By Jake Howorth, North York Rangers Communications and Digital Director. Image from OJHL Images.
Leas just finished off his Junior A hockey career this past April. He believes Elmira College will allow him to excel both on the ice and in the classroom.
“I picked Elmira because they have a great reputation for having strong teams each year while offering great academics. I really look forward to the next 4 years in a family atmosphere,” Leas explained.
The Whitehorse, Yukon native joined the Rangers in January after being acquired from the Aurora Tigers where he was the captain. His leadership and work ethic stood out right away and was a perfect fit for the Rangers young squad. He registered nine points (three goals and six assists) in 15 regular-season games with North York. He chipped in with three points in the playoffs in an upset first-round victory over the top-seeded Toronto Junior Canadiens before the playoffs were cancelled.
“I’m so grateful that I had the opportunity to play for NYR. Everyone within the organization are outstanding people and run the program very professionally. I enjoyed going to the rink every single day, and met very good friends along the way,” the forward said.
His commitment to the sport of hockey was evident early on. The Whitehorse, Yukon native travelled south to play hockey at a young age in various parts of British Columbia. Last year he spent the season with the Cochrane Crunch. Despite injuries, Leas posted 12 points in 14 games and came up big for the Crunch when they host the Dudley Hewitt Cup later that season. He recorded a team-high three goals and a total of six points in the tournament, which was one shy of the tournament best posted by Oakville’s Spencer Kersten.
Leas becomes the 29th North York player to commit to either the NCAA or U SPORTS since 2016.
