Four years ago the Eastman Selects made history on the ice and news off the ice.

Under the guidance of head coach Calvin Bugyik, the 2015-2016 Selects lost just once in regulation, won 40 of 44 regular season games and finished in first place in the Manitoba AAA Midget Hockey League for the first time in franchise history.

Eastman swept the Southwest Cougars in three straight games in the opening round of the playoffs and then went the distance in the semifinal against Yellowhead defeating the Chiefs 3-2 in the deciding fifth game thanks to captain Kolten Kanaski’s power play goal with seven minutes left in the third period.

The Selects memorable season came to end when the Winnipeg Wild beat Eastman three games to one in the final.

It marked the second time in three years the Wild prevented the Selects from advancing to the Telus Cup West Regional Championship.

Despite a 40-win season and a second trip to the finals Bugyik, assistant coaches Steven Jacques and Jon Lawrence along with manager Chris Smook were fired in July by the Eastman Minor Hockey Association.

Bugyik spent the next two seasons as an assistant coach with the Winnipeg Wild winning the Manitoba AAA Midget Hockey League championship both years and then joined the Manitoba Junior Hockey League’s Steinbach Pistons where he has worked alongside head coach Paul Dyck.

 
Clayton Dreger asked Calvin Bugyik to reminisce about that impressive 40-win Eastman team