Game On Magazine - April 2017 Game on Preview Edition | Page 96

Bisons head coach Mike
Sirant is thrilled with St.
Croix’s arrival – as he is with
three other blue chip recruits,
Zach Franko, Lucas Skrumeda
and Calvin Spencer.
Michael St. Croix, Zach
Franko, Lucas Skrumeda and
Calvin Spencer – should go a
long way to filling the holes
left on the ice.
“St. Croix and Franko
are highly skilled offensive
players who have a history
together,” said Sirant. “They
played on the same line
throughout their minor
hockey days in Winnipeg.
Zach has tremendous speed
and great hands while Michael
is a very intelligent and gifted
playmaker. They both can
score and will be expected to
help lead the offensive attack
this coming season.
“Michael has a very
impressive hockey
background. He was part
of the Edmonton Oil Kings
when they won the WHL
championship and he was
a fourth-round selection of
the New York Rangers. He
also had good numbers in
the ECHL, but he wanted an
education and he just had
an amazing year. He made a
commitment. He wanted to
get into the Asper School and
he worked extremely hard to
get there. Michael is highly
respected. There will probably
be a transition period this
year after taking the year off,
although he did play in the
Allan Cup last spring. We
expect him to be one of our
most important players.”
Sirant’s outstanding
recruiting year impressed St.
Croix and he’s excited about
the Bisons’ potential.
“We have a number of
outstanding recruits to go
with a pretty good team that
was already here,” said St.
Croix, who practiced with the
Bisons last season. “This will
be a very good hockey team
for years to come.”
There was a moment
in time when Mike St. Croix
9 6 | G AM E O N | S E P T EM BER 2 0 1 7
"that year away
was good for
me. Mentally, so
now I’ve taken a
step back and I’m
playing hockey
because I love
it again"
was a can’t miss prospect.
His dad was a goaltender who
played nine seasons in the
NHL with Philadelphia and
Toronto and then became
an assistant coach with
the Winnipeg Jets 1.0 and
now a goalie coach with the
Manitoba Moose and had
helped develop into one of
the top Bantam (Monarchs)
and Midget (Wild) players
ever developed in Manitoba.
In 2008-09, he had 46 goals
and 88 points for the Triple A
Midget champion Winnipeg
Wild and in 2011-12, he had
45 goals and 105 points for
the WHL champion Edmonton
Oil Kings. At the ECHL level,
he had three strong seasons in
Greenville.
But now he’s back at home,
playing with the Bisons and
excited about his future.
“I’m really excited,” he said.
“I needed to take a step back
and that year away was good
for me. Mentally, I re-set. Pro
didn’t go as well as I expected
it to go, so now I’ve taken
a step back and I’m playing
hockey because I love it again.
Who knows wher