April 16, 2007
FAIRBANKS, AK -Alaska Nanook hockey announces the signing of defenseman Scott Enders of Edmonton, Alberta, to a National Letter of Intent for the University of Alaska Fairbanks.
"I am looking forward to playing with the Nanooks," said Enders. "They have a good group of guys and great coaches."
A 6-foot-0, 175-pound defenseman, Enders played with the Lloydminster Bobcats of the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL) this season. A rookie in the AJHL, Enders had a solid season contributing five goals and 25 assists for 30 points with 129 penalty minutes. Lloydminster's Top Defenseman, he was also a member of the AJHL Northern Division Prospects Team and the AJHL All-Rookie Team.
"He is the best young defenseman in the Alberta Junior Hockey League," said assistant coach Wade Klippenstein, "He is the defenseman that is the complete package; he can play physical, he can play offensive and he is great in his own end."
Prior to joining the Bobcats, Enders played two seasons in the Alberta AAA Midget Hockey League. In 2005-06 he had eight goals and 11 assists with 56 penalty minutes in 36 games with the Knights of Columbus Pats. He played the 2004-05 season with the Knights of Columbus Colts, when he amassed four goals and 23 assists with 65 penalty minutes in 32 games.
"He is a fantastic skater," Klippenstein said. "He is similar to (fellow Nanook recruit Jeff) Penner; they can both skate really well except that he (Enders) is a right shot and it's hard finding good right shot defensemen in the junior level. He is a guy we identified early in the year as being a top prospect and fortunately for us he committed to us."
Enders visited Fairbanks the first weekend in February and watched the Nanooks tie their Central Collegiate Hockey Association opponent that weekend, the University of Miami Redhawks, 2-2 in overtime.
"I had a different image of what it would be like." he said, "The guys were a lot bigger, stronger and faster. I know that I'm going to have to get bigger and stronger, being that I'm a defenseman."
With Enders, the Nanooks have nine AJHL alumni in the program, a fact that he admitted contributed to his decision.
"I knew the team had a lot of AJHL guys so I knew that would make it easier for me to fit in eventually," he said.
Having played the majority of his hockey career on a regulation rink, Enders realizes there will be a transition for him to adjust to the Nanooks' Olympic-sized home ice sheet.
"I know there will be a bit of a transition, but I'm a smaller, faster skater so I think I'll fit in well."
The 18-year-old rearguard, who plans to pursue a degree in business at UAF, overcame expectations when he signed a NLI to play hockey for the Nanooks.
"During Bantams I didn't get drafted because of my size and I've always been told I'm too small," Enders said. "I didn't expect to play college hockey but I am excited for the opportunity to get an education while playing hockey."
He joins forward Kevin Petovello (Sparwood, B.C.) and defenseman Jeff Penner (Steinbach, Manitoba) as the third recruit to sign during the NCAA's late signing period and sixth of the season, joining forwards Jamie Benn (Victoria, B.C.) and Landon Novotney (Red Deer, AB) and defenseman Bryant Molle (Anchorage, AK).
