Blueliner Hykawy commits to UVic from MJHL's Swan Valley Stampeders

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The University of Victoria is pleased to announce the commitment of 1993-born defenceman Dylan Hykawy for the 2014/15 B.C. Intercollegiate Hockey League season.

Hykawy joins the Vikes following a three-year Junior A career in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League with the OCN Blizzard and Swan Valley Stampeders. The 6-1, 200 lb defenceman will pursue a Bachelor of Science at the University of Victoria beginning this fall.

The Thompson, MB product recently attended the Vikes' Spring Camp.

"Dylan will have an immediate impact with us," UVic head coach Harry Schamhart says. "He's a smooth-skating, highly-skilled defenceman and is a key addition to our club. Dylan is the type of student-athlete we want to attract to the University of Victoria and the Vikes' hockey program.”

Traded from the OCN Blizzard to Swan Valley prior to the 2012/13 season, Hykawy racked up 62 points (15g-47a) and 217 penalty minutes in 155 games during his three-year MJHL career.

In the 2013/14 season, Hykawy posted 32 points (6g-26a) along with 90 penalty minutes in 54 games for the MJHL's Swan Valley Stampeders. Hykawy's 32 points last season ranked seventh amongst defencemen in the MJHL while he was also named the Stampeders' Scholastic Player of the Year.

"Dylan is a solid two-way defenceman," Swan Valley Stampeders General Manager and Head Coach Erik Peterson said. "He has offensive upside and a good shot. Dylan is also in great physical condition. Our last playoff game went into double overtime and Dylan logged 53 of ice time."

Prior to his time in the MJHL, Hykawy played Midget AAA for the Norman Northstars, where he led the Manitoba Midget Hockey League in the 2010/11 season with 52 points (15g-37a) in 44 games.

"We're very excited to have Dylan join the team," Schamhart says. "Dylan logged a lot of minutes with his previous teams and his experience and leadership will benefit our roster while he pursues his academic goals."

The 2014/15 season will mark the BCIHL’s 9th year of existence as a premier destination for high-calibre hockey talent in pursuit of a post-secondary education.

The three-time BCIHL champion University of Victoria Vikes Men’s Hockey team is committed to furthering its culture of success through the development of student-athletes both in the classroom and on the ice.