The Estevan Bruins are set to kick off their Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League season with a weekend doubleheader against the Melville Millionaires. The team will open on the road Friday in Melville before returning to Affinity Place on Saturday for their home opener.
Head coach and general manager Drew Kocur said the start of the season brings a lot of energy and excitement, especially with a new-look roster. “It is kind of a new season for us, right? It is kind of a lot of new bodies, different faces around the rink. For us, it is a chance to go back to work and try to get better every day.”
Before Saturday’s game, fans will have a chance to meet the players at a tailgate party running from 4 to 6 p.m. outside the arena. Kocur added that it will be a good opportunity for the community to connect with the team before puck drop.
The Bruins used the preseason to test out their new lineup and evaluate offseason additions. “We had some good games in the preseason and a chance to watch a lot of the players that we recruited in the offseason and some of the trades that we acquired and see those players in live action,” Kocur explained. “Preseason is obviously, you always want to use it to evaluate for sure, and you do not want to look too much into it. But for us, it was a good chance to see a lot of new faces and a lot of new bodies and kind of see how we all gel.”
While the Bruins’ road trip back from their final exhibition games brought some rainy weather, Kocur said travel has gone smoothly so far. “Minus a little bit of rain here and there on Saturday, it was pretty good. No snow yet, so we were pretty fortunate.”
Game time for Saturday’s home opener at Affinity Place is 7 p.m.