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Ottawa Citizen

Hockey Huskies heading on a European excursion

Article content The University of Saskatchewan Huskies are going on a European hockey excursion for the first time since the Hustlin' Huskies days of Dave King. Article content That goes back — way back — to the early 1980s. Article content The Huskies will do a four-game European tour through Hungary and Slovakia, with exhibition games lined up against UTE Budapest, HK Nitra, Ferencvaros Budapest and HK Spišská Nová Ves from Aug. 31 to Sept. 5. Article content Article content 'It's been one of those things that has been in the makings for a while,' Huskies head coach Brandin Cote said. Article content Article content 'The last couple of years, I've wanted to take a look at some of the different things we could do. I know other (U Sports) teams have done it. I know the U of S did it way back when, when Dave King was here, and that's kind of where the thought process came along from a long time ago.' Article content Cote said he spoke with King and other Huskie hockey alumni from that time period about how they enjoyed it. Article content '(King) felt that, at that point of time, it was a good way to bolster the program and thought it really helped them. That was the historical piece of it.' Article content UTE Budapest includes Saskatoon native Keegan Danserou, former Regina Pats forward/defenceman Dyson Stevenson, and former Melville Millionaire and Regina Cougars forward Ian McNulty. Article content HK Nitra has former University of Alberta Golden Bear defenceman Elias Carmichael and former Notre Dame Hound/Kamloops Blazer goalie Dylan Ferguson. Article content Article content HK Spišská Nová Ves has former Saskatoon Blades defenceman Samuel Barcik as well as one-time and Blades draft pick and prospect Jonny Tychonick. Article content Article content Cote noted the Huskies were considering new ways to bring more value to their program. Article content 'I just felt this was a really good opportunity. It helped our recruiting for sure. We're getting three guys from pro hockey who want to continue to play pro hockey once they're done their degrees or whenever that may be; we have other guys on our roster who are more than capable and would like to do that, and experience something like that when they're done with our program. Article content 'To be able to expose them to that and see what it's all about, to maybe get a little bit of exposure when they're over there and meet some people, it just felt like the right time to be able to pull the trigger and do it. It'll be exciting for us,' Cote said.