A plan to bring hockey broadcasters in from across the country to call Humboldt Broncos games this season will not go ahead.

Instead, local radio station C-H-B-O Bolt F-M has hired up-and-coming Winnipeg broadcaster Rory McGouran to take over for Tyler Bieber, the play-by-play announcer who was killed along with 15 others in last April’s Broncos bus crash.

The 27-year-old says he knew after the crash that he wanted to be part of the radio station’s team.

McGouran says people have asked him how you fill Bieber’s shoes and that he responds that no one can.

After the crash, Saskatoon Media Group’s own Les Lazaruk  suggested online that other broadcasters step up and call games this season.

Soon he had around 300 people reaching out to offer their services for the Broncos’ 58 games.

But Bolt F-M program director Sarah Miller says the logistics were too difficult.

McGouran spent the last few years calling hockey games for the Manitoba Sports Network and producing Winnipeg Jets home games for T-S-N 1290.

Miller says she isn’t looking at McGouran as a replacement for Bieber, who she says will always be part of the team.

(The Canadian Press)