Kimberley Dynamiters defenceman Derian Bamber has committed to play with the Selkirk College Saints, a provincial collegiate league.
Bamber has been with the Dynamiters for two seasons and in 84 regular season games, he has totaled nine goals and 28 assists for 37 points.
From his two seasons with the Dynamiters, he says “It was the best two years of my life.”
“It was something I wasn’t expecting to happen and when it did I was super happy. Obviously, a lot of success on the ice and some of my best friends I’ve met in my entire life were off the ice as well, so it was great.”
For Bamber, a moment with the Dynamiters he will never forget was winning the KIJHL championship in 2018 against the Revelstoke Grizzlies.
“That was something special and something I will never forget,” he said.
Bamber says he wants to come back and visit as much as possible and loved his time in Kimberley.
“Just seeing a community that’s so tightly-knit like that and everybody is so kind to one another. Everybody is happy there, it’s something I didn’t even know really existed before I moved there. It was great to be part of it for two seasons,” he said.
Dynamiters head coach and general manager Derek Stuart said it is a big loss to lose a player like Bamber.
“He’s a really valuable defenceman in the sense he’s probably not the best at anything, but he really good at everything,” he explained. “A guy like that you can put him in a situation and he’s able to contribute, and Derian did that for two seasons for us.”
Stuart said Bamber has left a mark on the hockey team, and the whole organization is happy to see him continue on.
“It makes the whole organization proud — everyone from the president down to the trainers. It’s not just about the young kids and moving them into junior A or the WHL, it’s helping the older guys move on to college too, it’s equally important for us as an organization,” he said.
Selkirk College is part of the British Columbia Intercollegiate Hockey League (BCIHL). In the 2018/19 season, the Saints were second in the standings with a 12-7-0-4 record.
“They had a wide variety of programs that I was interested in,” said Bamber. “They showed a lot of interest right from the start and I eventually decided to stay in Canada. It was the best fit for me.”
Bamber, who is from Grande Prairie, Alta., said he fell in love with the area, which also helped with his decision to commit to the Saints.
Bamber says he models his play after Nashville Predators defenceman Roman Josi.
“It’s someone I look up to. He is one of the best in the league, and he puts defence first, but he jumps up in the play whenever he sees an opportunity, and he’s an elite defenceman,” said Bamber.
Bamber will be a student-athlete in the fall at Selkirk, not only will he be lacing up his skates, but he will be studying business.
“I’m pretty excited. It’s going to be something new, obviously going to school and playing hockey at the same time, but it’s really exciting and I’m ready to go,” he said.
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