BDNMB.CA had a chance recently to sit down with Daemon Hunt, the highest ranked NHL Entry Draft Brandon / Western Manitoba prospect in this year's NHL entry Draft.  The 6 foot Moose Jaw Warriors defencemen has been ranked anywhere from 44th overall to 99th.  But at the end of the day so many great NHL players were never first round picks and for the very professional spoken Hunt you can tell he has amazing focus. BDNMB  - Tell us how much attention you put into the various draft rankings? Hunt - I spend really no time looking at the rankings, honestly I am not too concerned about them. BDNMB – What does your normal day to day training look like? Hunt  – During the week I work with Paul Thompson and work on lower and upper body for up to two hours a day...then we go to the track and do quick feet drills.  Plus, I also have several on ice sessions with Dave Lewis and played in the Wendy’s Summer League. BDNMB – Your mother is a fitness guru, and also meal planner, does she influence your training program? Hunt – When I was younger she trained me more, she really helped me with food and she makes great healthy meals. BDNMB – Your dad appears to be modest and humble around the rink, tell us a bit about your hockey growth and how your dad helped? Hunt - Well my dad loves the game and watching me play and develop he was never that crazy hockey dad and gave me time to get better.  My dad was always coaching up until midget and my parents sacrificed so much for where I have got to...the draft will be a reward for my family. BDNMB – This will be the unknown year, (when and if the season does start) does this effect you mentally at all? Hunt - it’s not easy not knowing and last year I was hurt and only played 27 games so mentally this isn’t easy but I am trying to learn the process and hope everything works out.. BDNMB – Do you have a skill that people don’t know about? Hunt – I love to draw and paint and would like to start a business designing clothes. BDNMB.CA wishes all the best to Daemon Hunt and the upcoming NHL draft on October 6th and 7th.

Brandon, MB – City of Brandon Parks & Recreation Services is pleased to announce the completion of a pair of recreational court resurfacing projects, with plenty of time still left in the season for enthusiasts to get a few good matches in before any winter snow flies! Responding to overwhelming demand from the community, the former tennis courts at Stanley Park have been resurfaced to create six new pickleball courts near the corner of 15th Street & Lorne Avenue. This paddleball sport combines elements of tennis, badminton and table tennis and is rapidly gaining in popularity amongst Brandon residents as a sport for people of all ages. These pickleball courts have been very popular since their opening in early September are available free to the community on a first-come, first-served basis. This past weekend, the four tennis courts at the Wheat City Golf Course, located at 3500 McDonald Avenue, re-opened following resurfacing improvements. Information on how to book the courts can be found online here or by calling the Wheat City Golf Course Pro Shop at 204-728-2299. Four tennis courts are also available for free public use in Queen Elizabeth Park on a first-come, first-served basis and can be accessed just north of the intersection of 26th Street and McDonald Avenue. For more information about the recreational amenities available at any of Brandon’s greenspaces, visit https://www.brandon.ca/greenspaces. (CITY OF BRANDON PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT)

Perry Bergson is an extremely hard working Brandon Sun sports writer who has been doing an outstanding job covering the Brandon Wheat Kings for the past five seasons. He started at the Brandon Sun in 1989, spent three years in Prince Albert, before returning to the Sun in 2005. Perry has a University degree from the Brandon University and a College diploma at Holland College in Charlottetown, P.E.I. In addition to working at the Brandon Sun, he has also worked at the Dauphin Herald and Prince Albert Daily Herald. 1. We understand you appreciate a good cup of coffee, who makes Brandon's best cup: I'll tell anyone who listens that my favourite coffee spot is the one in front of me. When I need coffee badly, the gas station cup is as good as the high-end one from a dedicated coffee shop. Also, since I have Icelandic heritage, I'll happily drink three-day-old coffee as long as it hasn't turned green. 