Saints secure commitments from KIJHL standouts Karran & Gorman

The Selkirk College Saints are building their roster for the upcoming 2019/20 B.C. Intercollegiate Hockey League season by starting with commitments from a pair of outstanding players who wrapped-up their junior careers in the region.

Former Kootenay International Junior Hockey League standouts Jack Karran and Evan Gorman will suit up for the Saints in the upcoming season where they will provide plenty of excitement at both ends of the ice.

Karran was the captain of the Nelson Leafs last season and finished in the top-10 in league scoring. Gorman captained the Grand Forks Border Bruins and led the league in defenceman scoring.

“Our program provides a great opportunity for players who have completed their junior careers to continue with their athletics and most importantly pursue their goals in post- secondary,” says Selkirk College Athletics & Recreation Coordinator Kim Verigin. “With Jack and Evan, we have two great leaders who will bring a tremendous amount of energy to the program both on and off the ice.”

Karran grew up in Grand Prairie, Alberta before moving south to the West Kootenay where he joined the Nelson Leafs in the 2016-2017 season. The 6’3” forward played three seasons for the Leafs and was a force in his final campaign, finishing with 27 goals, 34 assists and 146 penalty minutes. Karran will be a student in the Business Administration Program.

“Jack is a big, strong forward,” says Verigin. “The level of play in the BCIHL is elevated, but we expect him to step right into the league and contribute in many different ways to the success of the team.”

Gorman grew up in Grand Forks and started his Junior B career with the Beaver Valley Nitehawks in 2015-2016 where he played three seasons on the blueline for the Fruitvale team.

His final season was spent back in his hometown, anchoring the Border Bruins on defence and contributing offensively with an impressive 41 points. His play earned him the honour of top defenceman in the Neil Murdoch Division. Gorman is enroled in the School of University Arts & Sciences with sights set on becoming a teacher.

“I’m happy to be coming to Selkirk College this season, it’s a great hockey program and it’s close to home,” Gorman says. “My educational goal is to teach because I have always liked working with kids.”

The Saints had a relatively young team in 2018/19 and finished second overall during the regular season before being ousted by the Vancouver Island University Mariners in the league semi-final series.

The Saints are currently in the process of hiring a new head coach for the upcoming season that will begin this coming September when classes resume at Selkirk College. The team will announce other new members of the incoming class over the next few weeks.