Jefferson Hagen, MacEwan Athletics

EDMONTON – As much as Loeden Schaufler contributes on the ice as a smart, sound two-way defenceman, the tipping point in his recruitment to the MacEwan Griffins men's hockey program was what head coach Michael Ringrose heard about his off-ice qualities.

"It's not too often you get phone calls from a number of prominent people in the hockey world advocating for the character of the man and that's what happened here," explained Ringrose, who officially announced Schaufler's addition to the squad for the 2021-22 U SPORTS season on Monday.

"I'm really excited to get him in, not just to see what he can do on the ice, but how he can help our team in the locker-room and off the ice with his character and the intangibles he has."

Among Schaufler's intangibles is championship experience. In 2019, the product of Edge School and Notre Dame programs helped the Prince Albert Raiders win the Western Hockey League title.

A year later, he had a great shot at two in a row when he was playing for the powerhouse Edmonton Oil Kings – the favourites to come out of the Eastern Conference – but COVID-19 forced the cancellation of the playoffs.

Those were just two of seven teams the De Winton, Alta. product played in three leagues over parts of five seasons (2016-21) in a 152-game junior career, also suiting up for Notre Dame (SJHL), Kootenay (WHL), Seattle (WHL), Spruce Grove (AJHL) and Sherwood Park (AJHL).

There's no doubt the seasoned junior journey that Schaufler has had – including 118 games in the WHL – can only help the Griffins, who are getting set for their Canada West regular season debut Oct. 15 in Regina.

"He had three years in the Western Hockey League and then he finished his 20-year-old season last year with the Sherwood Park Crusaders in the Alberta Junior Hockey League where he was a point-a-game defenceman for them," noted Ringrose of Schaufler's 13-points-in-16-games run for the Cru during a shortened COVID-affected 2020-21 campaign.

"He's a really steady guy who is able to contribute at both ends of the rink. He has nice size to him – he's 6-1, 185 pounds – but the thing that kept coming up about him is just his ability to play in every situation. He can help on the powerplay, he can definitely kill penalties, is solid at both ends of the rink and brings good character."