Saints add depth in goal with signing of Alexandre Sirard
By The Nelson Daily Sports
Forget about the nice summer weather.
The movers and shakers from the Selkirk College Men’s Hockey Team are doing their best to dream of success on ice after inking a major cog in next season’s team — former Western Hockey League netminder Alexandre Sirard of Calgary.
Sirard joins the Saints for the 2012/13 B.C. Intercollegiate Hockey League
season following three seasons of junior hockey spent in the WHL, AJHL and SJHL.
“I’m excited to be coming to Selkirk College and joining the Saints,”
said Sirard, who describes himself as a quick, athletic goaltender with a good foot work in a team press release.
“I’m looking to establish myself as a top player in the BCIHL and play a role in building a winning team, while also having good marks in school.”
As an 18-year old, he saw action with the Western Hockey League’s Swift Current Broncos and compiled a record of 3-4-1 with a 3.14 goals-against average and .870 save percentage in nine games.
He went on to play two-plus seasons of Junior A hockey, primarily with the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League’s Melville Millionaires.
He was named the Mills’ Playoff MVP in 2011 following a first-round series loss to the Estevan Bruins, who he held to 11 goals on 172 shots over five games.
Sirard split the 2011/12 season between the University of Regina and the Prairie Junior Hockey League’s Pilot Butte Storm, who he helped to a league championship following his late season addition.
He concluded his junior career with a record of 29 wins, 27 losses and sevven ties.
“Alex is a talented netminder whose experience in Major Junior and Junior A hockey has prepared him well to take the next step at the college level,” said Saints head coach Jeff Dubois.
“With a largely new group coming in this fall, getting solid and steady goaltending will be crucial to team success early in the season.
“Alex is coming off a championship run last season and he’s highly motivated to be a key piece of another winning team at Selkirk College.”
The 21-year old has shown an ability to step up his game in the playoffs, where he has posted a 2.68 goals-against average and .927 save
percentage over the past two seasons.
Sirard is the second goaltender to commit to the Saints this offseason,
joining former KIJHL and VIJHL stand-out Stephen Wolff.
Also committed to the Saints for the 2012/13 season are forwards Logan Proulx (Cowichan Valley, BCHL), Thomas Hardy (Aldergrove, PIJHL), Jackson Garrett (Comox Valley, VIJHL), Stephen Saretsky (Wellington, OJHL), Cole Thomson (Kerry Park, VIJHL), Scott Swiston (Creston, KIJHL), Connor McLaughlin (Fernie, KIJHL), Kyle Golz (Grandview, PIJHL), Cody Fidgett (Delta, PIJHL), John Proctor (Delta, PIJHL), Matthew Luongo (Aldergrove, PIJHL), Jared Seutter (Chase, KIJHL) and Brodie Gibbon (Oceanside, VIJHL) and defencemen Brett Kipling (Melville, SJHL), Dylan Smith (Richmond, PIJHL), Mark Strachan (Kimberley, KIJHL) and Lucas Hildebrand (Revelstoke, KIJHL).
