This season Daniel McKitrick has turned heads with his ability on the ice for the Humboldt Broncos.
His journey to the Broncos and the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League is also impressive. The dynamic 18-year-old forward, who grew up in Nunavut, led the Broncos in points, 24, and goals, 12, as of Dec. 13.
鈥淗e makes a lot of stuff out of nothing,鈥� Broncos head coach Darcy Haugan said when asked how McKitrick scores.
At 5-foot-6, 147 pounds, McKitrick uses his speed, agility and creativity to create opportunities for himself and his teammates.
鈥淗e is extremely dangerous,鈥� Haugan said. 鈥淗e is really explosive offensively. ... He is really tough to handle. He is not the biggest guy, but I tell you what, he can sure get away from the guy trying to check him.鈥�
When asked about his scoring success this season, McKitrick was quick to credit his teammates.
鈥淚鈥檝e been playing with really good linemates all year and I worked hard this summer in the gym,鈥� McKitrick wrote in a text interview, 鈥淎lso I鈥檝e been getting a lot of ice time and making (the most of) my opportunities.
Lately McKitrick has been skating with Michael Korol of Saskatoon and hometown product Jarrett Fontaine. Korol has four points in December and 13 on the season.
Fontaine is second on the squad with 10 goals and is tied, with Logan Schatz, for second with 20 points. Haugan said that Fontaine鈥檚 strong work ethic has served as a great example for McKitrick. Fontaine was worn the 鈥淐鈥� while Broncos captain Anthony Kapelke is injured.
Until he was 10 years old, McKitrick grew up in Coral Harbour, Nunavut. The community, which had a population of 834 in the 2011 Census, is on 麻豆视频hampton Island.
The island is located at the entrance to Hudson Bay.
鈥淲hat I remember most was all the hunting and fishing,鈥� McKitrick texted. 鈥淲e also played a lot of baseball during the summers. But it was definitely a hockey town so that鈥檚 what we did pretty much every day.鈥�
The games were unorganized and often took place on ponds. Each winter his father would also make an outdoor rink.
鈥淭hat definitely helped me out with my hands and quick turns,鈥� wrote McKitrick of playing outside with friends. He joked that the 鈥渙utdoor rink season was nice and long.鈥�
At the age of 10, his family moved to Thunder Bay. McKitrick pursued his passion for hockey 鈥� playing for the first time on organized teams. As well, he continued to work on his game on outdoor rinks his father made.
McKitrick was a one of the players included in the second season of APTN鈥檚 Hit the Ice series. The realty TV show features some of Canada鈥檚 top 16 to 18-year-old hockey Aboriginal prospects.
Last season, as a Junior A rookie, he posted 13 goals and 33 points, in 50 games for the Thunder Bay North Stars of the Superior International Junior Hockey League.
This past summer the Broncos acquired McKitrick. He is happy to be in Humboldt.
鈥淚鈥檝e enjoyed the games and the atmosphere in the rink during games the most,鈥� McKitrick wrote. 鈥淚 also have really good billets and really nice teammates. I am really enjoying my stay here.鈥�
This Week
The Broncos have a pair of games at home this week before capping the 2015 portion of their season on the road. On Tuesday, Nipawin visits the Elgar Petersen Arena.
The Melfort Mustangs drop by for a horse race on Friday night before the teams have a rematch in Melfort the next night. The Broncos are then off for the SJHL鈥檚 Christmas break until Jan. 6 when they play Notre Dame on the road.
Last Week
The Broncos saw their two-game winning streak snapped on Dec. 11 on the road to the league鈥檚 top team. The Battlefords North Stars defeated the Broncos, 6-0.
鈥淚t was a far better game than when we were up there before. 鈥� We are progressing. Saying that, we have to compete a lot better and compete a lot smarter,鈥� Haugan said.
Humboldt goalie Ryan Larochelle stopped 31 of the 37 shots he faced. Igor Leonenko had a hat trick and four points for the North Stars. Also scoring for Battlefords were Dustin Gorgi, Jake McMillen, and Layne Young.
Catching Up With
Jon Brumwell (2014-15) has earned a contributing role in his first season with the Concordia University Wisconsin men鈥檚 hockey team. The rookie has a goal and an assist in 10 games.
鈥淛on Brumwell is playing his role to a 鈥楾鈥�,鈥� wrote Jasen T. Wise, the Concordia University Wisconsin head coach, in an email interview. 鈥淗e鈥檚 a shutdown power forward and tenacious penalty killer. He鈥檚 been great in the locker room and is excelling in the classroom. He鈥檚 an easy guy to coach and his positive attitude is contagious. Once he starts shooting the puck his point production will improve. We look for Jon to hit his stride second half of the season.鈥�
Brumwell, a Calgary product, split his 18-year-old season between the B.C. Hockey League and Junior B. He then played the next season with Weyburn before splitting his final season between the Red Wings and Humboldt.
