Broncos’ season opener to be shown live on TV

The Humboldt Broncos have their season-opener booked, and a TV date to keep.

The Broncos will play their 2018-19 Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League opener before a national television audience on Sept. 12 at 6:30 p.m. The game will be televised by TSN, and will feature the Broncos against the Nipawin Hawks.

Those same teams were in the midst of a playoff series when the Broncos bus collided with a semi-trailer on April 6, killing 16 people and injuring 13 more.

“We recognize that our Humboldt Broncos community extends far beyond the borders of Humboldt,” team president Kevin Garinger said in a statement

We recognize that our Humboldt Broncos community extends far beyond the borders of Humboldt.

Friday. “In gaining the wonderful support to broadcast our opening game of the 2018-19 season, we will be able to ensure that the rest of Saskatchewan and Canada are also able to continue their healing journey with us.”

Nipawin won the SJHL championship 18 days after the crash, beating the Estevan Bruins in seven games during the league final.

The Broncos, who had 10 of their 13 surviving players in Las Vegas for this week’s NHL awards, will also be honoured by the Saskatchewan Roughriders during their June 30 game against the Montreal Alouettes. Game-day will be themed “Humboldt Strong.”

The team, which lost head coach and general manager Darcy Haugan in the collision, continues to work at filling that vacancy. They’re also in the process of rebuilding their roster, and recently added players through an SJHL dispersal draft.