For any questions about the Canadian Junior hockey landscape, or any topic suggestions you may have, please contact Ryan Gibson at gibsonryan17@gmail.com.
Trail Smoke Eaters of the British Columbia
Michael Colella, a Turnersville, N.J., native had a great season playing for the Trail Smoke Eaters of the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL). After a crazy 2018-19 season that saw him bounce around between four different Junior teams, Colella found a great home in Trail and fit right in.
Colella played three years for Bishop Eustace Prep in New Jersey. Although he has no games played on record in any of his three seasons he showed great growth in terms of points while playing high school hockey. During the 2014-15 season, he put up 7-7-14 numbers and also played for the Igloo Jaguars 16U program where he tallied 12-9-21 numbers in 20 games.
The following season for Bishop Eustace Colella put up 8-10-18 numbers and also played for Team Comcast 16U where he scored 14 goals and added 10 assists for 24 points in 28 games. During his final year of high school hockey in 2016-17, Colella put up a massive 18-19-37 numbers. He played 18U hockey for Team Comcast that year as well, putting up 4-10-14 in 17 games.
During the 2017-2018 season, his first year out of high school hockey, Colella played for the Virtua Hockey 18U program where he put up 9-13-22 in 20 games.
AAA Midget Hockey to Junior Hockey
After playing a season of 18U Colella made the jump to Junior hockey. He began the 2018-19 season playing for the PAL Junior Islanders in the NCDC. After scoring 21 points in just 10 games the USHL came calling. He first went to the Omaha Lancers and was then on the way to Kearney, Neb., after being traded to the Tri-City Storm where he totaled 7 points in 18 games. His last stop on his USHL journey was finally with the Lincoln Stars where he put up 13 points in 26 games during his time there.
This season, with some stability, Colella had a great season. Playing on a very strong Trail team — the Smoke Easters had three players finish in the top four of scoring — Colella finished 3rd overall in BCHL scoring with 27-41-68 numbers and was the highest-scoring American in the league. In four playoff games, he had three points before the season was ultimately canceled due to the COVID-19 virus.
Colella committed to Colorado College in 2018 and should be a freshman there next year.
