Selkirk College Saints Add Pair of Key Components
By Bob Hall
The Selkirk College Saints have started to build for the 2020-2021 British Columbia Intercollegiate Hockey League (BCIHL) season with the addition of a proven competitor between the pipes and a power forward who can put the puck in the net.
Goaltender Jake Anthony and forward Carson Erhardt have committed to the Saints program and will start their post-secondary careers in the West Kootenay this September. Both players arrive with solid Junior A résumés and from programs with strong traditions of success.
“Carson and Jake are driven and hardworking, two traits that we place a great amount of focus on,” says Saints’ head coach Dave Hnatiuk. “We are very pleased that they have chosen to study and play for Selkirk College in the upcoming season. They will both be important members of our team both on the ice and off.”
Originally from Grande Prairie, Anthony played last season with the Dryden Ice Dogs in the Superior International Junior Hockey League (SIJHL) where he finished second in wins and saves. The 6’1” puck stopper won a Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) championship with the Nipawin Hawks in 2017-2018 where he led the league during regular season in both goals-against-average (1.94) and save percentage (.929).
“I’d describe myself as a hard working, dedicated goaltender,” says Anthony, who will study in the School of Business with the ultimate goal of transferring to university to gain a degree in Sports Management. “With me you are going to see a goalie that battles and doesn’t give up on pucks, but also leads teammates by example with work ethic and dedication. I like to be vocal with my team on the ice and also like to play the puck to help relieve offensive pressure on my defence.”
Erhardt grew up in Penticton and played three seasons of Junior A hockey, finishing his last campaign with the Nipawin Hawks where he scored 21 goals and added 19 assists. At 6’0” and 190 pounds, the right winger plays a style that will help the Saints succeed at both ends of the ice.
“I chose Selkirk College because it is close to my home and I will get to see my family more often,” says Erhardt, who will take both the Carpentry Program and study in the School of Business while at Selkirk College. “It’s a good education with staff who want to help and see people succeed. The hockey is in a strong league and I believe we will have a very competitive team where I can help on the ice with a mix of size, physicality and skill. I like to play the body, but I can also contribute on the score sheet.”
The Saints will lose six players from its 2019-2020 squad to graduation, including starting goaltender Tallon Kramer. The addition of Anthony is a vital piece for the coaching staff and will arrive to the West Kootenay in August with connections to the program. Anthony grew up in the same community as Kramer and played his last junior season on the same team as former Saints goaltender Patrick Zubick.
As he continues to add commitments for the upcoming season, Hnatiuk says one of the constant themes will be how recruits fit in as student-athletes. With both Anthony and Erhardt, the coach is pleased to add solid characters to the dressing room environment.
“Both Carson and Jake will fit in very well with all the work we do in the community,” says Hnatiuk, who is now entering his second year as the Saints’ head coach. “They are respectable, mature young men with strong moral compasses. We are looking forward to having them as part of our program.”
Saints training camp is scheduled to begin in September 2020.
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