Edmonton, AB -- Eric Thurston, Head Coach of the University of Alberta Golden Bears hockey team, has received commitments from 11 new players out of the Western Hockey League for the upcoming 2010-11 season.

Newcomers to the program that went 23-4-1, and captured the CIS silver medal last season, include two new goalies, three defensemen, and five forwards.  Kurtis Mucha and Linden Rowat will square off in the battle of the blockers to become Alberta’s new netminder; Jarrett Toll, Jesse Craige, and Drew Nichol will attempt to make the team on the blueline; Johnny Lazo headlines the recruits up front, followed by Alex Rodgers, Zack Dailey, Mitch Czibere, Lindsay Nielsen, and Matt Meropoulis.

The Winnipeg-born Lazo spent three full seasons playing the WHL, all with the Tri-City Americans, posting 170 points in 214 games.  Last season was a career year for the 5’7” forward, scoring a career-best 39 goals and 32 assists for 71 points as well as adding 15 points in 22 playoff games.

Mucha and Rowat will attempt to lock down the goaltending position, an area that hasn’t had a bona fide starter during conference play since Aaron Sorochan left at the end of the 2008-09 season.  Alberta split goal crease time last season between CIS rookie Travis Yonkman and sophomore back-up Real Cyr, but with neither goalie expected to return, Thurston secured commitments from two more WHL-experienced netminders.

The 6’02”, 184lbs Mucha, originally from Sherwood Park, AB, played in the WHL between 2004 and 2010, with stops in Kamloops and Portland while becoming the league’s all-time leader in minutes played (13,708) in January of 2010.  He also played with Idaho and Stockton of the East Coach Hockey League.  He finished his WHL career with a 76-134-17 record, as well as an .893 save percentage and a 3.55 goals against average.

Rowat, from Cochrane, AB, played five seasons in the WHL, including four with the Regina Pats, and recorded a 92-80-25 portfolio while sporting an .899 save percentage and a 3.01 GAA.

Alex Rodgers and Zack Dailey bring immediate leadership and experience to the Evergreen and Gold, as both played four or more seasons in the WHL and served as either an assistant captain or, as is the case with Dailey, a two-time team captain with the Everett Silvertips.  The Healy, Alaska-born Dailey spent his entire five-year WHL career in Everett and the 5’6” forward posted a personal-best 43 points in 2008-09.

Rodgers, from Salmon Arm, BC, had stops in Kamloops, Vancouver, and Prince George during his four-year WHL tenure and the 5’11” forward racked up a career-high 61 points, including 20 goals, in his last season with the Cougars.

Rounding out the forward crew are: Edmonton native Lindsay Nielsen, who played five seasons with the Seattle Thunderbirds of the WHL, and posted 43 points in 2007-08; Mitch Czibere, a left-wing from Fort Saskatchewan, AB, who played four seasons in the WHL; and Matt Meropoulis, who recorded 204 penalty minutes and 28 points during three seasons of WHL hockey, all with the Chilliwack Bruins.

Jesse Craige and Jarrett Toll, from Edmonton and Maple Ridge, BC respectively, both bring some puck-moving skills to an already loaded Golden Bears’ blueline.  Craige played four seasons of WHL hockey, with stops in Lethbridge and Chilliwack, and put up a single-season personal best of 37 points last season.  Toll, who played five seasons with the Tri-City Americans, recorded 55 points over the last two seasons, while also banking at least 40 minutes in penalties in every year.

They are joined by Edmonton native Drew Nichol who played for three years with the Edmonton Oil Kings, racking up 326 penalty minutes.