EDMONTON - Seven new recruits with over 1,350 games of Western Hockey League experience have joined the Golden Bears Hockey program, as the 55-time conference champions announced their 2020-21 recruiting class.

The seven recruits include two goalies, two defenceman, and and three forwards, five of whom are WHL graduates, and two with University hockey experience.

"We had a lot of turnover this year," said Golden Bears general manager Stan Marple. "We made a conscious decision to carry less players this year, due to COVID-19, and the fact that none of our players will lose any eligibility by playing this season. This also will allow us to have some flexibility to leave room for one or two top-end recruits for the 2021/2022 season."

Forwards Tyler Mckinney-Preziuso and Ryan Hughes as well as defenceman Dylan Plouffe and Ethan Sakowich join the Bears as graduates from the Western Hockey League.

Goalie Taz Burman joins the program after spending two seasons with the Lethbridge Pronghorns, transferring to the University of Alberta after the Pronghorns cut their hockey program this summer. 

Daneel Lategan is the other recruit with university hockey experience, having spent the last season with the Alabama-Huntsville Chargers of the NCAA. Goalie Jacob Bennett joins after a stellar junior career in B.C.
 
"I am very excited about this season's recruits! We have improved our speed, skill and character," said Golden Bears head coach Ian Herbers. "We have a nice mix of forwards, defencemen and goalies who will be very successful in our program academically, athletically and in the community. They are fitting in very well and will help us achieve our ultimate goal, while developing and creating opportunities to play professional hockey after their Bears career."
 

---

 
#1 Taz Burman
Position: Goalie
Hometown: Vancouver, BC
Height: 6-0
Weight: 170
Previous Team: Lethbridge Pronghorns (CW)
 
GM Stan Marple: "Taz is a great team player, has an excellent work ethic, and is a tremendous student. Taz comes to us from the University of Lethbridge, where he played for two years and statistically put up some very good numbers. Prior to that, Taz did very well in the WHL, with stops at Red Deer, Seattle and Swift Current. The last two seasons, he routinely faced over 40 shots per game, and posted a .905 save percentage. 
 
Because of his prior Canada West experience, Taz knows what to expect from the league, and we are looking forward to watching him compete in a Golden Bears jersey."
 

Junior Career
Season	Team	League	GP	MP	GA	SO	GAA	W	L	T/OL	SvPct
2013-14	Red Deer	WHL	17	592	38	0	3.85	2	6	0	.884
2014-15	Red Deer	WHL	21	1013	52	0	3.08	9	5	2	.890
2015-16	Seattle	WHL	16	769	41	0	3.20	7	4	0	.877
	Swift Current	WHL	22	1222	69	0	3.39	8	10	3	.903
2016-17	Swift Current	WHL	37	2026	100	0	2.96	18	12	1	.907
2017-18	Nanaimo Clippers	BCHL	35	2073	90	1	2.60	21	11	0	.916
Conference
2018-19	Lethbridge	CW	9	413	23	0	3.34	1	4	1	.917
2019-20	Lethbridge	CW	17	912	72	0	4.74	4	10	1	.894

Photo Credit: MPP Photography

---

#7 Dylan Plouffe
Position: Defence
Hometown: Sherwood Park, AB
Height: 6-0
Weight: 195
Previous Team: Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL) 

GM Stan Marple: "Dylan had a great WHL career playing most of it with the Vancouver Giants. He has good size and strength, is an excellent skater, and makes a very good first pass. He will be able to contribute offensively as well as defensively for the Bears, as he averaged just under half a point a game as a defenceman, with over 300 career WHL games under his belt.

We are looking forward to helping Dylan get to the next level in his playing career, while helping him achieve his goals both academically and athletically."
 

			Junior Career					Playoffs
Season	Team	League	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2014-15	Vancouver	WHL	1	0	0	0	0	-	-	-	-	-
2015-16	Vancouver	WHL	59	2	3	5	20	-	-	-	-	-
2016-17	Vancouver	WHL	61	4	17	21	52	-	-	-	-	-
2017-18	Vancouver	WHL	60	9	31	40	55	7	1	0	1	14
2018-19	Vancouver	WHL	63	8	27	35	76	22	6	10	16	23
2019-20	Vancouver	WHL	28	5	17	22	24	-	-	-	-	-
	Medicine Hat	WHL	35	4	18	22	32	-	-	-	-	-

 
Photo Credit: Chris Relke / Vancouver Giants

---

#11 Tyler Mckinney-Preziuso
Position: Forward
Hometown: Victoria, BC
Height: 5-11
Weight: 185
Previous Team: Vancouver Giants (WHL) 

GM Stan Marple: "Tyler comes to us from the Vancouver Giants after playing most of his career with the Medicine Hat Tigers. Having played with many of our current Bears in junior with the Tigers, he has fit in well with our group.

Tyler is an excellent skater with very good offensive instincts. Tyler may be considered a bit of a late bloomer, but we really like the way his game is trending, with 101 points over his last 130 WHL games. Because of his work ethic and skating ability, we feel Tyler has the potential to be a dominant player in Canada West."
 

