The CanElson Drilling Estevan Bruins have two graduating players after the 2014-15 season, which include Wyatt Garagan and RT Rice.
Garagan played for the club for three seasons and really enjoyed his experience.
“Walking in as 18 year old, there couldn’t have been a better place that I would have been playing my junior hockey that’s for sure,” he said.
Being a local product also was an upside for playing Junior A Hockey with the Bruins.
“It was exciting, that’s every kids dream … when watching the Bruins and you idolize them when you’re younger,” he said.
Growing up, he said that hockey was a big part of his life, as his brother, Kyle Garagan, also played for the Bruins.
“It was kind of luck of the draw being able to play in Estevan, so it all worked itself out, and it was awesome being able to play at home,” Garagan said.
Throughout his Junior A career some of the highlights include (in his rookie season) defeating the Kindersley Clippers in the survivor series and the following year, beating the Flin Flon Bombers in that survivor series.
He also enjoyed just being around his teammates whether it was on or off of the ice.
Garagan still hopes to pursue hockey. He said he wants to play in a division three school in the United States but hasn’t fully decided yet.
Rice, who is originally from Invermere BC, was on the Bruins squad for two seasons and also, enjoyed his time with the team.
He admitted that in his first year in Estevan it took some time getting used to playing at the Junior A level as he had played Junior B with the Fernie Ghostriders. He said the speed of the game and the size of the players was the major differences.
One of his favourite memories with the Bruins was when the team stopped the Battlefords North Stars 13-game win streak, in his first year. He also enjoyed scoring the game winner against their rivals, the Weyburn Red Wings, this season.
Before he landed a spot with the Burins, Rice was dropped from a couple of junior teams and enjoyed that stability he had playing in Estevan.
“The stability of knowing that just being there and not having to worry about getting dropped was reassuring,” he said.
Rice still wants to purse hockey and his main goal is to make a pro or semi pro team. If that doesn’t happen right away he said that he would like to play at a Canadian university or college hockey in the CIS league or the ACAC.
