Saints add KIJHL standouts Hilton & Bamber for 2019/20 BCIHL season

The Selkirk College Saints continue to sculpt a squad for the upcoming B.C. Intercollegiate Hockey League season that puts emphasis on success at both ends of the ice. Former Kootenay International Junior Hockey League standouts Garrett Hilton and Derian Bamber have committed to the Saints for the 2019/20 season with on-ice qualities that will provide both scoring touch and defensive prowess.

Forward Garrett Hilton finished fourth in KIJHL scoring last season while playing with the 100 Mile House Wranglers and defenceman Derian Bamber was a sturdy presence on the blueline for the Kimberley Dynamiters in two highly successful seasons for the East Kootenay team.

“We are pleased to welcome Garrett and Derian to Selkirk College,” says Kim Verigin, Department Head for Athletics, Recreation & Student Life. “They have the attributes both in skill and character that will help the team achieve success in the upcoming season.”

At 6-foot-3, Hilton is a powerful force on the ice who possesses great vision and proven ability to contribute on the scoresheet. With 37 goals and 35 assists during his final junior hockey season, the Prince George native was named the MVP in the Doug Birks Division. In the post-season, Hilton thrived under pressure contributing 22 points in 20 games over the last two campaigns.

“I chose Selkirk College because of its recent success and the variety of programs offered which can help me get the degree I am working towards,” says Hilton, who will be in the Nursing Program on the Castlegar Campus. “I will bring an offensive upside with being able to find the open ice to create scoring opportunities for myself and teammates.”

Bamber was a key member of a Dynamiters team that won the KIJHL championship in 2018 and made it to the finals this past spring. A reliable defenceman that consistently displays a willingness to do whatever it takes to help his team succeed, the Grande Prairie native will arrive to the Saints with a proven record of leadership both on and off the ice.

“I would describe myself as a strong skating two-way defenceman,” says Bamber, who is enroled in the Business Administration Program. “I pride myself on being strong in my own end and making a good first pass. I am a good penalty killer and can chip in on the power play as well. As a member of a championship team with the Dynamiters, I know what it takes to win and I look forward to bringing that passion to the Saints.”

Bamber and Hilton join Jack Karran and Evan Gorman in the Saints’ recruiting class for the upcoming season.

The Selkirk College team will hit the ice for training camp when classes begin in September with the BCIHL regular season getting underway in October.