Local forward Wheeler bound for TWU after transfer from NCAA D3 New England

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Trinity Western University has added to its forwards corps as Spartans head coach Barret Kropf has announced the signing of Maple Ridge product Andrew Wheeler for the 2013/14 B.C. Intercollegiate Hockey League season.

Wheeler, who graduated locally from Thomas Haney Secondary in 2009, comes to TWU having last played with the University of New England during the 2011-12 season.

While with UNE, playing in the Eastern College Athletics Conference, he had one assist in nine games. Prior to that, the 6-foot-2, 195-pound left winger bounced around the junior circuit at both the Junior A and B levels. Over his four-year junior career, Wheeler played Junior A with the Nipawin Hawks of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League and Junior B with the Pacific Junior Hockey League's Port Moody Black Panthers, the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League's Castlegar Rebels and the Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League's Comox Valley Glacier Kings.

Following the 2011-12 season with UNE, Wheeler attended training camps in the fall of 2012 with the Ontario Reign of the East Coast Hockey League and the Tulsa Oilers of the Central Hockey League.

"As a playmaker, Andrew will be able to create space for some of our returning players and generate quality scoring chances for us, both on the power play and in even-strength situations," Kropf said. "Having played at the NCAA level, Andrew is able to bring leadership to our locker room and gives us the depth in our lineup we are going to need to start filling the net this season."

Wheeler plans to study human kinetics in the sports and leisure management stream while at TWU.

"I'm looking forward to the many opportunities available at TWU as well as building a championship hockey team with the Spartans," Wheeler said. "After being away from home for close to 10 years, I'm also looking forward to playing hockey in front of family and friends."

Wheeler is TWU's fourth commit for the 2013/14 season, joining forwards J.P. Villeneuve (Powell River, BCHL), Josh Bruha (Notre Dame, SJHL) and goaltender Silas Matthys (HC Sierre, Swiss B).