It hasn’t taken long for Nelson Leafs alumnus Bryce Sookro to make an impression at the NCAA level.
Now manning the blue line for the Clarkson University Golden Knights in Potsdam, N.Y., the Nelson native has settled in with confidence, collecting four assists in his first eight games — including a two-assist night against Penn State on Oct. 9, which marked his first collegiate points. He’s also added nine shots and 11 blocked shots to his stat line.
“He’s improving week by week and commanding more ice time as the season progresses,” says Golden Knights head coach Jean-Francois Houle. “He brings physicality to our club and he’s hard to play against.”
Houle says Sookro caught his attention for his ability to contribute in all situations at the junior level. He describes the young defenceman as “very coachable” and someone who “comes from a great family with strong values.”
Adjusting to the NCAA’s fast pace and physical demands has been a challenge Sookro has embraced.
“I think I’ve been doing alright so far,” he says. “This last weekend, I felt a lot more comfortable.”
Before heading south, Sookro spent the 2021-22 season with his hometown Leafs, where he put up 29 points in 41 games and was named both the Neil Murdoch Division’s Top Defenceman and Rookie of the Year. He says that year helped him learn the professionalism required to succeed at higher levels.
“I think the best thing for me was playing at home,” says Sookro, who moved on to the BCHL’s Cranbrook Bucks. “I got to play in front of a home crowd with my family there every night. The travel was pretty good for us — we didn’t really have to go too far.”
That season at home laid the groundwork for his next steps — and so far, Sookro is proving he belongs on the NCAA stage.
