A fresh Netflix show is currently in the works, set in a blue-collar town where hockey holds significant importance until a tragic bus accident claims the lives of players and their coach. This narrative resonates deeply with many individuals in Saskatchewan.
This storyline strikes a chord with Scott Thomas, who is grappling with the loss of his 18-year-old son Evan, a promising rookie right winger for the Humboldt Broncos junior hockey team. Evan was among the 16 individuals who tragically lost their lives when the team’s bus collided with a semi-truck that ran a stop sign in rural Saskatchewan on April 6, 2018. Thirteen others on the bus sustained injuries.
Despite the absence of a trailer, release date, or publicized title, the resemblance of the plot alone raises concerns. “I don’t know the whole story, but just from what I can see online, they’re trying to make some triumph out of tragedy, which for me … I’ll never be able to find triumph in this tragedy,” expressed Thomas in an interview.
Thomas conveyed that he finds it too painful to watch — a fictional narrative crafted around the harsh reality his family is enduring. “It’s just a tragedy that keeps happening every day for me and for our family,” he shared.
While acknowledging the potential for profit-making off a story that garnered global attention, Thomas highlighted that the show’s current information veers far from the actual truth.
Following a request for information post-publication by CBC, Netflix clarified that the show is fictional and not based on real-life events.
The series unfolds in South Dorothy, Minnesota, where the local high school hockey team, known for producing champions and future NHL talents, faces a devastating bus crash that claims several players and their coach.
The twist in the plot involves Harper, the coach’s widow portrayed by Michelle Monaghan, who is tasked with coaching a “new team of battered and broken young men,” as per Netflix’s promotional material.
“It appears to be a tale of rising from adversity, but that’s not the reality I live in. This is a tragedy that I face every day,” Thomas remarked. “I mourn the loss of my son daily.”
