News

Seven Members Of 2023/24 Royals Commit To Post-Secondary Hockey

by jveillette
MARKHAM, ON - MARCH 3: The Markham Royals held their graduating player ceremonies before the game at the Markham Centennial Community Centre on March 3, 2024 in Ontario, Canada (Photo by Ray MacAloney / OJHL Images)MARKHAM, ON - MARCH 3: The Markham Royals held their graduating player ceremonies before the game at the Markham Centennial Community Centre on March 3, 2024 in Ontario, Canada (Photo by Ray MacAloney / OJHL Images)

Before we lean into the 2024/25 Ontario Junior Hockey League season, it’s worth reflecting on one of our most important accomplishments in 2023/24.

Development of players and people is paramount to the Markham Royals Jr. A Hockey program, and one of our best reflections of that is our tradition of graduating players to post-secondary commitments, allowing them to continue their hockey pursuits while getting a first-class education to set themselves up for their post-hockey careers.

Last year, seven Royals players secured post-secondary commitments.

  • Shane Bondy, SUNY Plattsburgh – Bondy heads to Plattsburgh following three years with the Royals. Last season, the power forward put up 11 goals and 19 assists in 40 games played for Markham.
  • Christopher Engelbert, University of Wisconsin (Stevens Point) – Engelbert heads to Wisconsin following one season with the Royals and three years of Junior A hockey. The two-way forward put up 13 goals and 30 assists in 56 games played last season.
  • Ryan Forberg, Lindenwood University – Forberg heads to Lindenwood following a historic season with the Royals, his second in Markham and third in the OJHL. Forberg put 45 goals and a franchise-record 97 points in 2023/24 and was named an OJHL First Team All-Star.
  • Owen Halloran, Elmira College – Halloran heads to Elmira following three years with the Royals. The defensive forward sits fourth all-time in games played in Markham, posting 64 points in 149 games played.
  • Ray Hou, Amherst College – Hou heads to Amherst following one season with the Royals and three years in the OJHL. The electrifying defenceman put up 10 goals and 25 assists in 46 games in 2023/24 and represented Markham at the 2024 OJHL All-Star Showcase.
  • Hunter Svicki, SUNY Canton – Svicki, a key acquisition for the Royals at the 2023/24 trade deadline, heads to Canton following three years in the OJHL. The two-way defenceman produced eight goals and 46 points across 55 games with Pickering and Markham last season.
  • Nicolas Tan, Aurora University – Tan heads to Aurora following two years with the Royals and three years in Junior A hockey. The mobile defenceman produced one goal and fourteen assists in 46 games played for the Royals last season.

With this group of seven, the Royals have now committed 46 student-athletes to NCAA or USPORTS programs since moving to Markham in 2015, and over 200 players across the franchise’s extended history in Hamilton and Markham. We hope to continue to grow that number in years to come!