Cross another Battlefords North Stars graduate off the list. Cole Gibson has become the sixth of eight 20-year-old players to commit to a post-secondary school and a hockey program for next season.
Gibson bounced around the SJHL last season, as he started in Melfort where he had eight goals and 12 assists in 20 games. From there, he was moved to Estevan and notched four goals and four assists in 12 games. Gibson's consistency continued once he arrived in the Battlefords after a deadline-day trade for the rights of Dayton Picard. Gibson scored 13 goals and had five assists in 17 games. He was the North Stars' most reliable forwards and one of the under the radar players who got the North Stars into fourth place in the Bauer Conference after arriving in January.
Gibson has committed to play with the Milwaukee School of Engineering Raiders. MSOE had an impressive 21-6-1 record last season and lost in the Midwest Collegiate Hockey Association Harris Cup semi final. The Raiders graduate just four seniors meaning they should once again make a run in the Division III ranks.
Gibson played with four different junior teams in three seasons. He began his junior career with the Drayton Valley Thunder of the Alberta Junior Hockey League in 2008-09. The next season Gibson played the full season with Melfort and record 17 goals and 16 assists in 57 games. In 106 SJHL regular season games, Gibson recorded 42 goals and 37 assists and was named the North Stars' recipient of the most underrated player award.
Gibson, the forward from Edmonton, is the first North Star to commit to playing in the United States for next season. Cris Neurauter, Tony Oak, Kyle Birch, Cody Folstad and Mitch Galbraith have all committed to Canadian colleges and universities for next season.
Battlefords North Stars head coach and general manager Ken Pearson wishes Gibson all the best as he pursues his engineering degree and continues to play hockey.
Pearson also expects the two remaining 20-year-old forwards, Colin Phanuef and Keith Grondin, to make a decision in the next couple weeks about their plans for next year. Phaneuf was second on the team in points while Grondin was third. Gibson finished with the fourth most points after tallying his totals from all three teams last season.
