Selkirk College Saints Excited to See Alex Evin Move Onto Next Opportunity
By Bob Hall
It didn’t take long for Selkirk Saints head coach Alex Evin to get headhunted by another hockey team.
After guiding the Saints to the 2015 British Columbia Intercollegiate Hockey League (BCIHL) championship, Evin has accepted a position as assistant coach and goaltending coach with the British Columbia Hockey League’s (BCHL) Alberni Valley Bulldogs.
“I’m very fortunate to have been a head coach at such a young age and want to thank all of the Selkirk College staff, fans, volunteers and partners for their support,” said Evin.
“Being a part of a growing college hockey program has been a great experience and it was a lot of fun coaching in my hometown the last three seasons.”
Evin joined the Saints for the 2012-2013 season as an assistant/goalie coach and was promoted to the head coach role in July, 2014.
The 28-year-old Castlegar native spent two previous seasons as an assistant behind Jeff Dubois before taking over the helm in 2014 after Dubois left to join Creston of the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League.
Evin guided the Saints to a regular season record of 13-8-3 which put them in second place heading into the playoffs.
After sweeping the University of Victoria in a best-of-three, the Saints went on to sweep Simon Fraser University in a hard fought league final series at the Castlegar Recreation Complex. Evin also led the program to its first win against Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) competition in December when the Saints defeated the Lethbridge Pronghorns 4-3.
“I learned a ton as a person and as a coach and I want to thank all the Saints players who have dedicated themselves to helping grow the program and for their involvement in the community of Castlegar,” said Evin.
“Also a big thanks to [Selkirk College Athletics & Recreation Coordinator] Kim Verigin for believing in myself and the league.”
Verigin said the Saints are sad to see Evin go, but are excited to see him make the next step in a promising coaching career.
“We appreciate everything Alex has brought to our program over the past three seasons,” said Verigin.
“His dedication and commitment has certainly contributed to its success. We wish him well with his new endeavor and look forward to watching his coaching career continue to flourish.”
As a player, Evin spent five seasons in the BCHL—three with the Powell River Kings, a stop in Williams Lake, and another with the Penticton Vees where he backstopped the team to a BCHL Championship in 2008. He went on to a four-year NCAA Division 1 hockey career where he graduated from Colgate University.
No replacement for Evin has been announced although the Saints are actively looking for a new bench boss.
For more information on the Selkirk College Saints hockey program check out the school’s website.
