Prince George Spruce Kings forward Ben Poisson has committed to the University of Maine Black Bears for the 2019-20 season.
Poisson took a huge step forward in his second full season in the BCHL, finishing third on the Spruce Kings with 51 points in 52 games and second on the team with 22 goals. Unfortunately for Prince George, he was injured late in the season and missed the majority of the postseason, returning for the team’s final two games of the Fred Page Cup finals. After more than tripling his point total from the previous season and only committing one minor penalty all year, the 18-year-old was awarded the 2017-18 Bob Fenton Trophy for most sportsmanlike player.
“We are very excited for Ben Poisson’s commitment to The University of Maine to play NCAA Div. 1 hockey,” said Spruce Kings head coach Adam Maglio in a release from the team. “Ben possesses exceptional work ethic, leadership and skill [with] which he makes players around him better. He has earned everything he has got in hockey and he strives to be better daily by being a student of the game.”
Poisson will return to Prince George for his final BCHL season in 2018-19 and he will be joined by his brother Nick who committed to the Spruce Kings last week.
The University of Maine is located in Orono, ME and plays in the Hockey East conference along with Boston College, Boston University, UConn, Massachusetts, UMass Lowell, Merrimack, New Hampshire, Northeastern, Providence and Vermont.
The Black Bears finished the 2017-18 season with an overall record of 18-16-4 and tied for fifth in the conference standings. They lost to Providence in the quarterfinals of the Hockey East tournament.
Maine’s 2017-18 roster featured former Coquitlam Express forward Canon Pieper and former Vernon Vipers defenceman Mark Hamilton.
Poisson is the only current BCHL player committed to the Black Bears.