A key piece of the Canmore Eagles historic championship run is taking his game to the next level. The junior hockey club announced on June 12, 2026, that assistant captain Haruki Morikawa, a 21-year-old forward from Banff, has committed to play for the University of Alberta Augustana Campus Vikings of the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference.
The commitment marks the seventh post-secondary placement for the Eagles this season, an impressive total following the franchise’s first-ever Alberta Junior Hockey League title. Morikawa, born April 15, 2005, helped lead a resilient Canmore squad to a 32-19-3-1 regular season record and first place in the South Division. The team outscored opponents 209-170 before capturing the Inter Pipeline Cup with a 4-1 series win over the Whitecourt Wolverines.
Serving as assistant captain, Morikawa played a central role during a season defined by injuries. The Eagles lost former captain Casey Black for an extended period but maintained their identity. “We didn’t try to play like Casey,” Morikawa told the Rocky Mountain Outlook during the final. “We just kind of played how we play, to our identity, and we just pushed that extra mile.”
After claiming the league banner, the Eagles represented Alberta at the 2026 Centennial Cup National Championship in Summerside, Prince Edward Island in May. Morikawa’s commitment follows the footsteps of teammates like playoff MVP Alexander Scheiwiller, who will attend Mount Royal University. All seven commitments for the 2025-26 season are listed on the AJHL college commitments page.
Morikawa will join a Vikings men’s hockey program that has competed in the ACAC since 1970. The University of Alberta Augustana Campus is located in Camrose, about 90 kilometres southeast of Edmonton. The Vikings finished the 2025-26 season with a 9-15 record, and Morikawa’s arrival offers a boost for a team looking to climb the conference standings.
