Photo (Left to Right, Top to Bottom): Kenny Turner, Cole Murphy, Nik Knezic (London), Nick Halagian

The Waterloo Warriors men's hockey team has gone coast-to-coast for their latest crop of new recruits.

The Warriors have announced the addition of four more players for the upcoming 2016-17 season, and each one comes to the Warriors from a different corner of the nation: Forward Cole Murphy played with the Jr. A Pictou County Weeks Crushers in Nova Scotia, forward Nick Halagian spent the past two seasons with the Jr. A Powell River Kings in BC, forward Kenny Turner arrives from the Jr. A Thunder Bay North Stars, and defenceman Nik Knezic (London) joins after a career split between the OHL's Niagara Ice Dogs and three Jr. B clubs.

"We know there are a lot of good players in leagues outside of Ontario," said Bourque. "We've had some success recruiting from out-of-province. We think these players can make an impact in our league."

Cole Murphy - Forward

Cole Murphy, a 5'10" winger, comes to the Warriors from a familiar part of eastern Canada – he and Bourque both hail from Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia. But even before their shared hometown came up, Murphy knew Waterloo was the right place for him.

"I actually had no idea he was from Cole Harbour at first," said Murphy. "It definitely made it more comfortable, and we know a lot of the same people. But getting the feel for the school, it seemed like a good fit for not only hockey but academics as well."

Murphy's coming off two high-flying seasons with the Pictou County Weeks Crushers of the Jr. A Maritime Hockey League, where he amassed 49 goals and 51 assists for 101 points in just 87 games. Before that, the skilled forward played parts of three seasons with Cape Breton and Sherbrooke of the QMJHL, registering 18 points in 127 major junior games.

According to Bourque, Murphy has the potential to be an impact offensively in the CIS. His scoring acumen, coupled with his character, made Murphy an appealing addition for the Waterloo bench boss.

"He's highly skilled, and he has a very good work ethic," said Bourque. "I think he's more skilled than his numbers in junior, especially in the Quebec league, would suggest. He's a great person, a very good teammate, and he has good hockey sense."

"I like to be an in-your-face kind of guy," added Murphy. "I'm an offensive guy, but I play with a lot of grit and passion. I like to take care of our own end, too."

Nick Halagian - Forward

Nick Halagian's path through junior hockey has taken him all over the country, but it was a 6-month span in his hometown of St. Catharine's that changed his career – and his life – unexpectedly.

The 6'0" Halagian had just completed his first season with the QMJHL's Baie-Comeau Drakkar, after two years with the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds of the OHL. The family's auto body shop, City Auto Tech, needed a new roof, and Nick and his father Chris – never ones to shy away from hard work – planned on doing the job themselves. But while working above the building, the elder Halagian fell and seriously injured his back, neck, and legs. All of a sudden, Nick had some new priorities, and they didn't involve playing hockey in a different province.

"I needed to take over and run the shop for him," said Halagian. "He couldn't work or do anything. He would come in and sit and give me instructions, and I'd do the work. I couldn't just take off (back to Quebec). That shop is income for our family, it's how we keep food on the table."

During his Dad's difficult recovery period, Halagian stayed sharp by playing with the Jr. B St. Catharine's Falcons. Once Chris returned to work in late 2014, Nick started contacting teams to play for midway through the season. It just so happened the best fit was over 4,000 km away, in Powell River, BC. 

"I couldn't have asked for a better situation, or a better time when I was there," said Halagian. "Being at home (during my Dad's recovery) just helped me regroup, I guess. I wanted to be an important player and put up numbers in the OHL, but it's hard when you're 16 or 17 years old. I couldn't have asked for a better situation than in Powell River though."

Halagian agreed with west coast living, and, evidently, it agreed with his game, as well – he registered 22 goals and 37 assists for 59 points and 143 PIM in 70 career games with the BCHL's Powell River Kings. Add to that 136 games of major junior experience, and Bourque knows he has a player with plenty of pedigree and potential – and with plenty of character to boot.

