Quebec hockey community offers 'prayers, condolences' after deadly Humboldt crash

Quebecers are offering their compassion to the community of Humboldt and the Broncos, a Saskatchewan junior hockey team that was on a bus involved in a fatal crash Friday that left 15 people dead.

Twenty-nine people were aboard the bus at the time of the crash, which also left 14injured.

The NHL's Montreal Canadiens andthe QMJHL's Quebec Remparts sent out tweets expressing support.

The Habs also confirmed that every player on the team will be contributing money to the Broncos' GoFundMecampaign.

Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard also expressed his condolences.

Jacques Laporte, head of Quebec's AAA Junior Hockey League, said injuries on the ice often grab attention, but players travelling on long hockey trips in all sorts of weather face a risk, too.

"It can happen in a moment of inattention, a moment when the road is bad."

He said his teams try to takemeasures to prevent such tragedies.

"But apart from that, we are not safe from a tragedy like this."

Former Broncos players offer support

For Quebecer Mathieu Boutin, who played with the Broncos in 2007and is now head coach at Hockey Sherbrooke, suchevents shake up the hockey world.

"As a player who's lived through all the hours on a bus going through different cities, I can imagine this must be an unfathomable time for the community," Boutin said.

He said the rest of the teams in aleague and the entire hockey world are also affected.

When he was billeting in Humboldt, Boutin knew a seven-year-old boy who now plays with the Broncos.

He said he contacted the player's family and they hadconfirmed he had not died in the crash.

"I was relieved to hear that."

Montreal firefighter Jonathan Parisien, who also played for the Broncos at one time, has fond memories of living in billets in the small community of nearly 6,000.

"We only stayed there for six month, and for them, we were already part of the community, part of the family, and everybody knew us over there."

Though he said he doesn't know any of the current players, he knows the Broncos organization well.

"We had a hell of a run," he said of his time playing with the Broncos.

He offered a message of hope to the families, telling them to stay strong and hope for the best for the individuals in critical condition.