The rosters have been released for the annual SJHL-MJHL Showcase with three skaters from the Estevan Bruins being chosen for the event scheduled for January 31st & February 1st in Winnipeg, MB.
Kade Runke, Aleksa Babic, and Jag Phangura have been selected to represent the SJHL, it will be the first appearance for each player at the event as it will be the first SJHL-MJHL Showcase since January 2020. Runke and Babic will play together on the SJHL U20 White team, while Phangura will play on the SJHL U18 Blue team.
Runke is the team captain in his second season with the Bruins. Following up on a season in which he was a key contributor to the Bruins’ 2022 SJHL Championship squad, Runke has been near the top of the SJHL scoring race all season long. Runke leads the club with 20 goals and 42 points in 37 games this season, good for 6th overall in the league as of January 13th.
Babic has been a standout on the Bruins’ blueline in his 20-year-old season, his third year with the club. Babic has significantly increased his offensive production this season while continuing to shut down the opposing team’s top players every game. Babic’s 27 assists leads the team and 30 points is tied for 2nd-overall in the SJHL among defencemen.
Phangura has provided a large boost to the Bruins’ offence in his first year with the club, tallying 9 goals and 16 points for 25 points in 34 games this season. Though he is not eligible as a rookie due to playing last year in the BCHL, Phangura is one of the top 18-year-old players in the SJHL and has become a fan favourite in Estevan.
A total of six teams will compete in the showcase event, with three teams from both the MJHL and SJHL. All teams have been selected by the showcase coaching staff of their respective leagues forming one 18U roster, and two 20U rosters. The event provides high performance exposure in front of NHL, WHL, NCAA and USPORTS scouts.