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Photo credit: Garrett James Photography
Bryce Sookro grew up in Nelson, B.C., just a two-and-a-half hour drive from his current hockey home in Cranbrook where he has played for the Bucks the last three seasons.
Proximity did not have much to do with his decision to play in Cranbrook, according to the 20-year-old defenceman. That was just a bonus. The main reason he decided to play there was his admiration for the program they have built.
“I got to play a few games here as an affiliate and I just liked how things were setup and how the team was run,” said Sookro. “I got along well with [head coach] Ryan [Donald]. I really like the team culture. It was the main thing that attracted me.”
Playing for the Bucks also presented a unique opportunity to be a part of something new and exciting. When Sookro affiliated with Cranbrook in 2021-22, it was the team’s first full season in the BCHL. When he joined them full time to start the following campaign, they were an organization still in their infancy.
“Just getting to know the owners and everyone involved with the team here, they’re all great,” he said, “It’s kind of cool, being on a new team, getting a fresh start and being able to make a name for ourselves in this league. We’re treated really well here.”
Before all of this though, Sookro started his on-ice journey with the Nelson Minor Hockey Association.
Unlike many local players who start in minor hockey, then go the academy or BC Elite Hockey League route, he played his entire youth hockey in Nelson.
“It’s a great hockey community,” said Sookro. “Not too many of my friends played hockey when I was growing up, but then I got to know my teammates better and they became my closest friends. I met a few people, grew some relationships and had some great coaches as well. It was a really good time.”
He credits two coaches in particular for speeding up his development. One is former pro player Greg Andrusak, who played in the BCHL in the 1980s, went on to college at the University of Minnesota-Duluth and embarked on a 12-year professional career in North American and Europe. The other was Pete Quinn, whose son Noah ended up a teammate of Sookro’s in Cranbrook and is currently in his sophomore season at Bemidji State University.
Those coaches helped Sookro prepare for his junior career, which started with his hometown Nelson Leafs in the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League when he was just 17 years old.
Despite his young age, he thrived in his lone season of Junior B hockey, putting up 29 points in 41 regular-season games, then averaging over a point per game in a long playoff run that saw him total 20 points in 19 contests as the Leafs made it all the way to the league championship series.
“I was pretty nervous at the start of that season,” said Sookro. “I was 17 and still in high school, so I was dealing with all of that, but it was fun. I got to know some of the older guys. It was my first junior experience, so I was getting to know how junior hockey worked.”
After that successful rookie season, there was no doubt he was ready for the next step in the BCHL. Sookro is now in his third season with the team and has taken a significant step forward in all three. He went from eight points in 37 games his rookie year, to 27 points in 54 in year two and is set to blow by that total this year. He is currently the BCHL’s highest scoring blueliner with 25 points in his first 23 games.
He was also named team captain to start the 2024-25 campaign.
“I think it’s a great honour to be the captain of this team,” said Sookro. “I like leading this group and showing the younger guys what it means to play here in Cranbrook. It’s not just about being a good player on the ice, but also a good person off of it. I want to help guys grow into themselves.”
“It’s about taking every day seriously and staying focused. One thing I’ve always been big on is focusing on the team first and foremost. Personal success is great, but it’s more about the team. You can get caught up focusing on the end result, but the process is important too.”
This is Sookro’s final year of junior hockey as he will be off to Clarkson University in 2025-26 to start the next chapter of his hockey journey. With his Bucks team in the thick of things in the Interior Conference, there would be no better ending to his time in Cranbrook than a long playoff run with the team he has battled with for the past three years.
