Since the 2016-17 season, when Johnny Witzke and Michael McChesney both suited up for the Estevan Bruins, head coach and GM Chris Lewgood has found a steady talent pipeline in the North Dakotan high school hockey system. The Bruins are going back to a state that has treated them very well in recent years for 2019-20s recruiting class, bringing on four new players. 

Forwards Dain Sardelli of Hebron, Caleb Petrie of Bismarck, and Tyler Savage of Grand Forks have been added to the Bruins recruiting class for the upcoming season. Joining them is defenseman Dayton Deics of Bismarck, bringing four more North Dakotans to a Bruins roster that will also feature returning forward Isaiah Thomas of Bismarck.

"Cole Zahn (Bruins head scout) does a lot of work down in the North Dakota High School League," said Lewgood. "He's certainly been very excited about this group coming in. The rest of the staff was able to get a really good look at these guys in our spring camp. They sort of set themselves apart from the class.

Sardelli is the biggest physical specimen at 6-foot-5 and over 200 pounds, making him, as of now, the Bruins tallest player. He posted 28 goals and 55 points in just 23 games for Bismarck High last season. 

"He came into camp and played really well," Lewgood said of Sardelli. "He's a good skating forward with some skill. I think once he's an everyday hockey player and learns the game a little more intimately he'll grow by leaps and bounds. That's sort of the theme of a lot of our rookies this year."

Savage is the oldest player of the group as a late-2000 birthday, meaning he was still in high school last season. At 5-foot-8 he's also the smallest, but his stature didn't stop him from scoring nearly a goal per game for Grand Forks Red River (25 goals in 26 games).

"He's a high skilled player," Lewgood said. "He's got hands, he can handle the puck really well, he's an offensive minded guy. We think he's going to be able to step in and play right away."

The final forward, Petrie, has been on the Bruins radar for some time. A solidly built forward who plays a 200-foot game, he managed an impressive 60 points in just 25 games for Bismarck High. Lewgood praised his size and strength as well. 

"Caleb put up big numbers in North Dakota High School," he said. "He's a big guy, only 6-foot or 6-foot-1 but he's strong, and he skates like the wind. But what we're really excited about is his defensive game. He's a great shutdown center, a very dependable player who plays with high compete and hounds pucks. We think he'll be one of our best two-way forwards for years to come."

Deics, the lone defenseman of the group, posted 31 points in just 26 games for the same Bismarck High team as Petrie and Sardelli. He'll face the task of fighting for space on what promises to be a loaded Bruins blueline. But, according to Lewgood, he has one major advantage. 

"Dayton is a very dependable, smaller bodied guy who plays with some jam to him. He's a right shot. Coming into camp here we have two right shot defensemen we're expecting to make the team, and that's Dayton and Austin King-Cunningham. Those right-shot defensemen are hard to come by and he's already shown us he can play at this level. His performance in camp, he and Kersey Reich were the two best defensemen at our spring camp. He's going to be a dandy for us."

Preseason camp begins for the Bruins on Thursday, August 22. Stay tuned to Discover Estevan dot com for more updates as camp approaches.