2. What former/current Wheat King would one day make a great journalist: Great question. Jonny Lambos off the current team and Duncan Campbell in the past. 3. Buffalo wings or loaded nachos: Loaded nachos every time. 4. What is a typical day at work like when the Wheat Kings have a home game: I get to work around 3, do what I can to help the department and get to the rink around 6. I spend some time in the scouts room, chat with the visiting broadcaster (who I sit beside) and do my final game prep. Since our deadlines are tight, I have my game story 90 per cent done at the final horn and run down for my interviews. I'm generally leaving the Keystone about an hour after the game is over. 5. Outside of covering hockey, what other sport do you enjoy covering most for the Brandon Sun: I love baseball and rugby is growing on me because of its community. 6. Three most commonly used apps on your phone: VoiceRecord, Twitter and Gmail. 7. When you are not at the office/rink, what do you do to unwind and relax: My bikes are old but they like to get ridden. My dog and I enjoy her walk every afternoon. I also watch a lot of really old films with my wife. 8. How have things changed since you started working in this industry: When I started, we were pre-Internet working on pretty rudimentary computers. Now a world of information lies out there that I can access from my Mac, which is the industry standard. 9. Three movies everyone should have in their movie library: Sunset Boulevard, The African Queen, Casablanca. (Citizen Kane, The Seventh Seal, High Noon, Being There, My Dinner With Andre, Goodbye Mr. Chips and A Fish Called Wanda are in the discussion. Is that cheating?) 10. Dream dinner party guest (4): (ALIVE) Podcaster Dan Carlin, musician John Hiatt, journalist Christiane Amanpour and comedian Jim Jefferies.  (DEAD) Actor Katharine Hepburn, writer W. Somerset Maugham, musician Tom Petty and journalist Mike Wallace. (Not counting family members.) 11.  Should the WHL not operate this season, will you be providing up to date coverage of the local Wendy’s Winter Hockey League:  Haha. Nice try. 12. Most underestimated Brandon Sun staffer: My Prince Albert compatriot Tyler Clarke. 13.  Did the Wheat Kings sale surprise you: No, there had been rumours, but I guess it's still a bit of a shock when it happens. Kelly McCrimmon was synonymous with the team for three decades. 14. Would you compare yourself to Bill Ranford when you played in goal: I actually remember Bill being in Portage, and when I interviewed him, we talked about his time there. Other than both of us being emotional guys in net, one of us was real good and the other became a hockey writer. We both ended up exactly where we belonged. 15. Favorite food stop when on the road with the Wheat Kings: There's a story here. When I was in Kent, Wash., with the team in the 2016 final against the Seattle Thunderbirds, I was on a tight food budget. Every afternoon, I walked several blocks to Olive Garden because I knew I could gorge myself on pasta, salad and breadsticks. I don't know if I've been to an Olive Garden since but it was a lifesaver that week. 16. Sammy Hagar or David Lee Roth: Sammy Hagar, just because of a solo song he released in 1997 called Amnesty Is Granted. 17. If you have a pair of 8’s and the dealer has a 9 in blackjack what do you do: I'm a chicken. Fold. 18. Favorite three streaming programs: This will firmly establish me as someone who sits and yells at kids to get off my lawn, but I've never watched a minute of a streamed show. South Park is my current favourite TV show, and Six Feet Under is my old favourite. 19. Who inspires you: My parents are great people who always work hard and value the concept of giving back. They've made a lifelong volunteer of me, and instilled a strong work ethic. 20. Have you made someone cry: It happens in interviews occasionally when you're discussing emotional topics. It's never easy because people people are sharing their most intimate thoughts.

On September 4, 2020, the MJHL announced that an expansion franchise had been awarded to 50 Below Sports + Entertainment for the upcoming 2020-21 season. The team will operate as The Winnipeg Freeze Hockey Club and Josh Green will be the first Head Coach and General Manager in franchise history. Green spent five seasons the WHL as a player and appeared in 341 NHL games over the course of his professional career. The MJHL also released the game schedule for 2020/21 yesterday. The first ever regular season game for the Freeze will be against the Steinbach Pistons on October the 9th.

