HUMBOLDT — In regard to the 2019 Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League Bantam Draft, the Humboldt Broncos believe good things come in fives.
The squad picked five players last Friday at the event in Nipawin. The Broncos grabbed four forwards and a defenceman.
“All five guys our scouts are really high on,” head coach Scott Barney said in a video on the SJHL Twitter feed.
In the first round, Humboldt took forward Jordan Normand of his hometown Warman Wildcats bantam AA squad. In the video, Barney described Normand as a “skilled forward who plays with some grit.” He said the team feels in a year or two Normand can add a lot to the lineup.
“Jordan is a smart kid,” Warman head coach Ryan McDonald said. “I look a lot at hockey IQ and the way he skates. His skating is phenomenal. Those are two things I think will take you to the next level.”
In addition to the skill that draft picks like Normand bring, the Broncos are also excited about their character and leadership. All five players picked wore a letter for their bantam teams last season.
Barney said in the video that he looks forward to having the players in Humboldt for the fall camp and showing them what the organization can offer.
Jordan Normand
Forward, Warman
Rd. 1, 7th overall
Warman Wildcats
31 GP, 20 G, 24 A, 44 TP, 0 PIM
Wildcats captain
“He can score goals. He can win faceoffs. He can kill penalties. He can play on the powerplay in a skill position or net front. He basically is your prototypical two-way forward.”
— Ryan McDonald, Warman head coach
Kayden Ostrom
Forward, Rosetown
Rd. 2, 20th overall
West Central Wheat Kings
31 GP, 13 G, 17 A, 30 TP, 18 PIM
Assistant captain for Wheat Kings
“He’s a smart two-way player. He works as hard in his own zone as he does in the offensive zone. He’s a smart player that thinks the game well. He has an excellent shot. He’s a physical player that isn’t afraid to battle in all areas of the ice. He has a high level of compete.”
— Jason Kelly, West Central head coach
Logan McCutcheon
Defence, Saskatoon
Rd. 3, 30th overall
Saskatoon Maniacs
31 GP, 13 G, 46 A, 59 TP, 8 PIM
Captain of Maniacs. Played three games for midget AAA Saskatoon Contacts
“Logan has a rare combination of speed, hockey sense, vision, puck control and awareness of his teammates. He is one of the best pure defencemen in the league but also has the offensive prowess and timeliness to put up points without leaving the team in a poor defensive position.”
— Jason Flaman, Saskatoon head coach
Matthew Perkins
Forward, Balgonie
Rd. 3, 32nd overall
Prairie Storm
31 GP, 15 G, 18 A, 33 TP, 26 PIM
Assistant captain for Prairie Storm. Played defence on the powerplay for part of the season.
“Matthew is a highly skilled player with good puck skills and creativity. He is not the biggest guy but makes up for it with his ability to avoid taking hits and making plays. He is very smart.”
— Mike Dumelie, Prairie Storm head coach
Ryan Lepitzki
Forward, Prince Albert
Rd. 5, 56th overall
Prince Albert Pirates
28 GP, 15 G, 20 A, 35 TP, 18 PIM
Assistant captain for Pirates.
“He is a responsible 200-foot player with a good skill set that is reliable in all situations. Ryan's grit, work ethic and willingness to block shots was paramount to our team's success. He plays every shift of every game like it is the ‘playoffs.’ He may be small in stature but makes up for it with heart and determination. He plays like he is 6-feet tall.”
— Shawn Phaneuf, Prince Albert head coach
