Golden Knights share grief over hockey players killed in Canada

CALGARY, Alberta — The bus crash Friday in Saskatchewan involving the Humboldt Broncos junior hockey team that was en route to a playoff game and resulted in the death of 15 people and 14 injured hit the Golden Knights hard.

Most of the Knights’ players also rode buses during their amateur days. Some know players who do now.

Defenseman Brayden McNabb, the only Knights player from Saskatchewan, grew up in Davidson, a town of about 1,000 some two hours south of Humboldt. He knows what hockey means to small, tight-knight communities such as Humboldt, which has approximately 6,000 people.

“It’s tough,” McNabb said Saturday after the Knights’ morning skate at the Scotiabank Saddledome in preparation for the regular-season finale against the Calgary Flames. “It’s close to home. It’s rough thinking about it.

“My brother (Dean) is playing in Victoria. But there was a chance he could have been there. It’s scary thinking about it. But everyone in hockey rides the buses. You’re riding through mountains and over flat roads. It’s crazy thinking about it.

“My heart goes out to the families and the community. It’s just a tough day.”

Defenseman Brad Hunt has ridden his share of buses. He said it’s the place where teams bond and lifelong friendships are formed.

“Everyone in here has rode the bus,” he said. “You don’t expect anything like that to happen or want to see anything like that happen.

“You’re sitting on the bus with your buddies. Those guys are your brothers in junior hockey. It’s just horrible news.”

Cody Glass of the Portland Winterhawks, one of several Knights prospects who are playing junior hockey, tweeted Friday: “Very scary news hearing about Humboldt, something you thought would never happen as a junior hockey player. Thoughts and prayers to everyone involved and affected by the accident. #HumboldtStrong”

The news rocked the hockey world. NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said in a statement: “Our thoughts are with the players, families, coaches, team management and all those throughout the community who have been affected by the tragedy involving the Humboldt Broncos hockey team. The NHL mourns the passing of those who perished and offers strength and comfort to those injured while traveling to play and be part of a game they all love.”

Flames coach Glen Gulutzan grew up in Saskatchewan. He said his team would bring a little extra effort Saturday to honor the victims.

“We’re playing for the purity of the game, for the love of the game, because that’s what those kids did,” he said. “It’s very, very tough what happened. I can’t imagine what those families are going through. We’ve all ridden those buses during our careers and it puts things in perspective.

“I said in Winnipeg that our season is painful, and I would like to take that back.”

More Golden Knights: Follow all of our Golden Knights coverage online at reviewjournal.com/GoldenKnights and @HockeyinVegas on Twitter.

Contact Steve Carp at scarp@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913. Follow @stevecarprj on Twitter.