April 6th, 2018, a day that changed the hockey world.
Wednesday marks the four year anniversary of a junior hockey team’s trip to a playoff game that ended in tragedy.
Sixteen members of the Humboldt Broncos of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) were killed, thirteen injured when the northbound coach bus struck a westbound semi-trailer truck near Armley, Saskatchewan.
The semi-trailer was travelling at a speed of approximately 100 km/h.
Ten players, two coaches, a statistician, radio announcer, athletic trainer, and bus driver were killed.
Submitted photo of the tribute involving the SIJHL’s Thief River Falls Norskies and Thunder Bay North Stars (Mike Tallari)
Kam River Fighting Walleye (SIJHL) defenceman Kersey Reich is from Estevan and was taking part in a Fall Camp for Midget ‘AAA’ Hockey.
“Immediately the tone around everything was different,” Reich remembered. “Lots of (my teammates) had friends on the bus and it really affected the whole hockey world. It was a tragedy for sure, especially to happen in my home province.”
Reich also had a specific friend on the bus, who unfortunately passed away in the crash.
“That obviously affected me personally,” Reich noted. “It really put things in perspective as to how lucky we all are to play junior hockey and do things together as a team, like ride a bus.”
The 29-year-old driver of the semi Jaskirat Singh Sidhu pled guilty to sixteen counts of dangerous operation of a motor vehicle causing death and 13 counts of dangerous operation of a motor vehicle causing bodily injury.
He was sentenced to 8 years in prison and is still fighting to stay in Canada.
The crash happened just 22 minutes outside of the final destination in Armley, Saskatchewan.
Randy MacLEAN, who was the Vice President for the team at the time recalls the outpouring of support, “A tragedy, while at the same time we witnessed the amazing things that happen when people and communities and the nation pull together to support each other in a crisis situation.”
He added, “The giving and humanity and the compassion, empathy of our fellow citizens within Humboldt, the province of Saskatchewan, the country of Canada and all over the world was something that was an honour to be a part of, an honour to support and an honour to work through such a horrific event,”
The club played their first home game of the 2018–19 season on September 12th against the Nipawin Hawks.
With files from Kevin Jeffrey and Tara Clow.
