Eight CSSHL Student-Athletes Sign with MJHL’s Newest Team

Eight Canadian Sport School Hockey League (CSSHL) student-athletes have signed Letters of Intent with Manitoba Junior Hockey League (MJHL) expansion program Niverville Nighthawks.

A three-year CSSHL student-athlete, Dayden Collier joined Edge School for the 2019/20 U16 Prep season, tallying 19 points in 36 games. The Medicine Hat, AB forward would join his hometown South Alberta Hockey Academy (SAHA) for the 2020/21 season, finishing with one point in five U18 Prep games. In 36 U18 Prep games with SAHA this season, Collier had 12 goals and 12 assists.

Taylor Haggerty spent three seasons in the CSSHL with OHA Edmonton, captaining the U18 Prep team during the 2021/22 season. The Sherwood Park, AB forward joined OHA Edmonton in 2019/20, recording 24 points in 36 U16 Prep games. He would spend the next two seasons with the OHA Edmonton U18 Prep team, finishing with 14 points in 21 games.

A defenseman from Dodsland, SK, Ethan Kelly spent three seasons in the CSSHL with Prairie Hockey Academy. Kelly would play for the Prairie U17 Prep team during the 2019/20 and 2020/21 seasons, tallying 6 points in 31 games. This past season Kelly would lead all Prairie U18 Prep defenseman with 25 points, good enough for third in team scoring.

Forward Jack Lambert has spent the last two seasons in the CSSHL with OHA Edmonton. He joined the program in 2020/21 at the U16 Prep division playing in four games during the COVID-19 shortened season. The Edmonton, AB product would play 27 U18 Prep games this season, tallying 5 goals and 2 assists. Lambert played four Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL) games as an affiliate player with the Drayton Valley Thunder this season.

The first ever player to LOI to the Nighthawks, Eric Martin has spent four seasons in the CSSHL. The Edmonton, AB defenseman joined the Northern Alberta Xtreme (NAX) in 2018/19, recording 7 points in 26 games with their U15 Prep team. He would return to NAX in 2019/20, tallying 10 points in 36 U16 Prep games as NAX finished the regular season in first place, before the COVID-19 pandemic ended playoffs. Martin would then join Pacific Coast Hockey Academy (PCHA) for the 2020/21 and 2021/22 seasons, recording 19 points in 37 U18 Prep games.

Brodie Pearson played three seasons in the CSSHL with RINK Hockey Academy Kelowna. The Steamboat, CO forward spent the 2019/20 season at the U17 Prep level, recording 15 points in 24 games. In 2020/21 Pearson would finish with seven points in nine U17 Prep games, before finishing this past year with 11 points in 24 U18 Prep games.

Carter Spirig spent one season in the CSSHL as a teammate of Martin’s with the NAX U16 Prep team in 2019/20. The St. Albert, AB forward would finish that season with 18 points in 30 games. Spirig was originally drafted in the 8th round, 169th overall by the Winnipeg Ice at the 2019 Western Hockey League (WHL) Draft.

Ben Whitford joined his hometown International Hockey Academy (IHA) for the 2021/22 U18 Prep season. In 29 games the Calgary, AB forward would finish second in team scoring with 21 points.

Niverville will be coached by Kelvin Cech, who spent the 2021/22 season behind the West Van Academy U18 Prep bench.