Hockey community remembers 4 Swift Current players killed in '86 crash
Trent Kresse, Scott Kruger, Chris Mantyka, and Brent Ruff died on Dec. 30, 1986
Today marks the 29th anniversary of a tragic event in Saskatchewan sports history.
On Dec. 30, 1986, four players on the Swift Current Broncos died in a highway crash.
The team was travelling to Regina to play the Pats, but just four kilometres outside of Swift Current, the team bus skidded off an overpass, and rolled on its side.
Trent Kresse, Scott Kruger, Chris Mantyka, and Brent Ruff died in the crash.
All four were later memorialized by the club, including having their jerseys retired in Swift Current.
What we keep in our memory is ours unchanged forever. <a href="https://t.co/1Vgt3eVpmi">pic.twitter.com/1Vgt3eVpmi</a>
—@SCBroncosIncredibly, the team played out the rest of the season, led by future NHLers Joe Sakic and Sheldon Kennedy.
29 years ago today we lost 4 young men. Trent Kresse, Scott Kruger, Chris Mantyka, Brent Ruff RIP boys <a href="https://twitter.com/SCBroncos">@SCBroncos</a> <a href="https://t.co/P2efjBM6OH">pic.twitter.com/P2efjBM6OH</a>
—@ShelKennJust two seasons after the crash, the Broncos won the WHL championship and the Memorial Cup.
To this day, the WHL awards the Four Broncos Memorial Trophy to the league's most valuable player.
The Broncos are in Saskatoon tonight to take on the Blades.