To say the Kimberley Dynamiters 2017-18 season was a success, would be an understatement. They were the Eddie Mountain Division, Kootenay Conference, and KIJHL Regular Season Champions, and then went on to be the Eddie Mountain Division, Kootenay Conference, and KIJHL Playoff Champions. Following it all up with a Bronze Medal win at the Cyclone Taylor Cup for a cherry on top.
Head coach and general manager Derek Stuart took some time to reflect on a season for the history books.
The regular season started with high expectations, as the Dynamiters had several returning players.
"At the start of the year, we knew we had a really good team."
The Dynamiters started the season with a bang, going 6-1 to start the season in September.
In October the Eddie Mountain Division made national headlines, twice. The first was for the presentation for a commitment to donate $7.5 Million to Kimberley hockey. Stuart felt that the coaching staff was able to keep the team focused instead of following the subsequent headlines.
"As a coaching staff, as soon as it got announced, the next practice we talked about it with the guys, and said that until it shows up it is not real, there is no point talking about something that is not real.
"It was never brought up as a team. It never became a distraction where it was actually discussed. It didn't effect the players or how they played."
The second national headline for the Eddie Mountain Division was the ammonia tragedy that killed three people in Fernie. This event pierced through the shell that Stuart and the coaching staff had created to shield his team from news.
"It was something we needed to address with the players. It did affect us, one of our players on our team at the time, one of the people who died was his uncle. It affected us as a team and as a group.
"You hate to see that happen. When it happens to your rival that you are closest to, you feel bad. It sucks. You never wish that upon anybody.
"Once we discussed and talked about it, the guys respcted Fernie."
In November the Dynamiters tinkered with their roster. Cody Campbell and Derian Bamber had already joined the team. But this month saw the team acquire Nicholas Graham, Colby Sherlock, Bryce McDonald, and Ryan Kielty (actually acquired on December 1).
November 25, 2017. An ugly day for the Dynamiters, as they got hammered 8-1 at the hands of the Creston Valley Thunder Cats at the Civic Centre, accompanied by some suspensions.
"It was probably our turning point of the season. We realized, it was a reality check, that we are not as good as we think we are and other teams can beat us.
"We came together on the ice and didn't put up with the crap we were receiving.
"It could have been a really bad thing, but it ended up being the best thing that could have happened to us."
The Nitro's then went undefeated in December as the team geared up for the final push before the playoffs.
January brought Cooper Page and also another embarrassing loss to the Thunder Cats, losing 7-1, with it's own fair share of suspensions.
From that point on the Dynamiters finished the regular season with a 9-0 record, and prepared for their first round of the playoffs against the Fernie Ghostriders.
The regular season win percentage, .830, was the teams best in recent memory. Narrowly edging out the 2014-15 Dynamiters.
Looking back at the regular season, Stuart felt there were three confirmations that his team was going to have a successful season:
"The first time was when we started getting our core '98's back.
"The second time was when our rookies started being regular contributors. When Palmer, Gedny, and Russell started to contribute like they did, we thought 'hey, we might have something here'
"The last time was the additions we were able to make with McDonald, Graham, Sherlock and Page. To add those four '98's that were all veterans. They gave us their best. We thought 'hey, we can win this whole thing.'
"As a GM and coach, once you add those pieces and see those rookies be contributors, it starts to make you believe a little bit more."
The Dynamiters downed the Fernie Ghostriders and then the Columbia Valley Rockies in similar fashion; winning the first three, losing game four on the road, to then return home and finish the series off in five games.
The Kootenay Conference Finals was a different tale. It was the first time that the Dynamiters trailed in a series. Down 2-1 to the Nelson Leafs, the Nitro's would fight back, including a series clinching 2-1 overtime victory, advancing the team to the league finals for the third time in four years.
At no time did the Nitro's press the panic button.
"The guys did an outstanding job of staying focused. It made it easy on the coaches. There was great leadership in that dressing room; you are going to get that when you have 16 veterans. There was no point where we got over confident, or to the other end where we didn't think we could.
"It was an oustanding job by the players, managing and leading themselves."
In the league finals, the Nitro's went up against the Revelstoke Grizzlies. Both teams split the first four games, each winning both games at home. Setting up the KIJHL final as a mini best-of-three series. The Dynamiters won at home, and then finished the series off in Revelstoke, winning the league for the second time in two years.
Winning the league meant representing the KIJHL at the Cyclone Taylor Cup in Richmond. The tournament was hyped to be one of the most competitive tournaments ever seen. What resulted was one of the most polarizing tournaments to date. Even for the Nitro's, they played their best, and their worst, hockey at the tournament. They came away with bronze, winning a bronze medal against the Campbell River Storm.
With such a lengthy season, it only leaves four months until training camp starts in August. For Stuart, and the team, they want to enjoy the feeling of being league champions for a bit before making plans for the 2018-19 season.
"Get some family time in there, then I'll be wearing my recruiting hat."
The Dynamiters have many holes to fill, they had five players age out: James Farmer, Nicholas Ketola, Devon Langelaar (just committed to University of Arizona), Mason Palaga, and Brett Roberts. Starting goalie Cody Campbell will be playing college hockey with the University of Central Oklahoma. Plus, local defenders Lucas Purdy and James Rota are moving on.
Even though they leave holes in the lineup, this is the true reward that Stuart is looking for.
"It's rewarding to see them go out the way they did, being a huge part of the team, on and off the ice. To see them move up and on with their lives, whether it be in hockey or school. It is a great way to end their careers."
The roster will be in constant flux as players will be trying out for Junior A or the WHL, the team may look very different next season.
"You never know who is going to come back until usually later in the summer.
"But we are going to enjoy what we did this year for little bit longer."
For now, enjoy the sun, and enjoy being the KIJHL Champions, it was an excellent ride.
Lead photo by Jonathan Righton
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