TORONTO — The 2024-25 season saw history repeat itself for the TMU Bold men's hockey team. For the second straight year, they skated to an OUA silver medal and a fourth place finish at the University Cup (U Cup) tournament in Ottawa, an impressive feat for a tournament where the Bold experienced some bumps along the way. A record-setting game—the longest game in U Sports men's hockey history— set the tone for a gritty U Cup run that saw the Bold fall short of earning a medal.

Despite the heartbreak, the goal hasn't changed. After finishing 22-15-0 overall and weathering a slow start last season, the Bold return this 2025-26 season with 16 new faces and the same champion mindset.

"We definitely want to get back to the Queen's Cup and back to nationals with some better results," said goaltender Kai Edmonds. "We're looking for something to prove this year. We have something to prove to the rest of the league and to ourselves."

The drive to capture gold starts with the carefully crafted roster, built for the pressure of the season ahead. Head Coach Johnny Duco describes the group as the right mix of experienced players and fresh energy: veterans who have been to national championships, quality veteran transfers who have NCAA and U Sports experience for whom the learning curves are a bit easier, and first year players who are ready to learn from the others.

Among the 16 new additions to the roster this year are defenceman Jack Budd with NCAA experience, former captain of the York Lions, forward Brock McLeod, defenceman Klim Georgiev who also hails from York's men's hockey team and defenceman Hunter Donohoe from MacEwan University where he set a program record with 22 assists in a single season.

Since arriving, the new recruits have done a lot of team bonding, forming relationships with the returning players and shaping what already feels like an extremely well-rounded team heading into the regular season. Edmonds noted how the new guys have been doing whatever it takes for the team, a statement that was echoed by Donohoe, in the name of winning.

"Ultimately I just want to win, whatever I have to do to help the team win, I will do," said Donohoe. "Being able to be trusted and help a team win would be great."

Adding to the  firepower, the Bold also see the return of a strong group of top scorers from last season including Ian Martin, Will Portokalis, and Aleks Dimovski. 

"This is my fourth year in the league ," said Portokalis. "I know the pace of the game and how a lot of teams are coached and how their guys and their systems work. Another year for me here and I'll be able to expand on that knowledge."

Leading the team is newly named captain Connor Bowie, a top scorer and assistant captain last season. His leadership both on and off the ice is what sets the group up for success. 

"He's the guy that you want to be your captain," said Edmonds. "He is just very positive energy, but always is pushing at the same time, always wanting to get the best out of himself and do the best  for the team."

Currently, Bowie is sidelined with an injury, but continues to support the team. Duco describes Bowie as an extension of their coaching staff, which is why Bowie is visible behind the bench alongside the other coaches and support staff. 

Joining Bowie on the injured list is Daniil Grigorev, who led the pack last season with 28 points (15 G, 13 A). Once both Bowie and Grigorev are back in the lineup, the Bold will be at full strength, with a core of veterans and top scorers.

"When we get [Bowie] and Grigorev back, that's two of the top forwards, I feel, in all of U Sports," said Duco. "Once we insert those two back in our lineup, we're going to be a pretty dangerous group."

The goaltending trio rounds out the lineup. Between the pipes, the Bold are led by Edmonds, whose consistency and big-game experience gives the team confidence in tough situations. Edmonds has played for Team Canada at two different FISU games, proving his prowess on the ice. Dugas has shown his calm composure and quick reflexes stepping in whenever he is needed, while Sergei Litvinov helps push both goaltenders to be the best version of themselves and vice versa.

There are many characteristics that have been used to describe the team this year. When asked how they would describe the team this year, players used words like family, selflessness, sacrifice and passion. The family atmosphere and mentality is what drives the team to be better and fosters the trust that each player has in their teammate.

"The team is super close," said Donohoe. "I think that really helps the team in the long run when it gets down to the third periods—when your back is against the wall, you have to look to the left and right on the bench and know you can trust the guy beside you."  

Selflessness, passion and sacrifice are what are actively being practiced on the ice. Edmonds highlighted players stepping up wherever needed, especially Spencer Shugrue, who isn't afraid to throw himself in front of any puck to ward off shots. Portokalis emphasized that offensive success doesn't come from individual skill alone; it comes from playing the right way, together as a team.

Another thing to take note of this year isn't just the new blue and white jerseys—it's the speed the Bold are showcasing on the ice.

"We're faster," said Duco. "We've got tremendous speed and we've been really fortunate to bring in four or five players who've come in and really popped early here and shown they can be pretty significant contributors for us."

In addition to speed, the team's presence on ice is more formidable. With some bigger players up front, the Bold are stronger this season.

"Compared to last year we might be a little bit bigger up front with some taller guys," says Edmonds. 

The size advantage, combined with their speed and depth will be key as the Bold look to dominate the 2025-26 season. The pre-season has shown a team that is quickly building chemistry and a rather successful pre-season run gave fans a glimpse of what's to come. 

The regular season will commence on October 2 against the Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks at the Mattamy Athletic Centre, giving fans a first look at what promises to be an exciting season. Puck drops at 6:15 p.m.