Bobcats bid farewell to five 20-year-olds

As with every season, emotions were running extra high as the Bobcats organization had to bid farewell to cap - tain Ben Bygrove, Ryan Schendel, assistant captain Tyson Kowa - luk, Brock Krulicki and assistant captain Jordan Borysiuk as they are not eligible to play junior hockey in the future due to age.

“Krulicki joined us and had a huge offensive building block for us the in fall,” said Dube. “Borysiuk was the first signing I had, Bygrove to follow, Kuwaluk to follow, and those were all in 2019.

“The program, where it was at that point and where it is today, a lot of credit goes to those young gentleman and the work they put in.”

For Bygrove, finishing his junior hockey career in a packed barn of home-town fans was the icing on the cake.

“It’s been an honour to show up here every day and play in front of my home town. It’s been great and I really appreciate Nigel giving me the chance to come in here,” he said after Sunday’s game.

“There’s been guys

I’ve played with for four years now and they’re brothers to me; it’s been great.”

Bygrove has worn the Bobcats sweater with pride for the last four seasons and is hoping future captains will get as much out of the experience as he did.

“I think whoever the captain’s C goes to, this organization’s in great hands,” he said. “We have really good leaders in there.

“Obviously, there’s some 20-year-olds in there leaving, but we have 19, 18 and 17-yearolds that are great leaders and they’re going to do great things for this organization, I have no doubt about that. Who- ever it is, they’re going to do a great job and wear the Bobcat crest proud.”

For Dube, his proudest moments of the season revolved around the team’s commitment to the community.

“More so than anything, I think the the biggest thing I’ll always be proud of is the community service those guys did, countless hours over those years, and you see those relationships they’ve built,” he said. “They got us to where we are today, and on the flip side, for those younger guys, they’ll return next fall to continue to build on that; I’ll always want more and I’ll always look for more.”