Two big decisions were made this week involving the Prince George Spruce Kings.
As Nicholas Athanasakos officially committed to playing for the 2019 BCHL and Doyle Cup champions, current defenceman Tanner Main won’t be back in the northern capital later this fall after agreeing to play college hockey in the U.S. northeast in the fall.
Athanasakos will join the Kings in their 2021-22 campaign, should COVID-19 allow a season.
“Nicholas is a quality young person who represents a lot of what our organization strives to be both on and off the ice,” said Prince George Head Coach Alex Evin in a statement on Wednesday (March 10).
“He is tenacious, competitive, and has a great work ethic. He will make our team harder to play against.”
Athanasakos, a 17-year-old forward currently with Ridley College boarding school in St. Catherines, Ont., combined for 10 goals and 23 points in 29 games with the Tigers during the 2019-20 season.
He was also a pick of the Niagara IceDogs of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), selected 151st overall in the eight round of the 2019 draft.
Meanwhile, Main will be joining former Spruce King Lucas Vanroboys at Bentley University (Massachusetts) in September.
The 20-year-old signed his letter of intent today (March 11) to wear the Falcons’ blue and white starting in their 2021-22 stint.
He was acquired by Prince George from Wenatchee on Sept. 23, 2020, after tallying 19 points in 54 games with the Wild in 2019-20.
In seven extended pre-season games with the Spruce Kings, Main scored one goal, on a power-play, and accumulated four penalty minutes before the COVID-19 pause on a potential regular season, which remains in effect to date.
Bentley has yet to win an Atlantic Hockey title since joining the NCAA Division One conference in 2003.
B.C.’s Provincial Health Office has yet to approve the BCHL’s return-to-play plan for an altered 2020-21 season as of this publication.
