HUMBOLDT — Despite playing only six games last season, the Humboldt Broncos were able to move six 20-year-olds onto the next level.
During the summer, post-secondary commitments were announced for three Broncos aging out of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League program. Reid Arnold, a third-year Bronco, is headed to the Minot State University men’s hockey team. Tanner Marshall will play for Aurora University in Illinois. The Simon Fraser University men’s hockey team landed Austen Flaman.
“I am ecstatic to be moving on up to the next level of hockey and also continuing my education at the same time,” Arnold said.
They join three other Bronco 20-year-olds who had previously committed to university teams. Captain Doug Scott netted an NCAA Division I scholarship to the Rochester (N.Y.) Institute of Technology. Luke Spadafora and Jarrett Penner will be teammates at Trinity Western University at the U Sports level. During the short SJHL season, it was also announced that Karter McNarland, who played for Humboldt in 2019-2020, had committed to NCAA Division I University of Vermont for 2022-2023.
Recruiting this past year has been different due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“COVID certainly played a hand in our recruiting process,” Minot State head coach Wyatt Waselenchuk said. “We have had many coaches reach out regarding players, and in most cases, you are backtracking to the previous season to watch game film.
“That being said, we are incredibly grateful for all of our incoming recruits that have chosen Minot State, and I know they are all excited to get back on the ice.”
The Broncos players’ time in Humboldt certainly played a role in earning them their postsecondary opportunities.
“The coaching and high-level talent we brought into Humboldt over the three years I played there helped me develop as a player and person to give me an opportunity to go on to the next level of hockey and even the tools to succeed after hockey,” Arnold said. “I am very grateful for my time in Humboldt from having the best billets in the Baert family, to a very supportive family through this whole process, the help from Barns (head coach Scott Barney) and Toner (assistant coach Curtis Toneff) in my three years with the Broncos, and finally the best fans in the SJ coming out and cheering us on every night.”
Reid Arnold
Yorkton product Reid Arnold contributed offensively and defensively to the Broncos as a forward as well as being an important leader and giving back to the community. The assistant captain was the team’s RBC Community Ambassador last season. He never missed a game in his SJHL career. Arnold recorded an assist in six games last season. He believes MSU is the perfect place for him to both study and play.
“I chose Minot State because it has a really established hockey program, the schooling I wanted to take lined up perfect being a transfer student from the University of Saskatchewan, and I have heard many great things about Minot so that’s what drew me there.”
The Beavers are excited to have him.
“Everyone that I have been in contact with has raved about not only his on-ice abilities - but his character and his willingness to compete,” Waselenchuk said. “He will play big minutes for us, will be a workhorse in the face-off circle, and is someone that will help set the tone in our locker room due to his work ethic.”
Arnold plans to study exercise science and rehabilitation. Minot State is a perennially strong American Collegiate Hockey Association Division I program that has a track record of attracting SJHL players. Broncos assistant general manager and director of scouting Luke Strueby is one of the former Broncos who have played there. The MSU Beavers won ACHA national championships in 2013 and 2019. MSU finished second at nationals this past season.
Austen Flaman
Flaman is joining an SFU program that has a long history of success in the British Columbia Intercollegiate Hockey League. The team has often played U Sports and NCAA Division I opponents.
“With Austen, we’re getting someone who’s a highly skilled player with good playmaking ability and can score goals,” said SFU head coach Mark Coletta on the team’s website. “He’s somebody we look to possibly fill in our top six and get some power play time.”
Emerald Park’s Flaman, who plans to study business, recorded three assists in six games in his lone Humboldt season. During his junior career, he also played for the Nipawin and Yorkton in the SJHL and for the Manitoba Junior Hockey League’s Portage Terriers.
Tanner Marshall
A netminder from Kelowna, Marshall posted a 2-1 record in his only Broncos season. He had a 2.68 goals against average and a .921 save percentage.
“It was unfortunate we didn’t have the opportunity to have Tanner for longer than we did,” Barney said on the Broncos website. “You could tell right away that he had the talent on the ice, but it was what the fans didn’t see, in the dressing room, where his intangible qualities stood out. He is a born leader. We’re proud he’s getting the opportunity to showcase that as he continues his hockey career.”
Marshall, who will major in business, joins Aurora University’s NCAA Division III program. Before coming to Humboldt, Marshall played in Merritt and won a national Junior A championship with Brooks.
