Graduating Delta Ice Hawks blueliners Alex Martin and Ryan Cuthbert will remain teammates next season for the Thompson Rivers University Wolfpack.
The pair enjoyed an outstanding career in the Pacific International Junior Hockey League and are part of the Kamloops school's 2013 recruitment class.
"I am most pleased and excited about acquiring one of the better if not the best defensive pairs out of the PJHL," says WolfPack head coach Don Schulz. "They are both good sized, athletic defencemen who are tough to play against. They don't shy away from physicality, are mobile and provide significant offensive contributions as well. I met both of them after our last game against Trinity in Langley and was very impressed with their demeanor and maturity."
Martin is 6'2", 200 pounds and had six goals and 23 assists in 43 games along with 78 penalty minutes.
"I am really excited to be coming to TRU and to be able to play alongside Ryan," he says. Martin will be taking courses towards a Police and Justice diploma at Thompson Rivers.
"I am hoping to contribute towards a successful season in 2013-14," adds Cuthbert, who is 6'2", 185 pounds. "It's great to be able to continue to be teammates with Alex.
We talked about it in the past, although it seemed almost too good to be true. I thought the chances were very slim."
The two have been defense partners for the past three seasons with the Ice Hawks, who captured the PJHL title in 2012.
Cuthbert had committed to Thompson Rivers initially after looking at both Selkirk College and the University of Victoria.
He will be taking courses towards a Bachelor of Business Administration degree.
"I decided on TRU because of the wide variety of courses they offered, the location and the reputation of both the school and the hockey program."
Cuthbert lists his strengths as being decision making, physical presence, passing accuracy and positional play. Martin feels his puck movement and physical play are his strengths.
Ice Hawks coach Dave McLellan is familiar with both the B.C. Hockey League (former head coach) and the BCIHL (was an assistant coach with SFU).
He couldn't be happier that his two players are moving to Thompson Rivers.
"You have made two very good selections," he says. "Both Alex and Ryan are quality people and are above average players."
Icing....
Another Ice Hawk defenceman will also be playing in the BCIHL next season.
Ryan Procyshyn is headed to Castlegar to play for the Selkirk College. He finished fourth in PIJHL scoring among defenceman with 30 points in 45 games.
"Ryan is a smart, puck-moving defenceman who brings good size and excellent offensive instincts to our blueline," says Saints head coach Jeff Dubois.
"He's going to fit in very nicely with our style of play and I expect him to develop into a very good blueliner and a key player at the college level."
The Saints captured the BCIHL championship Saturday with a 3-2 overtime win over Simon Fraser. Former Hawk sniper Cody Fidgett scored the game winner.
