Thompson Rivers receives commitment from AJHL grad and local product Oatway

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The Thompson Rivers University WolfPack men’s hockey team has solidified its blueline its fourth recruit for the upcoming 2011-12 B.C. Intercollegiate Hockey League season.

Defenceman Shane Oatway (Kamloops, B.C.) has agreed to join the program for the coming year.

"I wasn’t looking at other schools," the 6’0” player said. "I had my heart set on going to TRU”.

Oatway split last season in the Alberta Junior Hockey League between the Drayton Valley Thunder and the Fort McMurray Oil Barons. He appeared in 57 regular season games in 2010-11, scoring four goals and adding 29 assists. He also had 81 penalty minutes. He played in 13 playoff games with the Oil Barons and had three goals and four assists and six minutes in penalty time.

The year previous with Drayton Valley (2009-10), Oatway had nine goals and 17 assists in 52 games with 72 penalty minutes. He also played with the Merritt Centennials of the BC Junior Hockey League in 2007-08 and under current WolfPack general manager Chris Hans with the Thompson Blazers Major Midget team in 2006-07.

"My strengths as a player are my passing and the ability to read the play," said the Sa-Hali Secondary Grad (2008). "I want to play in front of my friends and family."

Oatway is in the Bachelor of Science program at TRU. He plans to take upgrading classes while deciding what degree to pursue.

"We are pleased to have Shane join our club," said Hans. "Shane is a complete defenceman. He is solid in his own end of the ice and brings good offensive skills. Shane is a hard working, honest, competitive hockey player who I expect will play a significant role on the hockey team this year."

Oatway joins Mike McCance (Whistler, B.C.), Duncan Schulz (Kamloops, B.C.) and Shane Mainprize (Valemount, B.C.) as the other recruits committing to the WolfPack for 2011-12. 

TRU training camp begins Tuesday, September 7th at Memorial Arena.