The Acadia Axemen have announced that Pictou County Weeks Crushers captain Kiefer Avery has committed to their program for next season.
The forward from Westville, N.S. was a territorial selection by the Crushers, 30th overall, in the 2020 MHL Entry Draft. In his rookie season of 2021-22, Avery had five goals and twelve assists in 36 games. He played all 52 games the following season and had six goals and 24 assists with one assist in four playoff games. In 2023-24, Avery played 31 games and had nine goals and fourteen assists. He added one assist in six playoff games.
In his final season in the MHL, Avery once again played all 52 regular season games. He finished third in team scoring with nineteen goals and 41 assists for 60 points. His five game-winning goals led the Crushers and Avery tallied the third-most powerplay assists in the league with 20. In the Crushers’ run to the Metalfab MHL Cup Final, Avery had three goals and eight assists. He was twice named to the Eastlink South Team of the Week, and was the winner of the MHL’s Community Spirit Award for his efforts off the ice.
In the university’s announcement, Axemen head coach Darren Burns likes the addition of Avery to his roster, saying, “Kiefer is a player who has an extremely high character level. He was an excellent leader in junior. Any time a forward plays the point on the powerplay, it immediately shows that he is a very intelligent hockey player. His work ethic and commitment to the game are something a team can never have enough of. We feel he is a player who continues to get better each year.”
The MHL congratulates Avery on his post-secondary commitment.