Recruiting for the 2013-14 Thompson Rivers University WolfPack, for the most part has revolved around three Junior B hockey teams, one of them being the Nelson Leafs of the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League.
WolfPack general manager Chris Hans and head coach Don Schulz announced Wednesday that a second member of the Leafs from 2012-13 has agreed to join the BC Intercollegiate Hockey League club in September.
Colton Schell, a 5’11” forward from New Westminster is the WolfPack’s 12th recruit committed for the coming season. Schell will be enrolled in the Police and Justice Studies course at Thompson Rivers.
“I am very happy to be able to be a part of the WolfPack team and looking forward to the start of the season,” Schell said.
He played 52 games with the Leafs scoring 25 goals and adding 42 assists with 154 minutes in penalty time and added five goals and seven assists in six playoff games.
“Colton is a dynamic player who brings a tremendous offensive upside to our line up,” said Hans. “He led the Leafs in the regular season and playoff scoring and was seventh overall in the KIJHL scoring. He also brings some grit to our line up having compiled 154 penalty minutes last season. I expect Colton to have an immediate impact in the BCIHL considering his great junior career which saw him put up 1.1 point per game average over four seasons.”
“He makes players playing with him better,” said Nelson coach and general manager Frank Maida. “Colton was our captain, he was a leader both on and off the ice. He works hard and is a great kid.”
“I’m very excited about this new adventure,” Schell said. “I like that Kamloops is a small city but still has all the amenities of a big one. I’ve heard many good things about the TRU campus.”
“I am most pleased and excited about the addition of Colton to our forward contingent,” said Schulz.
“I was impressed with his play when I scouted him. He is quick with his mind, feet and hands. He is tenacious on the puck and creative when he gets it; he’s also opportunistic and get himself open when he’s away with the puck. He’s not a watcher but a mover and an initiator. His stats are a testament to his play and obviously carried this through into the playoffs when everything in the game intensifies and matters most.”
Schell joins defenceman Cam Weir as the Nelson-connection with Thompson Rivers for 2013-14.
“Colton is a player that has a nose for the net and has the ability to score goals,” Weir said.