By: Simran Sarai, Sports Writer
After an undefeated 2021–22 regular season, the SFU men’s hockey team emerged as BC Intercollegiate Hockey League (BCIHL) champions for the first time in 11 years. With the team gearing up to defend their title, The Peak reached out to head coach Mark Coletta and returning forward Logan Bromhead for some insight into the team’s expectations for the season ahead, and how they plan to build upon last year’s storybook season.
Coletta spoke realistically about the road going forward for the team after amassing an impressive 14–0 record during the regular season and playoffs. “Of course, it’s always good to win and get a championship under your belt, and obviously doing it in an undefeated fashion was good [ . . . ] But now we move on to a bigger and better year.”
The team has started to mentally prepare for the task of repeating last year’s success by recognizing, this time around, they’ll be on every team’s radar. “I think the boys definitely know there’s a target on their back.” With a “good returning core” for this season, Coletta will have the advantage of having seasoned players who know what it takes to win. “Good people make that transition into the next year a little smoother,” Coletta explained. He referenced veteran Mitch Ledyard and former professional hockey player, and current SFU coaching staff member Jim Camazzola, as some of the strong leaders readying the team for the upcoming season.
Bromhead, who racked up 14 points in 12 games last year, shared his excitement for the new recruits: “We brought in a bunch of new guys who are elevating our team and pushing the pace,” the forward explained. While new additions will keep competition high amongst the team, both Bromhead and Coletta pointed to games against opponents not in SFU’s league as a tool to help grow the program.
“It shows that we are doing things for junior hockey players to come and make SFU their home academically and on the hockey side,” Coletta said. Bromhead spoke to the importance of playing USPORTS and National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I teams to showcase what SFU has to offer to potential recruits. “As long as we’re ready for those, it’s a big opportunity for us, and it can definitely build our program.”
SFU hockey kicked off their preseason with a match-up against the USPORTS UBC Thunderbirds on September 9 with a 3–0 loss, but quickly rebounded with a 5–1 win over the Okanagan Lakers the next day. SFU will have another opportunity to play against a USPORTS team when they face the Trinity Western Spartans on September 17. Following that, the team will host an NCAA Division I hockey team for the first time since 2014 against the University of Alaska Fairbanks on January 13 at Bill Copeland Sports Centre.
