WATERLOO, Ont. - The Golden Hawks men's hockey team has officially named Tyler Ertel as the assistant coach.  

"I can't express how excited and grateful I am for this opportunity to be a part of the Golden Hawks hockey family," Ertel said. 

The Kitchener, Ont. native played over four years in the OHL with the North Bay Centennials, Windsor Spitfires, and Kitchener Rangers, amassing 273 points and winning several awards, including playoffs MVP and Most Popular Player award with the latter in 1991-92.

He was selected in the 1990 NHL Draft by the Vancouver Canucks.  

Ertel is no stranger to U SPORTS either. He attended the University of Prince Edward Island and played for the men's hockey team from 1994-97, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree. 

He then completed a Bachelor of Education at Western University and has over two decades of teaching experience as a high school teacher in the Waterloo Region. 

Ertel has dedicated his life to hockey in every aspect. He is the founder and CEO of Holistic Hockey, an elite hockey development program where he has worked with thousands of aspiring players to help them achieve their goals and reach their highest potential, both on and off the ice. 

Ertel joins the Golden Hawks after a successful year as an assistant coach with the OHL's Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds in 2023-24, finishing third overall in the league and being a Memorial Cup finalist.  

"Tyler is a great addition to our program and will contribute to all areas with a team focus on the offensive side of the game and our players' individual skill development," manager of men's hockey operations and head coach Kevin Forrest said.  

Ertel was first introduced to the team last year as a skills trainer and quickly made a lasting impression. 

"Tyler was a big hit with the players right away. It didn't take long for us all to feel he would be a great addition to our program daily. He brings a lot of fresh energy and ideas to the program along with a deep connection with some of our alumni and the community." 

"Tyler's experience with players at the pro, college and major junior levels will greatly benefit our development and program's performance on and off the ice."