Former Surrey Eagles defenceman Domenic Masellis will be playing his hockey in front of friends and family in his hometown of Burnaby this upcoming season as he has committed to play for Simon Fraser University (SFU).
The 6-foot-3, 225-pound blueliner will be suiting up for his fifth different team in the last six seasons as he played for the Surrey Eagles, Langley Rivermen, Penticton Vees and Coquitlam Express over his five-year BCHL career. Masellis finished his junior career with 214 games played in the league and added 20 more in the playoffs.
“I like to get up into the play and create offence, but I also take pride in keeping the puck out of our net and playing a solid defensive game,” said Masellis in a release on the SFU website.
He started his BCHL career as a 16-year-old and credits this early start as a positive influence in his development.
“It forced me to take on responsibilities at young age,” he said. “Having to grow up a little faster than most teenagers. It also allowed me to compete against some top quality players, helping myself improve and get better at the game as the years went by.”
SFU’s head coach Mark Coletta is eager to add Masellis to an already exprienced blueline.
“[He] should fit in well,” said Coletta. “We’ll need him to adjust to the college game but he should have no problem doing that with the experience and style of play he brings to the table. We’re excited to have some really experienced BCHL guys joining us this year who should fit right in with our fast style of play.”
The other experienced BCHL player Coletta is referring to is Masellis’ former teammate with the Express Mitch Newsome who also recently committed to SFU for the upcoming season. Their projected 2018-19 roster also features fellow BCHL alums Brendan Lamont, Mathew Berry-Lamontagna and Jaret Babych.
SFU plays in the six-team British Columbia Intercollegiate Hockey League (BCIHL), along with Eastern Washington University, Selkirk College, Trinity Western University, Vancouver Island University and the University of Victoria. Last season, SFU finished fifth in the conference with a record of 8-16-0-1 and missed the playoffs by one point.
