make it home, choosing to spend a night in Merritt. One night in February 2011, the Everett Silvertips’ bus ended up in a snowbank on the  Coq after the driver took evasive action to avoid a multi-vehicle collision.

I mention all of this because today is the 30th anniversary of the crash involving the Broncos’ bus, an accident that took four young men from us.

Yes, as hard as it is to believe, it has been 30 years since the bus carrying the Swift Current Broncos to Regina for a game with the Pats crashed and took the lives of forwards Trent Kresse, Scott Kruger, Chris Mantyka and Brent Ruff.

Those players will be remembered today with the unveiling of a permanent monument just east of Swift Current.

From a Broncos’ news release:

“Led by Bill Lee, a close friend of the Kruger family, a monument unveiling will take place Friday morning at the site of the crash. Families, survivors, alumni, team, staff and board members will be granted the first opportunity to view the monument privately, followed by viewing opportunities for the general public and media directly afterwards at noon.”

Nathan Wiebe, the Broncos’ chaplain, will lead observers in prayer, followed by a short program.

A reception for families and alumni is scheduled for 5:30 p.m., before the Broncos play host to the Saskatoon Blades. A special Four Bronco remembrance presentation will begin at 7 p.m.

It is wonderful to see that a monument finally is to be put in place. Hopefully, the area will end up being a road-side park where travellers will be able to stop and find a quiet moment or two.

In the meantime, a lot of folks will spend today thinking of the four young men who no longer are with us. There also will be thoughts for the survivors, men like Sheldon Kennedy, Peter Soberlak, Bob Wilkie, Kurt Lackten . . .

I also will be thinking about Gordie Hahn, the trainer who was so tortured because he wasn’t with his boys that day, Doug Leavins, who was filling in for Hahn, and Dave Archibald, the bus driver that fateful day.

Thirty years . . . it seems like only yesterday.

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Todd McLellan, the head coach of the NHL’s Edmonton Oilers, held his morning pre-game media availability, as usual, on Thursday. This one, however, was a bit different. A former general manager and head coach of the Swift Current Broncos, McLellan took time to remind the gathered media that Friday, Dec. 30, is an important day in the history of Swift Current, the Broncos and, in fact, all of hockey. Kurt Leavins, an Edmonton writer, was in attendance and took time to remember. If the last name sounds familiar, it should be. His brother, Doug, was filling in as the Broncos' trainer with Grod Hahn away with a midget team that was playing a touring Russian side. But that isn’t what Kurt’s piece is about; it’s about much more than that, and it’s right here.

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Innes Mackie has been around the WHL since, well, almost since Day 1. The league was born for the 1966-67 season; he played for the Edmonton Oil Kings from 1971-72. Today, he’s the Tri-City Americans’ trainer and equipment manager. On Wednesday, when the Americans met the Winterhawks in Portland, Mackie worked his 3,000th game. It was only fitting that it should happen in Portland, because Mackie was part of the Winterhawks organization for 33 years. . . . Annie Fowler of the Tri-City Herald has more right here.

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F Brett Howden’s contract with the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning is valued at US$2,775,000 over three years, according to capfriendly.com. Howden, who has 17 goals in 22 games with the Moose Jaw Warriors this season, was the 27th overall selection in the NHL’s 2016 draft. . . . The contract calls for an NHL salary of $925,000 each season, with annual signing bonuses of $92,500. The AHL salary would be $70,000 each season.

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Carl Thoma is a hockey player who, by his best guess, plays about 350 games in a good season. Darren Zary of the Saskatoon StarPhoenix writes that Thoma, who is 64 years of age, “never leaves home without his skateguards and his mouth guard.” . . . Thoma also is the father of Saskatoon Blades assistant coach Bryce Thoma. . . . Zary’s story is right here.

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Very honoured to be recipient of the Prestigious Mac's scholarship award! I want to thank everybody who has helped me achieve this goal

— Myles Mattila (@myles_mattila12) December 30, 2016

If you don’t know anything about Myles Mattila, do yourself a favour and Google him. He’s a young man who plays for the Prince George-based Cariboo Cougars of the B.C. Major Midget Hockey League. But he’s more than that. He has taken it upon himself to help raise mental health awareness and with the support of the Cougars is doing tremendous work.

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THURSDAY’S GAMES:

No Games Scheduled.

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FRIDAY’S GAMES (all times local):

Moose Jaw at Brandon, 7:30 p.m.

Edmonton at Calgary, 7 p.m.

Prince George at Everett, 7:35 p.m.

Victoria at Kelowna, 7:05 p.m.

Lethbridge at Medicine Hat, 7:30 p.m.

Regina at Prince Albert, 7 p.m.

Kootenay at Red Deer, 7 p.m.

Portland vs. Seattle, at Kent, Wash., 7:35 p.m.

Tri-City at Spokane, 7:05 p.m.

Saskatoon at Swift Current, 7 p.m.

Kamloops vs. Vancouver, at Langley, B.C., 7:30 p.m.

