Swift Current Broncos pick Nelson's Curt Doyle in Bantam Draft
By The Nelson Daily Sports
Nelson’s Curt Doyle spent the past season tending goal for the Kamloops Jardine Blazers.
The move appears to have paid instant dividends as the Heritage City product caught the eye of the Western Hockey League’s Swift Current Broncos, who drafted the 15-year-old goalie in the ninth round (188th overall) in last week’s Bantam Draft.
“This is a real exciting time,” Doyle said from his parent’s home in Nelson. “I’m really excited . . . this is just a real good feeling but I’m also pretty surprised to be honest.”
Like many other 15-year-old hockey products, Doyle was watching the draft play out when his name came up during the Broncos ninth round selection.
About an hour later the chief scout for Swift Current called Doyle to welcome him to the WHL club via telephone.
Doyle began playing the sport in Nelson Minor Hockey at the age of five, moving into the goal full time during his second year of Atom.
He played two seasons each with the Peewee and Bantam Rep teams before moving this past year to Kamloops to play with the Jardine Blazers.
The 5’11”, 155-pound, Doyle finished the season with a 24-4 record and six shutouts.
The Jardine Blazers won the Okanagan League with a 12-0-1 record.
Doyle plans to move back to Nelson to compete for a spot on the Kootenay Ice Major Midget Hockey Club this coming season with an eye on the Broncos in the future.
“The BC Major Midget Hockey League is a very good program for developing players,” Doyle said.
But first the Heritage City product is expecting a package from the WHL club to arrive soon that will hopefully include an invitation to rookie camp.
“I’ve always had an interest in college and Tier I hockey, but I’m leaning toward the WHL which has always been a goal of mine to make it there,” Doyle said.
