Killed in Humboldt Broncos bus crash, Darcy Haugan was the 'coach everybody wanted'

In givingBud Dycka second chance, coach Darcy Hauganhelped the teen hockey player realize there's so much more to the game than what happens on the ice.

Hauganbelieved in hard workand that a player's character and integrity off the ice translated to success in the game. He told his players that respect was earned.

These are the lessons from his beloved coach that came to mind when Dyck, 25, heard Haugan was killed Friday in a horrific crash between a bus carrying the Humboldt Broncos hockey team and a semi-trailerin Saskatchewan.

Broncos coach Hauganwas the first of 14 people confirmed dead in the collision around 30 kilometres north of Tisdale, which also sent another 15people to hospital. RCMP said 29people were on the bus at the time of the collision.

On Saturday afternoon, RCMP confirmed a 15th person had died.

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Dyckplayed for the North Peace Navigators in Peace River off and on from 2009 to 2014, when the team was coached by Haugan. He's a millwright in Peace River now, but was around 16 years old when he started playing with the Navigators, and he didn't always see eye-to-eye with his coach. Itgot him kicked off the team.

Thankfully, he says, the coach gave him another shot.

"I started to embrace his values and his outlook on the team, the organization, the community," Dyck said. "He referred to it as 'the messy divorce,' but we became good friends through it afterwards and always kept in touch.

We all thought that one day everyone in Canada would know his name, but we didn't expect this to be the way it would happen.- Bud Dyck

"He was the coach everybody wanted. Darcy never gave up on anybody. He was always there for every one of his players, always fought for every one of his players, always had their backs. Just a guy you loved playing for. You wanted to win for him."

Haugan was often joined at the arena by his wife and two kids, Dyck said, and the team loved having them around.

Hauganaccepted a coaching position with the Humboldt Broncos in 2015. Dycksaid he kept in contact with his former coach since then, and spoke to him last season.

He says he was in complete disbelief when he heard Haugan died in the collision. Although he was a phenomenal coach,Dyck says he should also be remembered as a great person.

"We all thought that one day everyone in Canada would know his name, but we didn't expect this to be the way it would happen," he said.

Mike Fostyis the general manager of the North Peace Navigatorsand worked as an assistant coach for the team alongside Haugan for 10 years. He enjoyed working withHaugan, he said.He waseasy to work with, knew what he wanted done and was very outgoing.

They became close friends and would golf together, or just sit in Haugan's shop and talk for hours, Fostysaid.

He said it was a "coaching dream" for Haugan when hewas offered the opportunity to coach Junior A hockey with the Humboldt Broncos three years ago.

They kept in touch constantly, texting each other after big games. Fostycredits Haugan for laying the groundwork for the Navigators to win a provincial championship in 2016.

The first person Fosty heard from after that win was Haugan, he said.

"He was so proud. So proud and so happy for me. If it wasn't for his work I don't think we would have ever gotten to that point of winning a provincial championship," he said.

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Fostysaid he immediately assumed the worst when he heard Haugan'steam bus had been involved in the collision Friday night.

He knows the seating arrangements on a team bus, he said. Coachesthe team's leader, its heart and soul arealways at the front.

"It was just a privilege to know Darcy and to have Darcy as a friend," Fosty said.

"He'll be in my heart every time I go to that arena or step behind the bench to coach. He'll always be there. I know he'll be there looking down, looking after us.

"The hockey world has lost one good man.It's earth-shattering right now."