Icy shoes to fill

Five graduating seniors will make interesting changes for the men’s hockey roster

The Bisons shared a press release on Feb. 3 stating that five seniors for the men’s hockey team will be ending their time as Bisons. The five athletes are Codey Behun, Michael King, Evan Toth, Jackson Arpin and Jonny Hooker.

The Bisons finished the 2025-26 season with a 12-16-0 record. The herd had a better record playing away games, posting a 9-5-0 record, while struggling to maintain consistency at home at the Wayne Fleming Arena with a 3-11-0 record. January featured a strong stretch that included road sweeps of the Trinity Western University Spartans and MacEwan University Griffins and wins over the University of Alberta Golden Bears and University of Regina Cougars. Despite ending the year on a three-game losing streak, the herd showed resilience and growth throughout the season.

Compared to the 2024-25 season, the herd showed clear improvement. The previous season saw the Bisons finish 8-20-0, struggling at home (5-9-0) and on the road (3-11-0). The 2025-26 season included a much stronger road record.

Hooker, a fourth-year student, concludes his Bisons career as the captain of the herd. He played 28 games over the 2025-26 season, scored 10 goals, recorded 11 assists and accumulated 21 points. He also scored two game-winning goals this season.

Arpin, a fourth-year student, played in 26 games this season, registering five points — three goals and two assists. He was the only athlete to score a shorthanded goal for the herd this season.

Toth, a fourth-year student, skated in 24 games in 2025-26 with four assists.

King, a fifth-year forward from Winnipeg, played in 28 games, recording two goals and two assists for four points. He played in all the available games, showing his consistency and reliability.

Behun, a fifth-year student, played 24 games, collecting five points — three goals, two assists. He also had 24 shots, averaging one shot per game, suggesting a winning urge for the team.

With these five players graduating, the Bisons men’s hockey team will look to fill key leadership and roster roles heading into the 2026–27 season. The program will also name a new team captain to succeed Hooker, while head coach Gordon Burnett may evaluate adjustments to the lineup and team strategy as the herd builds on the progress shown this year.