"He's thick, he plays hard," said Bourque. "He likes to hit and get under guys' skin, but he plays offensively. And he's a good student."

"I don't think I knew just how impressive the university was," added Halagian. "It's the perfect fit for me, both with the schooling and hockey. Work ethic is what I'm all about; I just try to bring it to the table every night."

Nik Knezic (London) - Defenceman

After playing 35 games between 2009-2011 with the Niagara Ice Dogs of the OHL, and eager to start his engineering degree, Nik Knezic (London) left major junior hockey and enrolled at uWaterloo, playing with both the Stratford Cullitons and Waterloo Siskins of the Jr. B GOJHL. He even skated with the Warriors a few times, with the intention of possibly suiting up with the club after his junior career was over. Then, in the summer of 2014, Knezic's life took a drastic turn.

"It was August 11, 2014," said Knezic. "I was diagnosed with testicular cancer. It kind of flips the script on your life."

As it turns out, the diagnosis was just the tip of the ice berg. After initial surgery, it was discovered that Knezic's cancer had spread to his lymph nodes. A round of intense chemotherapy helped, but a tumor had developed in his abdomen, and it needed to be removed immediately. Suddenly, Knezic's hockey career wasn't the most important thing at risk.

But another major abdomen operation and 10 months later, Knezic was given a clean bill of health ("I have a pretty sweet scar," he jokes now). And once it was clear he'd beaten the disease that tried to claim him, he immediately began plotting to get back on skates.

"Once you're in the clear, it changes your perspective on life," said Knezic. "When you step on to the ice and skate, and that first deep breath of cold air hits your lungs, it's both the worst and best feeling."

The lanky 6'5" Knezic actually started skating a bit with the Warriors last season, to see if he could regain his endurance and other hockey skills. Now, with a summer of training under his belt, he wants to earn his way into the lineup.

"Out of the blue, last summer, I got an email from him asking if he could skate with us," said Bourque. "I said, 'of course.' He has the perfect attitude on life; he cares. He's well-liked and smart, and he has a lot of potential. He's determined to do it."

In addition to his time with the Ice Dogs, Knezic has 29 points and 178 PIM in 74 career GOJHL games. But the London native says his real strength isn't captured on the scoresheet – and that his health battles have only strengthened his game on the ice.

"I like to play the shut-down role," said Knezic. "If you don't notice me, I've had a good game. And going through what I did, it makes you fall in love with things like hockey again. Cancer literally almost took my life away. It makes you evaluate the things you truly love, and I truly love hockey."

Kenny Turner - Forward

Kenny Turner is easy to underestimate based on his size, but that would be a dangerous premise for his opponents.

The 5'9" Thunder Bay native comes to the Warriors after three seasons with the Jr. A Thunder Bay North Stars of the SIJHL. In his final season, Turner captained the North Stars and was nominated for three league awards, winning the Most Improved Player award. 2015-16 also saw Turner establish career highs in goals (10), assists (32) and points (42). He also established himself as a quintessential two-way forward, dominating in the faceoff circle, killing penalties, and playing heavy power-play minutes. All told, Turner registered 27 goals and 60 assists for 87 points in 149 Jr. A games.

Turner knows how revered the Warriors hockey program is, but he's just as excited to be coming to study in the renowned uWaterloo Kinesiology department.

"Everyone kind of knows that Waterloo is very innovative in their Kinesiology program," said Turner. "That's definitely the biggest factor for me with Waterloo. On the ice, I want to come in and do anything I can to get a roster spot. I like to play 200 feet and bring a lot of energy."

"He's a hardworking, committed guy," added Bourque. "He gives everything he has in every situation, and he picks up systems quickly."

The four new Warriors will descend on Waterloo in early September for training camp, before opening the season for real on October 5, when the Warriors host the Guelph Gryphons.