Kyle Hope Chooses University Route Over Pro

Blenheim’s Kyle Hope could have been playing professional hockey this season. In fact, he signed a contract in the offseason with the American Hockey League’s Springfield Falcons.

After playing for the Columbus Blue Jackets at the Traverse City NHL Rookie Tournament however, Hope has decided to go a different route, rather than join a professional team.

Instead, Hope will be attending the University of Windsor, where he will play for the Lancers men’s hockey team and study Liberal Studies.

Hope joins a Windsor Lancers team that is the reigning OUA champion, and also features Chatham-Kent product Blake Blondeel.

In his five year OHL career, Hope played in 299 regular season and playoff games split between the Oshawa Generals and Owen Sound Attack. Playing with the Attack last season, Hope had 24 goals and 24 assists in 54 games, and finished the year by playing two games in the American Hockey League with the Lake Erie Monsters.

Hope and the Windsor Lancers will open their 2014-2015 OUA season October 1 when they host the University of Guelph Gryphons.