VANCOUVER - The UBC Thunderbirds men's hockey team announced another eight recruits that will join the program for the 2011-12 varsity season. Head coach Milan Dragicevic has now added a total of 12 players for the coming campaign.
"Adding this many players will help us create a lot of competition at every position. We don't want any player, veteran or rookie, to take anything for granted and with this many hungry guys in one room we think we've achieved a good balance," said Dragicevic.
Among the eight newcomers are five forwards with three additions from the AJHL and a pair from the MJHL.
Coming out of the AJHL are wingers Marc-Antoine Juneau and
Marcus Toye as well as centre Nathan Fleming.
Juneau, a 5-10 native of Quebec City, tallied 46 points (13 goals, 33 assists) in 50 games in 2010-11 for the Bonnyville Pontiacs. He appeared in over 160 AJHL games during his three years with the Pontiacs. Toye, a 6-foot-2 product from Calgary, spent two years with the Drumheller Dragons and collected 34 points in his AJHL career. Fleming, a 5-10 native of St. Albert, Alta., spent three seasons with the Spruce Grove Saints (2007-10), averaging almost a point per game before suiting up with the York Lions (CIS) in eight games last year.
MJHL products
Michael Wilgosh and Cole Prudin are two high scoring forwards set to make an impact at UBC.
Wilgosh netted a career high 81 points (38 goals, 43 assists) in 60 games last season on the wing for the Winkler Flyers. The 6-foot native of Selkirk, MB played five seasons in the MJHL and tallied 265 points (114 goals, 151 assists) in 272 games. Prudin, a 6-foot centre from Winnipeg, tallied 73 points (29 goals, 44 assists) in 62 games with his hometown Saints in 2010-11.
"I'm very excited to be continuing my hockey career in such an amazing part of Canada," said Pruden. "I have heard great things about UBC and it's exciting to know that I will leave with a great education."
Vancouver native
Ilan Cumberbirch, who played with the Burnaby Express and Surrey Eagles of the BCHL from 2006-2009, is a 6-foot-2 blueliner and one of three defensive additions to the UBC team. Also adding presence at the back are a pair of Melfort Mustangs (SJHL) products in
Brendon Wall and
Scott Brkich.
Wall split his 2010-11 season between the WHL's Kelowna Rockets and the Mustangs, appearing in 33 games. He spent the previous three seasons in the WHL with both his hometown Saskatoon Blades as well as a the Prince Albert Raiders. Brickh, a 6-foot-4 native of High River, Alta., tallied 20 points in 2010-11, splitting his year between the Nipawin Hawks and Mustangs. He tallied a career high 27 points in the 2009-10 SJHL season.
"It's very exciting to be playing back in my hometown in a familiar environment, surrounded with good people," said Cumberbirch. "I am looking forward to the challenges and opportunities which lie ahead."
UBC open their 2011-12 Canada West regular season at home on October 7 and 8 against the Calgary Dinos. They kick-off their exhibition schedule with a home date against Thompson Rivers on September 17.
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