GBHA E-News | N.43 Our GBHA tour of of the Silent Ice Center | Hockey & Event Venue on March 28th was a resounding success.

Watch two videos highlighting memorable moments from our Silent Ice Centre Arena Tour!

Preamble: This article offers a comprehensive assessment of how the 2025-26 migration of players from Canadian U SPORTS hockey to NCAA programs and the broader shifts in eligibility that have affected U SPORTS teams. The changes at the NCAA level were the trigger for a season of chaos. There were a few monumental changes at NCAA hockey that reverberated across the hockey ecosystem. First, the NCAA was “gifted” a pool of talent that previously was not available as players with

GBHA E-News | N.42 On Monday night your Golden Bears Hockey Alumni (GBHA) Board of Directors and Advisory Council members met and delivered on three key promises outlined to you previously:

GBHA E-News | N.41 On Saturday night I was seated behind the Bears’ bench in Saskatoon during their Canada West 3-2 overtime quarter-final loss to the U of Saskatchewan Huskies. What I saw during that game, and afterwards, reminded me of how so very proud I am to be a Golden Bear Hockey Alumni member.

GBHA E-News | N. 40 We’ve got a short E-News for you today, as everyone’s focus is going to be on the action in Saskatoon this weekend. So let’s start with that right off the hop. Bears vs. Huskies: As you’ve likely seen, the Bears are heading to Saskatoon this weekend for their Canada West quarter-final playoff series against the University of Saskatchewan Huskies.

GBHA E-News | N.39 The first two weeks of January are super busy for everyone – and we’re no exception. Below you’ll find a GBHA E-Newsletter that this absolutely filled with great stuff. The highlight of this lengthy piece will be saved for the end, where you’ll see Dale Henwood’s final instalment in a three-part series on the NCAA recruiting challenge to U SPORTS hockey.

It is increasingly difficult to navigate the complex hockey industry as a young player or parent. For many, U SPORTS is the best options for their career as U SPORTS is the pathway that delivers. Recently, Advancement Hockey Advisor Services featured a series of posts with messages about the value of the U SPORTS option. Key recruiting messages to prospective players could include the following: Value of U SPORTS U SPORTS players are typically older and stronger (20 to 25 y

Money has run US college athletics forever. Athletic programs at big universities are big business! Like any other industry, the schools with the most resources tend to succeed, while the others have had to get creative to survive. Now in its fourth year, the Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) era has undoubtedly revealed that this system, and its inequalities, are changing how schools recruit.

The 2025-2026 season witnessed an historic philosophical change related to player compensation, forced upon the NCAA by the courts. Not just that they are now eligible – as they were not for 50 plus years. But also, there may be significant financial value attached to the players that move although contract amounts are typically private and not publicly disclosed.

On Christmas Day, one of Santa’s favourite helpers, Dan Bouwmeester, gave us a heads-up on a truly wonderful Christmas story involving a Zukiwsky family tradition that’s been going on for 37 years!!

At the start of the current hockey season, there was intense volatility in the roster of many teams as players were freely moving between three main leagues – U SPORTS, CHL and NCAA. The eligibility changes — most visibly the NCAA’s decision* (CHL players to be eligible to play NCAA hockey beginning in 2025-26 | NHL.com) to open Division I rosters to both U SPORTS and Canadian Hockey League (CHL) players and the broader transfer-era reforms that make moves between leagues eas

Listen to what Ken Hitchcock had to say about the Golden Bears Program at the Alumni Luncheon on October 31st, 2025.

John Shannon from Hockey Night in Canada joined us at our Alumni Luncheon to talk about the community and passion of hockey.

As NCAA programs expand their reach into Canadian talent pools, the Alberta Golden Bears hockey are adapting to a new era of recruiting. This Edmonton Journal article highlights the challenges—and opportunities—as the Bears continue to evolve while protecting a legacy of sustained success.

As recruiting competition intensifies, Golden Bears alumni are embracing a new role off the ice—mobilizing online to champion the program and help attract the next generation of players. This CTV News segment captures the growing impact of alumni-driven recruiting efforts.

We’ve got some highlights (and lowlights) from GBHA Alumni Weekend to share with you as well as a video from our CHL recruiting campaign and our first sponsorship contribution to our October 31st GBHA “Leadership Luncheon” at The Derrick.

Aside from hailing from the Golden Bears program, Josh Prokop, Dylan Plouffe, Clayton Kirichenko, and Matt Fonteyne all have one other thing in common—continued professional hockey careers.

Read more on Alonso Tapia Ruiz’s gold medal experience by clicking on the link below!