The first Milton Menace commitment of the 2021-22 season has found his next home in hockey.
Holden Rogers, third year forward and alternate captain of the Menace, has announced his commitment to the Ryerson Rams of uSPORTS for the 2022-23 season.
Rogers has been an offensive catalyst for the Menace this season amassing 54 points (29G-25A) in 42 games played and attributes his work ethic and dedication to his Ryerson commitment. “When I first committed to Ryerson, I just thought to myself how all of my hard work had finally paid off,” Rogers said. “I am excited to play at the next level and can’t wait to see how much I improve as a player and person while I am there.”
Although the Hamilton, Ontario native had a handful of schools to choose from, he ultimately chose Ryerson as he felt it was the best fit for his post-secondary education and the continuation of his hockey career.
“I had already known about Ryerson’s great arena, location and program I would take there,” Rogers continued. “But it’s when I talked to the coaching staff is when I was sold. Their team just seems so committed to improving their players and moving them to the pro-level.”
Rogers has been a part of the Menace since its inauguration in 2019. In his first season with the Menace, he amassed 23 points in 54 games. The following season, hockey as we know it would be put on pause as COVID-19 and the pandemic shook the world. Rogers spent that entire year preparing himself for the 2021-22 season, and it paid off. This season would become his most notable to-date as a hockey player. Now, he finds himself at the top of the OJHL leader board with 29 goals. Rogers credits the Menace and head coach Dan Del Monte for his improvement.
“Coach Dan has done a great job building this team both on and off the ice. The support that players give to one other is not something I have seen before, and it’s valuable to be a part of,” Rogers continues. “Dan has put me in situations where I can be successful, such as playing on special teams or putting me on the ice late in the games. But I think Dan has helped me most by teaching me how to simplify my game through the neutral zone and by allowing me to be creative in the offensive zone.”
With this season being his last eligible year in the OJHL and just 12 games remaining in the regular season, Rogers reflected on his time spent with the Menace organization and what it has meant to him to have worn black and gold for the past three seasons.
“I can’t say enough good things about the Milton Menace as an organization,” Rogers said. “It’s filled with great people from top to bottom and has created a winning culture because everyone within it cares so much. My time here has been great, and I’m looking forward to the next few months here to see what we can accomplish.”
The Menace would like to extend their congratulations to Holden and his family on this great accomplishment. We’re excited to see what he can accomplish at the next stage of his hockey career.
