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Former AAA Stars forward Dahlgren in stable condition following Humboldt bus crash

Apr 9, 2018 | 2:00 PM

Saskatoon native Kaleb Dahlgren was one of 29 people involved in the horrific Humboldt Broncos bus collision Friday.

On Sunday evening, family members released good news about the status of the former Battlefords AAA Stars forward, posting on Twitter that he was ‘medically stable’, and ‘holding his own.’

“He’s one of the best kids you could ever meet,” former AAA Stars head coach Martin Smith said, who coached Dahlgren when he played for the AAA Stars from 2013 to 2015. “One of the most thoughtful kids you could ever meet. He touched us when he was here and he continues to.”

After Dahlgren’s first season, Smith said the coaching staff asked players if they knew any talented kids around the area, so the team could look into possibly recruiting them. After all, the scouting resources for a AAA midget hockey club are limited.

“[Dahlgren] brought me about 15 players and he had a scouting report on every one of them,” Smith said. “He just wanted to win so bad. We had numerous conversations on the phone about different players and he continued to get background on all of them. It was amazing. He’s a leader both on and off the ice. Just a tremendous individual.”

Dahlgren’s help has gone beyond just the team he plays for.

A couple years ago, he started Dahlgren’s Diabeauties, as the 20-year-old has lived with Type 1 diabetes since he was four years old. The initiative had children with Type 1 diabetes featured as a Dahlgren’s Diabeauty at many Bronco home games. The child and their parents were given complimentary game tickets and then the child participated in the puck drop. After the game, the family met and chatted with Dahlgren. 

Smith said he wasn’t at all surprised to see Dahlgren start the movement.

“To be able to start up that program and to let younger kids know that, yeah it’s tough, but I dealt with it and I’m going to help you deal with it, was [tremendous],” Smith said. “That was just specifically to the games, but I know he [also] went around and did speaking engagements.

“What he’s done and meant to the community of Humboldt in his short time there is outstanding.”

Smith said the Humboldt tragedy has obviously been tough on him personally.

“It was Friday night that was so emotional to begin with because first news of the accident and then our thoughts of not knowing how he was and what was going on there,” Smith said. “Thoughts and prayers go out to everyone involved. We coached against players on that bus.”

Seeing the support pour in from all over the world has been nice, Smith said. He played pro hockey in England many years ago and said some of his former teammates from there have reached out.

“[Those] that have messaged me have the Humboldt logo on their Facebook status,” he said. “And the final four in England was played this last weekend and they had a moment of silence at that. It just speaks volumes to the hockey world.”

 

nathan.kanter@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @NathanKanter11