The University of Toronto men's hockey program is pleased to announce that 2015 NHL draft pick Riley Bruce has signed a letter of intent and committed to play for the Varsity Blues beginning in the 2018-19 season.
 
Bruce, who was selected 196th overall by the Calgary Flames in the 2015 NHL draft, joins the Blues after five seasons with the North Bay Battalion of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). There, the 6-foot-7, 212-pound defenceman served as an assistant captain from 2015-17 and team captain in 2017-18. He is coming off his best season, having scored five goals and adding 15 assists for 20 points in 2017-18.
 
"Riley is a big, strong defenceman who plays well in his own end but also showed he's capable of contributing offensively this past year," said Varsity Blues head coach Ryan Medel. "He's been a tremendous leader at the OHL level throughout his career. Riley also values education and is an intelligent young man. He's an important addition to our group and will fit in well with our culture."
 
The Carp, Ont., native leaves the Battalion with the second-most games played in franchise history, in both the regular season (269) and playoffs (46).
 
"The University of Toronto has the best of both worlds in academics and athletics," said Bruce. "I got a really good vibe from the coaching staff and the players on the team. It seems like they are very excited about the program moving forward. In addition, a degree from an institution like U of T will go a long way." 
 
Students who sign a letter of intent and/or commit to Varsity Blues intercollegiate teams will be eligible to play at the University of Toronto provided they are academically admissible and have applied through the normal process with the Ontario Universities Application Centre.
 
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