Nipawin Hawks defenceman Colten Gerlib (44) has committed to play hockey for Simon Fraser University in B.C. for 2019-20. (Aaron Schulze/northeastNOW Staff)

By Aaron Schulze

Hawks Commit

Two Hawks commit to play college hockey in B.C.

Aug 22, 2019 | 5:20 PM

Two members from the 2018-19 Nipawin Hawks will continue their hockey careers while pursuing an education.

Simon Fraser University (SFU) in Burnaby, B.C. announced the commitments of 21-year-old forward Christian Bosa and 20-year-old defenceman Colten Gerlib for the 2019-20 British Columbia Intercollegiate Hockey League (BCIHL) season.

Bosa aged out of Junior A hockey following the 2018-19 Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) season, where he scored nine goals and 12 assists for 21 points in 67 games over two seasons with the Hawks, including being a part of the 2018 Canalta Cup championship team as SJHL champions.

Gerlib was acquired from the Merritt Centennials of the British Columbia Hockey League early in the 2018-19 season. He scored five goals and 16 assists for 21 points in 50 games for the Hawks.

Mark Coletta, SFU’s men’s ice hockey head coach, said his team is in a turnover season ahead of 2019-20, and both Bosa and Gerlib will have opportunities to start games as soon as possible.

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“We lost a handful of guys due to fourth year classes and aging out, and we need to replenish the crew,” Coletta said. “Christian, I’ve known for a while; a local guy who wanted to be at SFU was something he aspired to. Colten came out of the blue. He decided we were the next step for him in his hockey career. Sometimes kids want to move on in their career paths, so he kind of fell into our lap.”

Gerlib had one more year of Junior A eligibility remaining.

Coletta described Bosa a well-rounded athlete and a defensive forward with play making abilities, and Gerlib as a mobile, experienced defenceman who can fit right into SFU’s top six defencemen.

“We’re going to be a young team, so we figured guys like Colten and Christian are going to be able to jump right in and make a statement,” Coletta said. “Sometimes with veterans, they have to bide their time and wait maybe a year or a half-year to get in.”

SFU finished fourth in the BCIHL and was swept by Trinity Western University in the first round of the playoffs.

With the turnover year ahead of his and his SFU men’s hockey team, Coletta hopes Bosa and Gerlib can be a part of a championship calibre team for the next four years.

SFU begins their exhibition season in September against the University of British Columbia.

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aaron.schulze@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @SchulzePANow