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Merry Christmas from Taking Note . . . Broncos Memorial Monument almost ready; Dec. 30 unveiling

MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM TAKING NOTE

We have arrived at the big day. To get you prepped for the fun day ahead, right here is Darlene Love with . . . Christmas (Baby, Please Come Home).

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F Fredrik Pettersson (Calgary, 2005-07) has signed a contract for the rest of this season with Dinamo Minsk (Belarus, KHL). He was released by Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod (Russia, KHL) on Dec. 20. In 24 games, he had five goals and seven assists. . . .

F T.J. Galiardi (Calgary, 2007-08) has been traded by Medveščak Zagreb (Croatia, KHL) to Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk (Russia, KHL) for “monetary compensation.” Galiardi had signed with Medveščak Zagreb on Nov. 23. In eight games, he had four goals and three assists.

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The site of the Broncos Memorial Monument, just as work
was about to begin earlier this year.

It will be a day to remember in Swift Current on Dec. 30 as people there unveil a monument in memory of the four players killed in the crash of the Broncos’ bus on Dec. 30, 1986. The accident claimed the lives of Chris Mantyka, Trent Kresse, Scott Kruger and Brent Ruff.

The monument is located just east of Swift Current, where the accident occurred. It actually was put into place this week but will remain covered until Dec. 30.

The unveiling, which will involve family of the four players, along with Broncos’ alumni, this season’s team and various VIPs, will be open to the public. It is being held in conjunction with the team’s Hall of Fame Game that is scheduled for later that evening.

There is more about the monument’s unveiling, including the day’s itinerary, on a Facebook site that is right here.

There also is a gofundme page right here.

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The Vancouver Giants are about halfway through their first season in the Langley Events Centre, having moved there from the Pacific Coliseum. So . . . how are things going? What does majority owner Ron Toigo see in the franchise’s future? . . . Steve Ewen of Postmedia has a far-reaching conversation with Toigo right here.

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Dec. 19 through Monday:

No Games Scheduled.

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TUESDAY’S GAMES (all times local):

Kamloops at Kelowna, 7:05 p.m.

Lethbridge vs. Kootenay, at Cranbrook, B.C., 7 p.m.

Calgary at Medicine Hat, 7 p.m.

Saskatoon at Prince Albert, 7 p.m.
Edmonton at Red Deer, 7 p.m.

Brandon at Regina, 7 p.m.

Spokane vs. Seattle, at Kent, Wash., 7:05 p.m.

Moose Jaw at Swift Current, 7 p.m.

Portland vs. Tri-City, at Kennewick, Wash., 7:05 p.m.

Everett vs. Vancouver, at Langley, B.C., 7 p.m.

Prince George at Victoria, 7:05 p.m.

There has never been a subscription fee for this blog, but if you enjoy stopping by here, why not consider donating to the cause? Just click HERE. . . and thank you very much.

Sudden Death: Book to be published in September

It was 25 years ago today when the Swift Current Broncos boarded their bus and headed to Regina for a scheduled game against the Pats. It was to be the Broncos’ first game following the 1986-87 Christmas break. This also was their first season back in Swift Current, having moved from Lethbridge over the summer.
The Broncos’ bus, of course, never made it to Regina on that stormy evening in 1986. It crashed just east of Swift Current and four players – Scott Kruger, Trent Kresse, Chris Mantyka and Brent Ruff – were killed.
Tonight, the Broncos are again scheduled to play in Regina and the Pats will honour the memories of Kruger, Kresse, Mantyka and Ruff in a small pregame ceremony.
Tim Tisdale, who was in his first season with the Broncos in 1986-87 and who lives and works in Swift Current, will be on hand to take part in a ceremonial faceoff. Tisdale played with the Broncos through the 1989 Memorial Cup, in which he scored the OT goal in a 4-3 championship-game victory over the host Saskatoon Blades. He later went on to a coaching career that included a two-season stint with the Pats.
The pregame ceremony, which is to begin at 7 p.m., also will include Darren McKechnie, who was a 19-year-old forward with the Pats in 1987-88.
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Rob Vanstone of the Regina Leader-Post flashes back 25 years right here.
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More than two years ago, two people – Leesa Culp and Bob Wilkie – approached me about a project on which they were working.
They had prepared a short manuscript about the crash of the Swift Current Broncos’ bus that they were wanting to turn into a book.
At the time of the accident, Culp was in a big rig that had slowed down to allow the Broncos’ bus to pull onto the Trans-Canada Highway at Swift Current. Wilkie was a defenceman in his first season with the Broncos, who had acquired him from the Calgary Wranglers earlier in the season.
Culp and Wilkie both felt there was a story to be told.
More than two years later, the manuscript has been worked and reworked, interviews have been conducted, and out of it all has come a book.
Sudden Death: The Incredible Saga of the 1986 Swift Current Broncos is to be published by Dundurn Press in September.
This is the story of the Broncos, primarily from Dec. 30, 1986, through the end of the 1989 Memorial Cup.
There is more right here from Robert Koopmans of the Kamloops Daily News.
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You already are able to pre-order this book from Amazon and from McNally Robinson.