Kale Bennett has an NHL assistant coach in his dad Ray of the St. Louis Blues and he’ll be playing college hockey next year for a former NHL coach in Andy Murray.
Western Michigan University (WMU) will be home for Kale starting in the fall as the Nanaimo Clippers defenceman has committed to the NCAA Div. I program.
Bennett played three seasons in the BCHL, the last two with Nanaimo after starting with the Surrey Eagles. The 5-foot-11, 195-pound defenceman posted two goals and 11 assists this past season as an alternate captain with the Clippers and added seven assists in 14 playoff games. He concludes his BCHL career with 12 goals and 50 assists in 146 games.
Joining a WMU team that competes in the NCAA’s National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC), Bennett will face North Dakota, Denver, Colorado College, Miami-Ohio, Nebraska-Omaha, Minnesota-Duluth and St. Cloud State in conference play next season.
Bennett is the first BCHLer to commit to the Broncos this season. Other BCHL alums at WMU are Michael Rebry, Paul Stoykewych, and Aaron Hadley. The Broncos are coached by Andy Murray, a former head coach in the NHL with the Los Angeles Kings and St. Louis Blues.