In the 2018-19 season, forward Ryder Pierson was the only Estevan-born member of the Estevan Bruins. In 2019-20, however, Pierson will have plenty of company as the Bruins have announced a trio of local players have committed to play for the SJHL franchise. 

Two players born in 2001, forward Mason Strutt and defenseman Kersey Reich, and one born in 2002, defenseman Alex Von Sprecken, have all signed on to play with the Bruins in 2019-20. Both Reich and Strutt are expected to make their Junior-A debuts this season, while Von Sprecken, despite being the youngest of the three, has already played five games with the Bruins in 2017-18. 

"They (local players) draw people in because people know them," said Bruins head coach and GM Chris Lewgood, "but the other side of it is they grow up watching the Estevan Bruins. Once guys get comfortable they take great pride in playing for the Bruins but these guys have that added little bit that they've earned over years from idolizing the Bruins as kids. You can't draw that up or write it on a chalk board."        

Strutt, the lone forward of the group, was the captain of the Estevan bantam AA Bruins before moving on to the midget ranks with the Swift Current Legionnaires. In 125 midget AAA games, Strutt managed an impressive 48 goals and 102 points, including 23 goals and 55 points in 41 games in his final season, good for 10th in league scoring.

"Mason has got a lot of offensive ability," Lewgood said. "I think it will take time for that to transfer to the Junior A game but it's not going anywhere. He's going to remain an offensive player, he's just going to have to learn to create offense a little differently. His skill set will be elite at our level." 

Reich was Strutt's teammate in Swift Current the past three seasons. The 6'2, 190-pound defenseman put up 67 points in 131 career games, finishing his Legionnaires career strong with 32 points in 44 games, putting him seventh among defensemen. Both he and Strutt celebrated their high school graduation with the Estevan Comprehensive School on June 14.

"It feels great," said Reich of signing with his hometown team. "Growing up watching the Bruins was always exciting. It'll be really cool to have an opportunity to play with them this year." 

"He's always been sort of a top prospect and he's worked hard to maintain that," Lewgood said of Reich. "We really liked his spring camp. We thought he played with tremendous hockey IQ. He's always had a great shot and he can play both sides on the point. I think he's versatile enough that he's going to be a mainstay on our back end for years."   

Von Sprecken played his second year of midget AAA in 2018-19, his first with the Prince Albert Mintos. The rugged defenseman notched 17 points, good for third on the Mintos, and 73 PIMs on the year. In 2017-18, when he was still just 15 years old, Von Sprecken played five games for the Bruins, showing off his physical style, and even earning some shutdown minutes against SJHL leading scorer Layne Young of the Battlefords North Stars. 

"Alex is a guy who's sort of a hybrid of the other two guys," Lewgood said. "He's got tons of talent, he's real keen and he wants to work hard. He cares about his team, whichever team he's playing for. We're lucky to have him."

"He's not afraid to play in the tough areas," Lewgood added. "He's not afraid to absorb a forecheck. He's proactive and he's a kid that challenges himself. Once the game slows down and he starts to trust his instincts a bit, we're going to work with him lots and I think he's going to be just fine out of the gate."  

This will be the 15th season in a row that at least one Estevan born player has played for the Bruins. With Pierson already on the team, this will be the most such players since 2014-15, when Brayden Pachal, Mason Benning, Levi Barnstable, and Wyatt Garagan all played for the team along with Bienfait's Lynden Pastachak.