Nhlers react to Humboldt Broncos’ return
Like the rest of the hockey world, Mike Babcock was shaken by April’s bus crash that devastated the Humboldt Broncos.
The head coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs hopes the junior hockey team’s return to the ice Wednesday night will serve as another step in the healing process. The Broncos were travelling to a Junior A playoff game against the Nipawin Hawks when their bus carrying 29 people collided with a truck — killing 16, including 10 players, and injuring 13 more.
The team, which lost head coach Darcy Haugan in the crash, vowed to rebuild. Two players that survived suited up Wednesday in the Broncos’ first game since the accident, which was televised nationally on TSN, while eight others who are no longer with the club were also on hand.
“They’re trying create some sort of normalcy,” Babcock said Thursday. “Now I don’t know how you ever have normalcy, to be honest with you, in that situation.”
Babcock tried to do his part by returning to his home province in May to pitch in at the Broncos’ spring training camp.
“I grew up right next to Humboldt,” Babcock said. “The emotion and the people (that) I talked to from coaches to parents, a ton of them, it was great they were able to get started, get going.”
Ottawa Senators winger Ryan Dzingel said he watched the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League game at home with friends.
“The hour leading up to it and then watching the game, it was very special and tough for any hockey family,” Dzingel said. “It’s a small world, the hockey community, and touches a lot of families. I grew up on those buses, I was doing stuff like that.
“It’s a tough situation, it’s hard to even find words, but it was a special night.”
Vancouver Canucks defenceman Erik Gudbranson said he was impressed by the post-game ceremony where 29 banners were raised — one for each victim of the crash.
“It was heart-wrenching to see those boys, to see the pain on their faces, see what they had to go through,” Gudbranson said.
Humboldt lost 2-1 to Nipawin in the Broncos’ return, but Ottawa forward Zack Smith said the result didn’t matter.
“It can’t be easy, two returning players and a lot of new faces, but the support has been amazing and I’m sure the city and the team feels supported,” said Smith, who is also from Saskatchewan. “It was cool to see everyone come together. It was pretty special. We’ll be keeping an eye on them.”
Leafs defenceman Morgan Rielly, who played in the SJHL with the Notre Dame Hounds in Wilcox, Sask., as a teen before making the jump to the WHL with the Moose Jaw Warriors, holds the province close to his heart.
“I feel very lucky to have spent a large portion of my life out there,” Rielly said. “That part of the country means a lot to me, and I think that (Wednesday) night was a good example of the kind of people that live out there.”
Maple Leafs now allowed facial hair
Meanwhile in Toronto, on a lighter note, the Leafs will be able to show up for work a little scruffier this season. General manager Kyle Dubas said Thursday that he’s relaxing predecessor Lou Lamoriello’s rule of not allowing players to sport beards and moustaches.
“I want the players to be at their best, whatever their individual best may be,” Dubas told reporters at his season-opening press conference.
“Part of that is letting them really express themselves in a professional manner and to try and be themselves the best they can. It’s something I’ve gone back and forth with over the summer, but ultimately what I’ve landed on is doing what I’d done before,” he explained. “I understand that some people may like that, some may hate it, but that’s our decision and that’s what we’ll do.”