			Junior Career					Playoffs
Season	Team	League	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2015-16	Medicine Hat	WHL	59	3	7	10	13	-	-	-	-	-
2016-17	Medicine Hat	WHL	71	5	17	22	25	11	0	0	0	4
2017-18	Medicine Hat	WHL	66	17	16	33	19	6	0	2	2	0
2018-19	Medicine Hat	WHL	68	21	29	50	26	6	0	4	4	2
2019-20	Vancouver	WHL	34	17	12	29	12	-	-	-	-	-
	Medicine Hat	WHL	28	9	13	22	4	-	-	-	-	-

 
Photo Credit: Chris Relke / Vancouver Giants

---

#18 Ryan Hughes
Position: Forward
Hometown: Edmonton, AB
Height: 5-8
Weight: 155
Previous Team: Kamloops Blazers (WHL)

GM Stan Marple: "Ryan had a very successful WHL Career, with 249 points in 304 games. Ryan has an excellent skill set and a very high compete level, and this will allow him to succeed at the Canada West level.
 
We feel he will fit right in with the fast, north-south game that Coach Herbers likes his team to play. Ryan has the skill set to play in all situations, and we are looking forward to him contributing to our offense going forward."
 

			Junior Career					Playoffs
Season	Team	League	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2015-16	Portland	WHL	71	3	10	13	33	4	0	0	0	8
2016-17	Portland	WHL	70	27	30	57	64	11	3	5	8	18
2017-18	Portland	WHL	46	17	24	41	55	12	1	3	4	18
2018-19	Portland	WHL	36	17	23	40	34	-	-	-	-	-
	Saskatoon	WHL	25	13	16	29	20	10	2	4	6	8
2019-20	Saskatoon	WHL	2	1	2	3	4	-	-	-	-	-
	Kamloops	WHL	54	24	42	66	46	-	-	-	-	-

Photo Credit: Allen Douglas / Kamloops Blazers

---

 
#22 Ethan  Sakowich
Position: Defence
Hometown: Athabasca, AB
Height: 6-2
Weight: 190
Previous Team: Red Deer Rebels (WHL) 

GM Stan Marple: "Prior to junior, Ethan played most of his competitive "AAA" hockey in Fort Saskatchewan as an import from Athabasca, Alberta.
 
Most recently, Ethan played his entire WHL career with the Red Deer Rebels, spending the 2019-20 season as their captain. At 6-2, Ethan has good size, and will provide a steady influence with the Golden Bears defence.
 
Traditionally a stay-at-home defenceman that prides himself in looking after his own zone, he also has a very hard shot. We are looking forward to watching him develop as a student-athlete with the Bears."
 

			Junior Career					Playoffs
Season	Team	League	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2015-16	Red Deer	WHL	4	0	0	0	0	-	-	-	-	-
2016-17	Red Deer	WHL	61	3	4	7	31	7	0	2	2	10
2017-18	Red Deer	WHL	72	0	10	10	67	5	0	1	1	11
2018-19	Red Deer	WHL	68	4	14	18	63	4	0	1	1	4
2019-20	Red Deer	WHL	63	11	17	28	60	-	-	-	-	-

 
Photo Credit: Rob Wallator / Red Deer Rebels

---

 
#24 Daneel  Lategan
Position: Forward
Hometown: Capetown, South Africa
Height: 6-1
Weight: 190
Previous Team: University of Alabama-Huntsville Chargers (NCAA) 

GM Stan Marple: "Daneel played last season as a freshman with the Alabama-Huntsville Chargers of the NCAA, where he had a very good rookie season. Daneel is an excellent skater with a lot of potential.
 
I would consider him a power forward, and with at 6-1/190, will provide some good size up front for the Bears. We are very glad Daneel decided to continue his academic and athletic career with at the University of Alberta, and we look forward to his contribution to the team."
 

			Junior Career					Playoffs
Season	Team	League	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2017-18	Langley Rivermen	BCHL	44	4	4	8	35	5	1	1	2	6
2018-19	Langley Rivermen	BCHL	56	20	16	36	48	5	0	4	4	4
			Conference					Overall
2019-20	Alabama Huntsville	NCAA	30	5	4	9	18	-	-	-	-	-

Photo Credit: UAH Chargers


 

---

#30 Jacob  Bennett
Position: Goalie
Hometown: Fort Saskatchewan, AB
Height: 6-0
Weight: 170
Previous Team: Comox Valley Glacier Kings (VIJHL) 

GM Stan Marple: "At only 20 years of age and a year of junior eligibility remaining, Jacob decided to make his main focus academics, beginning his first year in the Faculty of Science.
 
Jacob played all of his minor hockey in his hometown of Fort Saskatchewan. Last season Jacob played Junior 'B' for the Comox Valley Glacier Kings of the VIJHL, and was named a conference all-star with an impressive .917 save % in 24 games played.
 
Jacob reached out to us this past summer, letting us know his intention of coming to the U of A, and inquired about an opportunity to come to training camp. After a very good camp, Jacob has made the Golden Bears as one of our goaltenders this season, and we are thrilled with the depth he provides us at that position."  
 

Season	Team	League	GP	SO	GAA	W	L	T/OL	SvPct
2018-19	Golden Rockets	KIJHL	16	1	4.11	5	7	1	.889
2019-20	Comox Valley	VIJHL	24	1	3.03	7	17	0	.917