Among all of the players who are down south playing hockey this year are a couple with the Kimberley Dynamiters of the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League (KIJHL).
The difference between these two and the rest is they are brothers.
Brady and Austin Daniels are playing alongside each other this season in B.C. For Brady, who's the older brother, it's the second season for him in Kimberley while Austin is a rookie on the team.
NNSL file photo
Austin said his older brother played a big role in getting him to B.C.
“I said I would join him in junior B if I didn't make it in junior A and having him playing there made the decision easier for me,” he said. “He told me about how it was a good organization to play for and it made it easy to say yes.”
Austin had a tryout with the Drayton Valley Thunder of the Alberta Junior Hockey League earlier this season but he was cut before the campaign began.
“He wanted junior A but this is a great second option for him,” said Brady about his brother coming to join him. “It's a league where you have a lot of kids who can't find a fit with a junior A team or who are capable but can't find a team to play with.”
Brady never played junior A himself although he was affiliated with the Trail Smoke Eaters of the BC Hockey League for last season.
“The league feeds into the BCHL so there's lots of opportunities for players to get a chance,” he said.
Brady has played in the KIJHL for three seasons. He started with the Castlegar Rebels before being traded to Kimberley last season. Austin, meanwhile, spent the last three seasons with the Maple Leaf Athletic Club in Edmonton before making the jump to B.C.
“It's a lot less smooth than the AJHL but it's still a real good league,” said Austin about the KIJHL. “Everything is high tempo and it's a good pace.”
As of press time, the brothers had played in two games each with Brady notching four assists while Austin has a goal and an assist. They also got a chance to play on the same line for the first time this season during this past Saturday's game against the Osoyoos Coyotes.
“It's the first time we've played together since the 2015 Canada Winter Games,” said Austin. “We had a sibling rivalry growing up but that's all gone now. We get along pretty well.”
NNSL file photo
Brady suspects it won't be the last time they end up on the same line.
“I'm more of a playmaker so there's a chance we'll be playing together for a bit,” he said. “We're carrying some extra players for the next month or so and there'll be all sorts of line combinations so we'll probably be skating together again.”
Living together in Kimberley means older brother can look after younger brother, something Brady said probably eases his parents' minds somewhat.
“We're used to living together,” he said. “I'm sure our folks appreciate the convenience of watching us together on the same live stream instead of watching separate ones.”
Austin agreed with that sentiment.
“Our parents have always been supportive and I'm sure they're excited to see us playing together,” he said.