Spartans add pair of offensive weapons in forward commits Rendle & Potomak

Trinity Western University men’s hockey coach Barret Kropf has added two key pieces to his 2017 recruiting class, with forwards Jordan Rendle and Brandon Potomak officially committing to the Spartans.

“Having Jordan and Brandon commit to our team is a significant step for our program,” Kropf said. “It has been a slow and steady climb as we build a championship caliber team here at TWU. Being able to add Jordan and Brandon to the mix for next season is a giant leap forward.”

Rendle and Potomak help further solidify this year’s class, which already includes goalie Garrett Mason, forwards Dylan Cusmano and Connor Burk and defencemen Mack Wiens and Brendan Campbell.

Rendle, 20, comes to TWU after a pair of impressive seasons playing Junior A hockey in Ontario. Rendle capped his junior career with two standout campaigns in which he put up a combined 68 goals and 73 assists in 103 games with the Timmins Rock of the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League.

The 5-foot-11, 175-pound forward is making a return to his junior roots in B.C.’s Lower Mainland, having played two years of Junior B hockey with the Ridge Meadows Flames of the Pacific Junior Hockey League prior to his stint in Ontario.

“Jordan is a proven sniper,” Kropf said. “His point production in Junior A is the highest we have ever been able to land here at TWU. He has all the tools to be successful in the BCIHL and he will certainly help bolster our power play, which struggled a bit down the stretch last year.”

Potomak, 22, will bring both a veteran presence and a high-level pedigree to the Spartans. The 5-foot-11, 180-pound forward joins TWU with a résumé that includes 116 games in the Western Hockey League with the Moose Jaw Warriors. Potomak tallied six goals and 11 assists in his time with the Warriors, from 2011 to 2015.

In his final season of junior hockey, Potomak returned to B.C. where he played 32 games with the Chilliwack Chiefs of the British Columbia Hockey League, registering 11 goals and 19 assists in 2014-15.

“In Brandon, we are getting a WHL veteran who has great bloodlines of athleticism and leadership,” Kropf said. “Owning a heavy shot and with speed to burn, Potomak will be a great complimentary boost for any line we put him on. He will instantly make that line stronger and our team harder to play against.”

Potomak comes from a strong hockey-playing family, with his sisters, Sarah and Amy, representing Canada on the international stage. Sarah most recently helped Canada to a silver medal at the 2017 IIHF Women’s World Championships, while Amy has donned the Maple Leaf twice at the IIHF U18 Women’s World Championships. Both Sarah and Amy also played together for the senior national team in a two-game series against the USA this past December.

Potomak plays to study business at TWU.