SJHL Standings - as of Dec. 13
Pos.聽聽聽聽 Team聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 GP聽聽 W聽聽聽聽聽 L聽聽聽聽 OTL聽聽 SOL聽聽 PTS聽聽聽聽聽聽 GF聽 聽 聽 GA 聽聽 聽 LAST 10
1聽聽聽聽聽聽 Battlefords North Stars聽聽聽聽 34聽聽聽 24聽聽聽聽 7聽聽聽聽聽聽 1聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 2聽聽聽聽聽聽 51聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 137聽聽聽聽聽 90聽聽 聽 聽 7-2-1-0聽聽 聽
2聽聽聽聽聽聽 Melfort Mustangs聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 31聽聽聽 22聽聽聽聽 5聽聽聽聽聽聽 3聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 1聽聽聽聽聽聽 48聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 121聽聽聽聽聽 87聽聽聽聽聽聽 8-1-1-0
3聽聽聽聽聽聽 Weyburn Red Wings聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 32聽聽聽 21聽聽聽聽 7聽聽聽聽聽聽 1聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 3聽聽聽聽聽聽 46聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 94聽聽聽聽聽聽 75聽聽聽聽聽聽 7-1-0-2
4聽聽聽聽聽聽 Nipawin Hawks聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 32聽聽聽 18聽聽聽 12聽聽聽聽聽 2聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 0聽聽聽聽聽聽 38聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 103聽聽聽聽聽 97聽聽聽聽聽聽 5-5-0-0
5聽聽聽聽聽聽 La Ronge Ice Wolves聽聽聽聽聽聽 32聽聽聽聽 17聽聽聽 12聽聽聽聽聽 1聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 2聽聽聽聽聽聽 37聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 97聽聽聽聽聽 84聽聽聽聽聽聽 7-2-0-1
6聽聽聽聽聽聽 Kindersley Klippers聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 31聽聽聽聽 17聽聽聽 13聽聽聽聽聽 0聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 1聽聽聽聽聽聽 35聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 111聽聽聽聽聽 116聽聽聽聽聽 6-4-0-0
7聽聽聽聽聽聽 Flin Flon Bombers聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 31聽聽聽聽 15聽聽聽 12聽聽聽聽聽 0聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 4聽聽聽聽聽聽 34聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 109聽聽聽聽聽 93聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 8-2-0-0
8聽聽聽聽聽聽 Notre Dame Hounds聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 31聽聽聽聽聽 14聽聽聽 13聽聽聽聽聽 2聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 2聽聽聽聽聽 32聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 100聽聽聽聽 110聽聽聽聽聽聽 4-4-0-2
9聽聽聽聽聽聽 Estevan Bruins聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 31聽聽聽聽聽 15聽聽聽 15聽聽聽聽 0聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 1聽聽聽聽聽 31聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 113聽聽聽聽 117聽聽聽聽聽聽 3-7-0-0
10聽聽聽聽 Humboldt Broncos聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 33聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 9聽聽聽聽 20聽聽聽聽 3聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 1聽聽聽聽 22聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 85聽聽聽聽 132聽聽聽聽聽聽 2-7-1-0
11聽聽聽聽 Yorkton Terriers聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 31聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 9聽聽聽聽 20聽聽聽聽 1聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 1聽聽聽聽 20聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 92聽聽聽聽 120聽聽聽聽聽聽 2-7-1-0
12聽聽聽聽 Melville Millionaires聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 31聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 9聽聽聽聽 21聽聽聽聽 0聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 1聽聽聽聽 19聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 86聽聽聽聽 127聽聽聽聽聽聽 3-7-0-0
Top 5 Broncos Scorers - as of Dec. 13
Player聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 GP聽聽聽聽 G聽聽聽聽 A聽聽聽聽 PTS
Daniel McKitrick聽聽聽聽 25聽聽聽聽 12聽聽 12聽聽聽聽聽 24
Jarrett Fontaine聽聽聽聽聽 30聽聽聽聽 10聽聽 10聽聽聽聽聽 20
Logan Schatz聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 32聽聽聽聽聽 3聽聽聽 17聽聽聽聽聽 20
Trevor Posch聽聽 聽聽聽聽聽聽 31聽聽聽聽聽 5聽聽聽 13聽聽聽聽聽 18
Wesley Shipton聽聽聽聽聽 23聽聽聽聽聽 7聽聽聽聽聽 7聽聽聽聽聽 14
