Written By: Rob Mahon
Via: Discover Estevan
While the Estevan Bruins roster is by no means set for the Centennial Cup season, the initial look at that roster shows one with plenty of forward depth. That deep forward core got a little deeper today with their latest trade acquisition.
The Bruins announced this afternoon they had acquired forward Ben Diamond from the St. Thomas Stars of the GOJHL (Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League) for a player development fee. The 2002-born forward put up 29 points in 41 games in his most recent season in 2019-20.
“We are excited to add Ben to our line-up for next season,” said Bruins head coach and GM Jason Tatarnic. “Ben has a good skill set and is a big body. We believe he will add some offense to our line-up and be a solid two-way player for us.”
Diamond’s numbers are impressive on their own, but a deeper dive reveals some other promising traits. The 6-foot-1, 185-pound forward put up 18 points in 18 games after a trade to St. Thomas from Strathroy. No one else on his team produced a point-per-game pace. That was in 2019-20, so Diamond was just 17 years old. The GOJHL did not play last season due to the pandemic.
“I’m excited to be joining the Estevan Bruins and the Estevan community,” Diamond said. “The Bruins have a long history of success and I am honoured to be a part of the team. I can’t wait to get started!”
The Bruins group of 2002-born forwards also includes Cody Davis, Mason Smith, Antoine Saint-Onge, and Brandon Ambrozik. There is no firm start date yet for the 2021-22 SJHL season, but the league is hosting meetings in Nipawin this week.
