Former Olds resident and Grizzlys captain Chase Olsen has committed to playing for the University of Toronto (U of T) Varsity Blues this fall.
Olsen, a 6-foot, 187-pound forward, spent last season with the Merrimack Warriors in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).
He played most of his junior career with the Olds Grizzlys before being traded to the Spruce Grove Saints in January 2018.
From 2015-2018, Olsen scored 67 goals and collected 91 assists for 158 points in 148 regular season games. In the 2015-16 season, he finished second in league scoring with 81 points.
He was named team captain at the start of the 2016-17 season.
With the Spruce Grove Saints, Olsen scored 16 goals and obtained 17 assists for 33 points in 20 regular season games. He also scored five goals and picked up four assists in 13 playoff games as the Saints won the 2017-18 Alberta Junior Hockey League championship.
Olsen will study math and physical sciences at U of T's Woodsworth College.
"Given the opportunity to commit to a world class school has always been a dream of mine," said Olsen. "Having the opportunity to be around like-minded individuals who strive for elite status on and off the ice is the main reason why I chose U of T.
"The combined knowledge of the top professors and the expertise that the coaching staff holds at U of T made this decision a no-brainer."
The Varsity Blues are happy to have Olsen, head coach Ryan Medel indicated.
"After sitting down with Chase for the first time, we quickly recognized he was someone that would fit in well here," he said.
"He's an energetic individual who has a lot to offer. He's a former captain, he's won a championship and he's an excellent student. Chase is a versatile forward who has good vision on the ice and will be someone who should be able to play in all situations for us."
Olds Grizzlys head coach Joe Murphy got to know Olsen a couple of years ago while serving as a part-time assistant coach for the team.
"Chase had committed to Merrimack which was a great opportunity for him," Murphy said.
"Unfortunately, a large turnover with the coaching and management at Merrimack I guess resulted in them recruiting very strongly for the next season and that put a lot of returning guys at risk for their scholarships not being renewed, so unfortunately, Chase was caught in that kind of vortex.
"But Chase is a great student and a good athlete and I knew he was going to plant his seeds somewhere."
Murphy said it's an excellent opportunity for Olsen to play top-quality hockey because university programs attract players from major junior clubs in the Western Hockey League and Ontario Hockey League.
"He'll be great wherever he goes; he's a very dedicated young man and very disciplined, so we're super excited for him that things worked out," Murphy said. "It's a very strong league out there so it'll be super competitive."
Murphy said Olsen has the qualities teams are looking for.
"Chase was always, if not the most dedicated, one of the most dedicated athletes to ever come through the Olds Grizzlys locker room," he said. "Just an extremely disciplined individual, extremely intelligent and (we're) excited for his next step."
- With files from the Alberta Junior Hockey League.
