Good Players Are Still Available

You may have landed here thinking that I was going to be talking about unsigned NHL and AHL players that could help professional team rosters. While it's true that there are still good players available at that level who are free agents, that's not the point of this article. Instead, we've all heard and seen the news that the top CHL players are opting to head south to the NCAA where they can get a year or two of schooling, make some money on NIL deals, and be on their merry ways to NHL camps. What should be noted is that there are a lot of kids playing in the CHL who are very good, but may not be that blue-chip, first-round selection for teams, but either didn't get drafted or simply developed later than some of their peers. This is where U SPORTS programs should be seeking their next stars because those overlooked players could elevate programs nicely if given a shot to attend university.

This idea falls under the "we should have been doing that all along" file, but it's not a stretch to suggest that coaching staffs for U SPORTS men's hockey programs are significantly undermanned for the tasks needed to run a program while being sorely underfunded to hire good people who can pick up the slack. The same can be said for U SPORTS women's programs, but they face less of a drain on their player resources who are heading to the US from junior programs.

The goalie pictured above, Marcus Vandenberg of the Sudbury Wolves, recently committed to the Saint Mary's Huskies program in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Vandenberg is not one of those goalies who will come in and change the dynamics of the AUS, but he's good enough to stop pucks for the Huskies as determined by their staff. Based on his OHL numbers that were never below a 3.00 GAA and never above a .900 save percentage, one may wonder why the Huskies would recruit Vandenberg, but it's not always about the numbers for schools.

Vandenberg was a Hockey Gives Blood ambassador during his time with the Niagara Ice Dogs, and that's a big thing in U SPORTS circles. Being good community members is something that both the CHL and U SPORTS teams share, so getting a guy who already understands and promotes this effort is a good look for Saint Mary's University.

It should also be noted that Vandenberg was the OJHL's Goaltender of the Year this past season with the Leamington Flyers where he was 31-4-2 with a 1.48 GAA, a .946 save percentage, and six shutouts. No other OJHL goaltender hit thirty wins last season, so it's clear that Vandenberg was in a class of his own. Yes, his OHL numbers weren't as impressive, but there's a significant talent gap between the OHL and the OJHL. Finding a good goaltender still means finding talent.

I've mentioned it numerous times on this blog, but not everyone's hockey path is clear. Some are winding roads that take players a step back before they can proceed forward. Others seem to move laterally before the path heads forward. In Vandenberg's case, he'll get his shot to show the AUS what he can do while looking to follow in the steps of Logan Thompson or Matt Greenfield. Both of those goaltenders played U SPORTS hockey and they've gone on to have exceptional hockey careers after finding their games with hockey programs at Canadian universities. Their paths were different.

This can be said for a lot of players who come to Canadian universities, but a lot of them go off and have successful hockey careers. The key, though, is that the summer is into August already, so now would be the time I'd be making a big push to players who I've tried to recruit, but still aren't sure of the school aspect. There still are a lot of good players out there who are unsure of their futures, but who understand the community aspect of playing university hockey and who have the talents to fit into a hockey program.

With the hockey world changing in terms of where players can play, U SPORTS needs to start becoming more of a factor for players who want to play high-level hockey while getting an education. It's not going to be a one-year stopover for players like Gavin McKenna, but guys like Marcus Vandenberg can get his degree, play good hockey, and still look to the professional ranks when he's finished at Saint Mary's University. It's not a normal hockey path, but he's walking it.

And with the Huskies hosting the U Cup National Championship in 2026, Vandenberg's joining the program at the right time!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!