It might have been deemed another development season for the Swift Current Broncos, however, the on-ice results made massive strides this year as well.

The Broncos winning percentage hovered around the .200 mark for the 2018-19 and 2019-20 seasons and jumped to .292 for the WHL's 2020-21 shortened campaign after the squad went 6-16-2-0. Not only did the team's record improve, but their goal differential was nearly cut in half going from -2.55 goals per game to -1.5 this past year.

"As much as record is important, I think it's moreso the development of our players and make sure that they're getting better," said Broncos Head Coach and Director of Hockey Operations Dean Brockman. "We were in more games than we had been in the previous seasons, that comes with just getting your draft picks into the lineup."

Swift Current dressed nine of their own draft picks at some point in the 2020-21 season, with six of them coming from the 2019 WHL draft; Mathew Ward, Josh Davies, Karson King, Josh Filmon, Owen Pickering, and Reid Dyck.

"I thought our guys developed well, I think our young guys got a taste of what it takes to be in the western league," he said. "We kind of got through one of the draft pick years that we thought our guys did pretty well."

According to Brockman, he wasn't overly surprised by anyone's overall performance but Ward's big point night and Dyck's strong play between the pipes did receive some praise from their boss.

"Bringing in all our rookies in, you kind of knew what you were getting into," he said. "I wouldn't have brought those young guys in if I didn't think they were ready or could play at that level or compete with it anyway... If there were surprises it would have been on certain days when guys exceeded expectations. Matthew Ward had a four-assist game, I never saw that coming out of a first-year player... Or Reid Dyck just getting better and better and feeling more comfortable as we went."

It was a strong finish to the year by the Broncos picking up five of a possible six points in the final three games, something Brockman hopes they can build off for next year.

"That was crucial, finishing the way we could," he said. "It shows a lot of character with our group, didn't want to go down, didn't want to finish, didn't give up. I think there was times they could have and it would have been easier but no our guys hung right in there."

Next up for the team will be 1-on-1 exit interviews over zoom with Brockman and each player as they begin to turn their sights onto next year and the off-season ahead.

It could be a busy off-season for the Broncos as well, they have an opening to fill behind the bench as assistant coach Brandin Cote is moving on to the University of Saskatchewan. The team will also have to decide if they're going to keep both players they drafted in the 2020 CHL Import Draft or re-select one or two this summer.

And the 2021 WHL Draft was shifted by the league back to December so the Broncos will have time to spend preparing for that draft too.