With the roster now set after the passing of the 2019 WHL Trade Deadline yesterday evening, the Swift Current Broncos named their captain and leadership group for the remainder of the season.

Fittingly, the home-away-from-hometown product Tanner Nagel, from nearby Mossbank, will don the 'C', after wearing an 'A' prior to this.

"It's been a long journey for me and my career, but I'm really excited that they have this much faith in me to name me the captain," said Nagel. "It's a huge honour and I'm very excited." 

The overage Nagel, who played some of his minor hockey in Swift Current, is one of the lone remaining pieces from last year's WHL Championship-winning team.

The gritty fan-favourite forward is also producing at his best scoring rate, in his biggest on-ice role of his career. He has five goals and 12 points in 39 games so far in his final season of Junior hockey.

Nagel's also the longest-tenured Major Junior player on the Broncos, having suited up in 206 regular-season contests, along with 48 playoff games over his five-year career.

For the remainder of his final Junior season, Nagel says thriving in the leadership role and aiding in the development of a young roster will be vital.

"I think it shows that they trusted me to help these young guys, and that's what I'm here to do," he said. "I'm just going to pass on my years of experience to them, and hopefully I can help them continue to have good, long careers."

Also sporting letters on their Broncos jerseys for the rest of the season will be 20-year-old defenceman Matthew Stanley, and forward Ethan Regnier.

"They're great guys. They lead very well on the ice, in the dressing room, and just in all sorts of stuff they lead by example," said Nagel. "They work hard, they play a good solid game too, so that helps. They're just a good couple guys for the young guys to look up to, so they're great guys."

Stanley will continue to have alternate captain status, after just he and Nagel sported the 'A' with the departure of former alternate Andrew Fyten via trade earlier this season.

Stanley is the lone overager on the blueline, and brings with him 183 games of WHL experience, combining regular and post-season play. He has three points in 27 games with the Broncos this season.

Meanwhile, Prince Albert product Ethan Regnier, sees the leadership nod from the coaching staff during a season of rapid growth in his game.

With former leading-scorer Alec Zawatsky gone in a trade to Moose Jaw yesterday, the former Home Hardware Midget AAA Legionnaires forward is now the second-leading scorer on the team.

The 2000-born Regnier has seven goals and 20 points over 40 games of his sophomore season, trailing the injured Ben King by just three points. Regnier played 56 regular-season games during Swift Current's championship season.

The new-look leadership group and the Broncos are back in action Saturday night at home, when they welcome the Seattle Thunderbirds to the Innovation Credit Union iPlex.