Warren Shymko's hockey career isn't ending in the junior ranks.
The 6-foot-2, 190-pound goaltender is headed to Ottawa to play for the Gee Gee's in the Canadian Interuniversity Sport.
"I was pretty excited obviously, it's a pretty prestigious school and stuff," Shymko told Benny Walchuk of GX94. "It took longer than I wanted it to, but I'm pretty excited to go there."
Shymko tossed and turned over several different CIS options over the offseason, eventually deciding on Ottawa partially because of its strong business program.
"There was some other schools that you have to turn down," he said to GX94. "It's the thing that you have to think about where you want to be for four years. It was tough, but I'm happy I made the decision and I can't wait to get there."
"The program (led me to Ottawa), they have a pretty strong business program. And that's kind what your future is about and that's what I wanted to get into. That was kind of a factor. And they have a good hockey program and a good coach."
The Calder, Sk., native isn't too familiar with any of his future teammates yet. He does, however, somewhat know Melville Product Austin Krahenbil, who played for the Millionaires in the SJHL.
"Austin Krahenbil, is from around the area," he said. "I think he's going into his last season. Other than that I don't know any guys there."
Shymko played two seasons with the Yorkton Terriers before suiting up for the Kindersley Klippers in his overage season last year. His time with his hometown Terriers stands out as the peak of the his SJHL career.
"My two years with the Terriers was the highlight of my junior hockey career," said Shymko in a March interview with YTW. "We were a good team and going to the league finals was a great experience. I loved every minute of it in Yorkton."
Despite standing stall in the blue paint, Shymko's junior career came to halt when the Klippers fell to the Estevan Bruins this year in the Sherwood Division Survivor Series.
"It was unfortunate we couldn't win, but I was happy with how I played," said Shymko shortly after his SJHL career ended. "I thought those three games were some of my better performances."
The 21-year-old wrapped up his SJHL career with 90 regular-season games played between the pipes, maintaining a 3.12 average and a .904 save percentage for 41 wins.
Before Shymko heads to Ottawa, he's got his work cut out for him in Saskatchewan with offseason training and farming.
"(I've just) been hitting the gym," said Shymko. "(I'm) doing everything to get your offseason going and maintain your shape and doing some farming work."
