With puck drop on the 2025-26 Kootenay International Junior Hockey League season coming on Sept. 19, kijhl.ca is providing fans with a preview on all 21 teams. The Quick Shift series concludes with the Grand Forks Border Bruins.
The Border Bruins had their best season in the organization’s history. It started with them winning another Neil Murdoch division regular season championship last season with a record of 33-6-4-1, then the Kootenay Conference championship, and culminated with their first ever KIJHL Teck Cup championship.
Coming into this season, head coach-general manager Dave Hnatiuk likes how the group has been able to start adapting into the systems and the process. The pace has increased daily, and the systems and structure they’re teaching has started to be implemented.
“It’s just been a good start here of getting the ball rolling and getting the process going,” said Hnatiuk.
Being defending champions, the message for players is that getting to the championship is their goal every year.
“The belief is high in the room and obviously there’s a really great core of veterans that were part of this team last year, and even the season prior,” said Hnatiuk, starting his fifth season with the Border Bruins. “I think there is a lot of pride inside that room, there is obviously a lot of hunger to repeat and the message is the process.”
Returning Players: F- Levi Astill (44-34-57-91), Brandon Gray (42-20-33-53), Keenan Holland (43-27-20-47), Nash Wassing (40-15-15-39), Jace Koole (42-11-19-30), Hunter Paterson (39-5-12-17), Ashton Schram (40-8-6-14), Thomas Clarke (33-3-5-8), Owen Assaly (15-2-3-5), D- Logan McCabe (43-7-34-42).
Acquisitions: D-Brenan Kearney (via trade from Osoyoos Coyotes – 21-1-1-2), G-Tyler Picha (via trade from Spokane Braves – 36 GP | 4.29 GAA | .897 SP).
Rookies: F- Colby Gulliver – Lethbridge Hurricanes U18AAA (38-7-11-18), Nate Smith – Olds Grizzlies U18AA (34-25-39-64), Devon Boyle – Sherwood Park Kings U18AAA (37-12-20-32), Austin Tellefson – Edmonton Jr. Oilers U18AAA (38-10-9-19), D- Garrett Janzen – Lethbridge Hurricanes U18AAA (36-2-12-14), Jake O’Keefe – CNHA U18 AA Black (22-3-11-14), D- Nate Rizzetto – CBHA U18 AA Rangers (31-5-13-18), G- Nic Grunerud – Battlefords U18 AAA Stars (26 GP 10-14-0 | 3.47 GAA | .908 SP.).
Team Outlook: Hnatiuk feels their roster may be a bit better than last year.
“We’re young, we have a lot of first-year guys. We’re really deep up front, skilled, and happy with how that is looking. Our D-core is young, but we’re seeing improvement daily. Guys are getting used to the pace of the next level.”
In goal, Picha will play with rookies Shane Ford and Grunderud. With the Braves last season, Picha faced 1,395 shots in 2,000 minutes of action.
“I’m hoping that his first year in our league gave him a lot of experience,” said Hnatiuk. “He saw a lot of minutes and rubber, putting up some pretty impressive numbers.”
In terms of how they will play, Hnatiuk describes himself as a coach that “lets guys play within their skill set”, but they will lay out the structure, groundwork and let them play their game within that.
“For sure we want to be the same identity as last year – be a tough team to play against, meaning physical, walking that line. I don’t want to say intimidating, but kind of that Big Bad Bruins hockey that we talked about. We want to be offensive, defensive, and strong on special teams.”
