When Estevan’s Slade Lesy laced up his skates to represent the Sask Jr. Pats at the prestigious BRICK Invitational Hockey Tournament in Edmonton — perhaps the most competitive hockey tournament for nine (9) and ten (10) year old’s in North America — it was the culmination of years of dedication, countless hours on the ice, as well as countless early-morning skill sessions back home in Estevan.
One of the parts of that development? The Estevan Bruins’ “Breakfast Club” program — a high-intensity, skills-focused morning hockey series designed to give minor hockey players the chance to learn directly from the Bruins coaching staff and players.
Led this year by Bruins Assistant Coach Tucker Neuberger, the program emphasizes elite skill development, including skating mechanics, puck-control efficiency, and position-specific techniques for both forwards and defensemen. The sessions are highly competitive with numerous drills that have the players compete against players of equivalent skill-level.
“The growth we’ve seen from these young players is incredible,” said Neuberger. “They show up early, they work hard, and they’re learning how to play the game the right way — with precision and purpose. That’s what this program is all about: developing skills through focused
instruction.”
For players like Slade, the results speak for themselves. His participation in the BRICK Tournament — widely recognized as a proving ground for some of the best young hockey talent in the country — shows what hard work and high-level training can lead to.
“The Bruins program really helped me with my skating, passing and my shot,” said Lesy. “Coach Tucker pushes us to get better every time we’re on the ice. It’s fun, but it’s also serious — I know those early mornings are helping me get closer to my goals.”
The next phase of the Breakfast with the Bruins program — Part 3: Forwards and Defense-Specific Skills — is set to begin November 4, continuing on November 5, 12, 18, 26 and December 2, 3, 10, 16, 17. Registration is now open, and a limited number of spots remain. The cost is only $280.00 for ten (10) skates. The skates run from 7:00 am to 8:00 am.
“This next slate of sessions will again be highly competitive. We have players from U9 all the way up to U15, and the drills are tailored for the age and skill level,” Neuberger said. “The kids are placed into small groups with similar age and skill level. They are put into situations where they need to sharpen their skills in order to “win” the drill. The Defence specific skills will include puck retrievals and blue-line work. The Forward specific skills will include elite shooting, passing, and puck control drills.”
Following that, Part 4: High-Performance Skills (U11–U15) runs from January 6 through March 10, offering advanced training sessions on select Tuesday and Wednesday mornings.
*NOTE: Goalies receive a 50% registration discount
With programs like Breakfast with the Bruins, the Estevan Bruins continue to invest in the future of hockey in the southeast — giving young players the tools, guidance, and opportunities to take
their game to the next level.
