Season Preview: Saints look to get back on track after title streak broken

It was a matter of time, really. After hoisting the BCIHL Championship trophy in four consecutive seasons (2013-2016), the Selkirk College Saints' "Drive for Five" stalled in March with a first-round series sweep at the hands of Trinity Western University.

A Saints roster that has seen considerable offseason turnover will now try to restore order and climb back atop the BCIHL standings in head coach Brent Heaven's third season behind the bench.

Gone are a handful of players who won one or more championships in a Saints' uniform, including 2016/17 scoring leader Matt Martin and 2016 BCIHL all-star Ryan Edwards. 10-goal scorer Alex Milligan has also departed on a transfer to VIU, leaving the team in dire need of consistent offensive production.

While that job will ultimately require contributions from Selkirk's 11 rookie skaters, they'll also be able to lean on a pair of returning veterans who missed significant time due to injury last season. Midseason surgery sidelined star forward Dallas Calvin for the remainder of the year, but the six-foot-four forward with 58 points in 36 career regular season games in now back to full health, as is point-a-game mainstay Dane Feeney.

Selkirk can expect former SJHL forward Brandon Sookro to step right in to a top-six role coming off three productive seasons with the Yorkton Terriers and Notre Dame Hounds, while Derek McPhail is coming off a 67-point year as captain of the SIJHL's Dryden Ice Dogs.

On the blueline, the Saints have added Parker Wakaruk's 168 games of experience with the Grand Prairie Storm and Humboldt Broncos, as well as physical defenders Connor Harding and Brayden McCartney.

They've also made sure to benefit from their proximity to the KIJHL's Beaver Valley Nitehawks, who captured league and provincial titles last season. Selkirk has added forward Tyler Hartman and McKoy Hauck from the team, as well as former Nitehawk Devin Nemes.

In goal, Brett Huber returns for a third season and second as the team's starter. He posted a 9-8-0 record with a 3.26 goals-against average last year while playing the majority of the minutes down the stretch. He'll be pushed for starts by Castlegar product Patrick Zubick, who returns home after two seasons of Junior A with the MJHL's Virden Oil Capitals and SIJHL's Dryden Ice Dogs.

Selkirk College opens the 2017/18 BCIHL season on Friday, October 6th at home to Simon Fraser University.