Humboldt Broncos, coach ‘part ways’

Oystrick hired 3 months after tragic crash

SASKATOON •The Humboldt Broncos are in the market for a new head coach and general manager following Nathan Oystrick’s abrupt departure after six months on the job.

Oystrick, 36, was hired in July, three months after 16 people — including former head coach Darcy Haugan — were killed and another 13 injured when the team’s bus crashed north of Tisdale, Sask., on April 6.

The Saskatoon Star Phoenix reported Oystrick’s departure Friday morning. In a tweet sent half an hour later, the coach confirmed that he had “stepped away” from the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League club.

“Despite the extreme stress and constant pressure of working with the organization, I gave them everything I possibly could and am proud of their performance, and mine, this season,” Oystrick said in the tweet.

The Broncos have won 21 of 37 games so far this season — good enough for second place in their division and fourth overall in the league — but have been on a slide recently, with two wins in their past 10 games.

In a statement issued hours later, the Humboldt Broncos said the team and Oystrick “decided to part ways” and assistant coach Scott Barney will take over as interim head coach for the remainder of the season.

“The Broncos wish to thank Nathan for his work with the organization and wish him the very best in all his future endeavours.”

Hockey league president Bill Chow described the situation as “unfortunate,” but noted — referring to Oystrick’s tweet — that “if that’s what he needs to do, is step away, then that’s the right thing to do.

“Everybody is an individual and people will react to different things. It’s unfortunate the situation the team is in right now … It’s unfortunate, but they move on as best as they can.”

Oystrick played four years at Northern Michigan University before embarking on an 11-year professional hockey career, which included 65 games in the National Hockey League.

The Regina native spent a few years as a minor-pro assistant before taking a high school coaching job in Colorado last year.

When the Broncos put out a call for a new head coach,

THE BRONCOS WISH TO THANK NATHAN FOR HIS WORK.

Oystrick submitted his resume, beating out more than 50 other applicants.

Oystrick is not the first person to leave the Broncos since the crash.

The team has previously lost its assistant general manager, an assistant coach, an office manager and multiple directors.

The team has been under intense pressure since April 6, both on and off the ice.

In an interview with the Star Phoenix a few days before the team’s home opener — which was broadcast to a national audience on TSN — Oystrick admitted that there would be “tough times this year.”

“I don’t think you can fully prepare, because we don’t know what to expect.”

Nathan Oystrick