We are thankful to Jared Jacobson, the new owner of the Brandon Wheat Kings, for taking time out of his extremely busy schedule to answer our questions regarding his vision for the team and the acquisition of the franchise. BDNMB.ca: What can fans expect to see different, if anything, right away? Jared: Our intentions are to take the next 30 to 60 days to strategize and plan out the upcoming season which involves generating ideas around enhancing the in game experience for fans, enhancing player development on and off the ice and dealing with the proposed staggered occupancy for the Arena.  We have already done one session with consultants and are creating action plans with Hockey Ops and Business Ops to roll them out.  Our Vision will be to plan for normal as well as have a separate interim plan for this season.  We will also be working closely with the League, the Province, and the Keystone Centre to create the best atmosphere for BWK fans. BDNMB.ca: Will the scouting, management and operations staff stay the same, or will there be a few changes? Jared: When we buy companies our first and most important due diligence focus is the people who work for the company.  Being able to talk to them and make sure they are a fit to the group, the culture  and the vision we have moving forward at J and G is a key to the decision.  We are very pleased with both the Business side and Hockey Operations.  We have no intentions of making any changes rather plan on immediately working with the staff to understand how they operate as a team and communicate how we operate as a group and continue to support them to grow the franchise. BDNMB.ca: Now that you have purchased the team, would you consider down the road building your own facility? Jared: Through due diligence we have analyzed arrangements with the Keystone Center and are happy with what we saw.  We have meetings scheduled as early as today to discuss current state of the relationship and ways we can plan to enhance the game together for the fans.  A new 5000 to 10 0000 seat arena would not be sustainable as a “hockey only” facility.  It would need to be an entertainment facility and run full schedules like Bell Mts Place does in Winnipeg. Any discussion around this would involve the city, multiple levels of government and the private sector together.  Our focus is on the team and over time there will be discussions about facilities, but that is definitely a long term discussion vs short term as the Keystone Centre is a great facility under great management and is a huge economic driver for the City and province at large.  On a positive note, the Keystone Centre has an RFP currently out for a facility study so it will be interesting to see the results of that study as to what capital improvements are identified.  It will be interesting to see what levels of Government will do for a multi year plan to help the facility catch up to where it needs to be maintenance wise.  Right now regular funding goes towards chasing long overdue repairs vs enhancing the facility…..that method needs a solution or the building will continue to deteriorate over time.  As a real estate landlord, you have to keep the structural components in good standing, give them cosmetic facelifts when needed and in turn that will attract the public to your business.  I believe Jeff is trying to convince the right people that this needs to happen and the independent study is step 1 in the process. BDNMB.ca: Will you be reaching out to the current Wheat King captains and leadership group about your plans moving forward? Jared: We will be meeting directly with the Business side and the Hockey operations staff and meeting the members of the team as soon as possible.  We have been busy completing the transaction and all the documentation for the league and have to focus on the right steps in the right order.  We plan on getting to more introductions in the coming weeks.  The Business and Hockey operations staff have been fantastic at helping us with this process. BDNMB.ca: After all these years, did you have to pinch yourself that the deal finally got completed? Jared: It felt like a giant weight off my back.  It was tough the past several years when rumours kept flying as Kelly and myself are very transparent people and it was frustrating answering the question over and over as Kelly and I were only staying in touch, not making a deal.  On the flip side it was even harder the past two or three months when I had to avoid answering texts about the team when I knew it was possibly going to be true.  Brandon is a mid size growing city and the fans are very passionate about the team.  It bothered me that I had to give fans a vague answer.  In the end when yesterday came around it was a proud moment for our family and I want to say thanks to all the people in the community who have sent supportive texts. It took a huge weight off my chest to feel the support and to feel the positivity.  I m glad the community knows and we can move on together ramping up for the season. BDNMB.ca: How involved was your direct family, in moving ahead with this deal and project? Jared: I let Robin know right at the start of the due diligence period and she was excited for our family.  My dad also knew it was a possible acquisition early on as I appreciate his opinion and thoughts on deals.  He was excited for us when I told him so that gave me confidence that it was the right time to move forward.  We kept it to a very small group of consultants as Kelly and I felt it was very important to keep it quiet until the latter parts of due diligence when we required meetings with the staff. BDNMB.ca: Finally, what was it like dealing with the WHL over the duration of the purchase? Jared: When we started due diligence and got to the point where we had to call Ron Robison, I was a bit intimidated having to make the call as I had never met him before.  From the minute he answered the call he made us feel like we were on the same page.  The Executives at the WHL Office showed professionalism at all times and made us feel 100% confident that they wanted the J/G Group to be successful in purchasing the team.  That was obviously subject to the fact we could meet all the conditions set out in the transfer agreements, which they provided helpful guidance and answers too in a timely and transparent manner.  It was also humbling to see how excited they were for Kelly as the seller, which truly showed me the league cares about the owners and what they have contributed.  During the final stages of due diligence we didn’t know what to expect regarding the Board of Governors/Owners approval as we have only met a couple of them over the years and were humbled to receive a unanimous vote.  We look forward to being a great franchisee and colleagues in the league and know that the on the ice part of the game is super competitive, but in order to enhance the franchises and league as a whole, the owners need to work together with the WHL head office and the Canadian Hockey League to take the game to the next level.   We look forward to being a part of that in any way we can.