Graduating from junior hockey to the college ranks has in past years been the realm of junior A players and above.
More often, however, college teams are coming looking to find players competing in the junior B ranks.
The Victoria CougarsB次元官网网址� Kyle Wade is the latest to ink a college deal south of the border. The four-year Vancouver Island Hockey League forward committed to attend the University of Arizona, starting this fall. HeB次元官网网址檒l join former Cougars goaltender Anthony Ciurro on the Wildcats roster.
B次元官网网址淚 want to thank the entire Cougars organization for everything over the past two seasons,B次元官网网址� Wade said in a release. B次元官网网址淔rom the executive to the volunteers, it has been a great experience for me as a hockey player and a person.B次元官网网址�
Head coach Suneil Karod and assistants Brody Coulter and Jake Stolz, Wade said, pushed him to grow his game and help him achieve his goal of playing college hockey.
Karod noted that Wade, a local hockey product who had spent the previous two seasons with the VIJHLB次元官网网址檚 Oceanside Generals, came to the club with longer-term objectives.
B次元官网网址淗e said B次元官网网址業 need to play better defence and play better on the penalty kill,B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址� the coach recalled.
Wade went on to become a solid all-around player for the Cougars who could be relied upon to score a big goal or shut down an opposing sniper, Karod added.
Wade tallied 25 goals and 37 assists for 62 points in 77 games for Victoria.
Cougars team governor George Linger said Wade B次元官网网址減roved to be one of the leaders on our team, a really good kid on and off the ice,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 nice to see. HeB次元官网网址檚 a respectful young man and heB次元官网网址檚 developed good skills in terms of realizing that he has to contribute to the community.B次元官网网址�
Earlier this off-season, Victoria goalie Patrick Ostermann committed to play for the University of Alabama Crimson Tide, starting this fall.
He was in a similar situation to Wade when he agreed to join the Cougars last summer for one final junior season, Karod said: looking to continue playing hockey at a high level but also hoping for an opportunity to start his post-secondary education.
B次元官网网址淲e want our younger players to move on to junior A and we want our older players to move on to school,B次元官网网址� Karod said. B次元官网网址淕uys that come here, they still have life goals in terms of hockey and school. They come to compete and theyB次元官网网址檙e still striving for something.B次元官网网址�
