It did not take any sort of stretch of the mind to one day see Brayden Klimosko behind the bench of the Humboldt Broncos.
A Humboldt native, Klimosko won two Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League championships and one Junior A national championship as a Bronco player and was the club’s assistant coach for three years. Even his father Tim was a 5-year coach with the team.
That all said, there is no nepotism here. The 36-year-old Klimosko’s time in Battlefords was characterized by nothing but success. As the North Stars’ boss, he won two championships, three coaches of the year, and a national championship silver medal all in five years; and the crazy thing is that he might have won more had it not been for the Covid-19 pandemic.
Surely, Brayden Klimosko and the Humboldt Broncos are a match made in heaven.
“It’s something I always dreamed of,” he told the Humboldt Broncos website.
“It’s really exciting to now coach the team I grew up watching and playing for. It’s a special moment for me and my family. To get to be around my friends and family again and coaching the Broncos is a dream come true.”
Like all teams in the league, the Broncos lost a solid corps of players in the off-season, but in terms of quality returns, they have to be considered right at the top of the league.
Air Force committed NCAA Div I goaltender Ben Motew, who could easily be the best in the league in 2024-25, will likely have plenty of size and experience in front of him on the back end in the hulking trio of Ben Costantino, Oakley McIlwain, and Saxen Robertson, to go with the all-arounder Ryder Knutson who really emerged the longer the playoffs went a year ago.
The likes of University of Augustana NCAA Div I committed centreman Connor Miller and speedster Maddox Amaral are going to be looked upon to help the reload up front, but Klimosko is well known for getting the absolute best out of whatever crew he has available.
“I like what we have coming in,” Klimosko said.
“It’s a veteran group, that seems hungry to compete for a title this fall. This summer I’m in the transition of moving, doing renovations to our house and getting married. It’s a busy one!”
Klimosko is heading into his 11th season as a coach, and seventh as a head man, after taking over for the departed bench boss and GM Scott Barney, who left for the Ontario Hockey League’s Sudbury Wolves.
