CHL graduates win Canadian University hardware

By Aaron Bell

Kevin Baker knew that University Hockey was his best option.

After graduating from a three-year OHL career with the Belleville Bulls in 2000, Baker headed off to pursue his pro hockey ambitions. He played parts of two seasons with Lowell and Saint John in the American Hockey League and Johnstown in the ECHL before deciding to focus on using his hockey skills to earn a university degree.

In his second season with the Acadia Axemen, the move has paid great dividends. Last week, Baker won the Senator Joseph A. Sullivan Trophy as Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) men’s hockey player of the year.

The right winger from Kingston, Ontario won the Atlantic University Sport scoring title with 24 goals and 23 assists for 47 points in 28 games. The former Los Angeles Kings draft pick and third year kinesiology student is one of more than 500 CHL graduations playing Canadian University hockey on scholarships from their CHL clubs.

He said that his decision to go back to school was the right one.

“I don’t regret it one bit,” Baker told the Halifax Chronicle Herald. “I never have. Getting my degree was never a bad thing and the hockey has been great.”

Baker also scored four goals and 10 points in five playoff games to help Acadia win its first conference title since 1996. He was injured in the round robin part of the national championships in Alberta last weekend and Acadia finished 0-2.

“We had lots of chances, they just didn’t go in for us,” said Baker. “It’s hard losing any game, especially to go out of your university career like that. But we had a great year and no regrets.”

The CIS also recognized several other CHL graduates in the year-end awards, including Barrie Colts’ graduate David Chant of Saint Mary’s University, who won the Dr. Randy Gregg Award for excellence in athletics, academics and community involvement. Chant, who backstopped the Colts to the OHL finals in 2002, is a dean’s list student and academic all-Canadian.

Aaron Sorochan, who graduated from the Lethbridge Hurricanes of the WHL last season, won the Clare Drake Award as the CIS rookie of the year with the University of Edmonton and Dean Beuker, a graduate of the Regina Pats, won the R.W. Pugh Award as most sportsmanlike player while playing for the University of Saskatchewan.

The CIS all-Canadian teams also included CHL graduates Baker, Beuker, McGill University goaltender Mathieu Poitras (Rouyn-Noranda Huskies), University of Alberta defenceman Chris Ovington (Spokane Chiefs), Western defenceman Matt Bannan (Sarnia Sting) and Lakehead centre Joel Scherban (London Knights).