The Humboldt Broncos’ line-up is dotted with first-year players and one of their key veterans is still young himself as defenceman Kade Olsen is just days away from turning 19.
The 6-foot-1, 170-pound Saskatoon product is enjoying a solid sophomore season having collected 12 points in 40 games, which is more than double the five points he put up in 48 games as a freshman last year.
Olsen’s experience has been rewarded with him being named an alternate captain and he has answered that extra responsibility by being just a handful of players to have played in every game so far this year for the team.
Olsen got his first taste of Junior “A” hockey when he was 16 years old playing in three games for the Broncos while a member of the Saskatchewan Midget AAA Hockey League’s Beardy’s Blackhawks. Although he never got on the scoresheet in that original audition his 12 points in 42 games with the Blackhawks got him noticed by Humboldt to make the jump the following year.
Originally drafted in the second round of the 2016 SJHL bantam draft by the Melfort Mustangs, Olsen also got the attention of the Western Hockey League’s Vancouver Giants when he was picked in the ninth round of that league’s draft the same year. The selections followed a strong final bantam season that saw Olsen post 27 points in 30 games while playing with the Saskatoon Outlaws.
The Humboldt Broncos are hovering around the .500 mark, but with a young line-up are presently in a playoff position entering the stretch run of the regular season. Leadership, durability and experience from players like Olsen will be counted on as the Broncos look to build up momentum for the post-season and those attributes bode well for the future too as Olsen still has two more years of junior eligibility remaining after this season.
