Two Kimberley Dynamiters, defenseman Nick Dobson and goalie Eric Scherger, have signed on with the BCHL Cranbrook Bucks for the remainder of the season.
In April, the Bucks will head to Penticton, where they will play against the Vees and the Trail Smoke Eaters in a three-team hub.
READ MORE: Cranbrook Bucks to play out of Penticton pod
“It feels incredibly awarding,” said Dobson. “To me this year sort of felt like a right off and now there’s a chance to salvage part of it, which is a super exiting thought and I’m just kind of looking at it, taking everything in as extra hockey. No matter how many games or minutes I play I’m just excited to be there to play hockey again, it’s been a long time coming.”
Dobson grew up moving around a lot, as his father was in the military. After time spent living in England, Ireland and the U.S., his family landed in Cochrane, Alta., where at around the age of 9 he realized he wanted to play hockey.
He played house league for a few years before starting competitive hockey at 12, playing Midget AA. He then signed on with the Weyburn Red Wings of the SJHL before getting traded to Waywayseecappo in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League.
“I didn’t have a good fit there so I left by myself and ended up signing in Creston,” he explained. “After a while Kimberley became interested in me so I traded to Kimberley and then from there Derek Stuart helped me a lot and set me up with the Bucks.”
He unfortunately didn’t get to play a game with the Dynamiters, as he signed on right as the shut down began, and the one game he played with Creston, oddly enough was against Kimberley.
Though he didn’t get as many games with the Nitros as he would have liked, Dobson had nothing but positive things to say about the organization calling it an “amazing organization … the best I’ve ever seen at the Junior B level.”
“Coach Stuart was absolutely phenomenal, he advanced my career in ways that I didn’t think were possible and I probably owe the rest of my Junior A career to him for kind of saving that,” Dobson said. “He runs an amazing organization, they run everything at the Junior A level even though it’s Junior B and it’s a championship team, that’s the mentality they have and that’s the mentality brought in by Coach Stuart.”
Eric Scherger grew up in Devon, Alta. and started playing minor hockey there up until Bantam, when he then headed to Leduc for their AA program. After a season there he signed on for two years for the KIJHL team in Summerland, where his brother played hockey as well.
“We were getting a new coach and then I just requested a trade and wanted a Kootenay team and went to Kimberley and I was really happy with that,” Scherger said. “I couldn’t ask for a better trade.”
Because of the shortened season, Scherger only got to play one game with the Dynamiters, but he also said that his experience with Stuart and the rest of the coaches was extremely positive.
“Stuart, Bancks, Keiver were all there to help you get better each and every day and I just loved going to the rink to see them and all the boys,” he said.
Both players are looking forward to getting back on the ice and are grateful for the opportunity to showcase their skills at the Junior A level.
They’ve both been quarantining for about 12 days and are awaiting COVID tests within the next 24 to 48 hours. They’ll then get to start practising before heading out to Penticton where their first game will be in early April.
paul.rodgers@kimberleybulletin
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