Provided photo Campbell River’s Zach Erhardt puts a puck past a goaltender during a game last season at the Rod Brind’Amour Arena in Campbell River, British Columbia.

KELOWNA, BRITISH COLUMBIA — “He is a stick of dynamite on blades,” that is how Kelowna Chiefs head coach Ken Law describes recent Finlandia University commit Zach Erhardt.

Law has been coaching for over 40 years. He has seen a lot of players come through his locker room door. When Finlandia staff sat down with him in Rutland Arena to talk about Erhardt, Law had a grin. It was the same grin that coaches had when they described last years Lion scoring leader Teddy Randell.

“He is a really good hockey player… and he’s a snake,” said Law. “He’s going to get you one way or another if you know what I mean.”

Indeed Erhardt did bite teams in many ways last season. He racked up 101 points in 49 games in the Kootenay Junior Hockey League. He also terrorized opposing teams in a way prompting Lions assistant coach Micah Stipech to refer to him as “a left-handed Teddy Randell,” when referring to Erhardt in scouting meetings.

“I was telling Lee Stone, who at the time was Dawson McKay’s assistant coach with the Surrey Eagles, about the traits we were looking for,” said Stipech.

“I know who you want,” Stone said. “You want Zach Erhardt.”

Erhardt had won a championship with Stone’s Campbell River Storm in 2016-17.

“As I started watching Zach he reminded me of (the Montreal Canadiens’) Brendan Gallagher,” said Stipech. “He is a hustler. He is a sniper. He is explosive. He is relentless. He drives other teams crazy and his fans love him.”

Stipech believes that Erhardt will be effective at the NCAA level.

“Well, first of all he can think the game,” Stipech said. “Secondly, the kid is fast and executes at high speed very well. If you are playing on his line, you are going to get scoring chances, but be ready for the puck. There will be an adjustment period, but he has the intangibles.”

Similar to other commits the Lions have announced, Erhardt is a solid two-way player.

“He is a 200-foot player with fantastic hands and a great feel for the game. He plays much larger than he is. He makes guys around him better. He shows up to work every shift,” said Law.

Erhardt describes himself as, “a gritty 200-foot player who can pitch in offensively, but also play strong in the defensive zone.”

The Lions staff have also prioritized the character strength of resilience, wanting recruits who have demonstrated that they can overcome adversity and push through quitting points. Erhardt contributed for the powerful Okanagan Rockets Major Midget team for two seasons before suiting up for two British Columbia Junior Hockey League teams and two Alberta Junior Hockey League Teams during his 17, 18 and 19-year-old seasons.

The only thing harder than walking into a new locker room with your bag over your shoulder trying to take somebody’s spot is when you have to walk out.

In preparation for the jump to college hockey, Erhardt is training hard and meeting the nutrition goals the Lions staff have set for him which means eating five big meals a day. Erhardt, who is working a summer job at a local golf course, commented on the experience.

“Yeah, some of the guys at work are looking at me pretty funny during our morning break when I’m putting down a full dinner-sized meal,” he said.

Finlandia head coach Joe Burcar was just as hungry to get Erhardt in.

“I’m so excited to get Zach here,” said Burcar. “Everything I have heard and seen with him is so in line with where we are going as a program. We have done our homework and we feel like we have won the lottery. I can’t wait to meet him and I can’t wait for fans to see him.”

Erhardt is looking forward to arriving in Hancock also.

“The smaller school atmosphere and the interest the staff has shown in me as a hockey player really attracted me to choose Finlandia,” he said.

Erhardt is planning on majoring in Sports Management at Finlandia.

“My No. 1 goal would be to ultimately play pro hockey after school, but also leaving with a degree will be great for my future,” he said.

Pro hockey may be in his blood. Zach’s father, Trevor, is regarded as one of the all-time fan favorites in Frankfurt, Germany, hockey lore. The Calgary native played there for both Eintracht and ESC Frankfurt.

His retired number 27 now hangs from the rafters in Eissporthalle Frankfurt Ice Arena. He also played for Team Canada in the 1988-89 Spengler Cup where he faced an American team in the final who were bolstered by local legend Mark Maroste.

It makes sense that when asked what number he would like to wear at Finlandia, Zach asked for number 27.

“Four years from now, we’d love nothing more than to see Zach playing in Germany wearing number 27. But first, we want him to be our fan favorite,” said Burcar.

Should things work as Lions coaches believe, Erhardt could join Lions veteran forward Connor Hannon after graduation with both following their father’s’ footsteps. Connor’s father, Brian, who is an assistant coach at Finlandia, overlapped his stellar overseas career with Erhardt’s in Germany.

For now, however, the focus is preparing for a freshmen year in what has become the strongest conference in NCAA Division III hockey.

“What I’m looking forward to most in NCAA hockey is the opportunity to continue playing the game with a new group of players and having a whole different experience away from home and out of my comfort zone,” Erhardt said.

Law is confident that Erhardt will flourish.

“Zach will add scoring to your team and leadership through his determined play,” said Law. “He has a great release on the PP (power play). He has real vision and passing ability along with being able to receive passes at full speed and control. He will be a great leader and will gain respect of not only his teammates but other teams, players and fans.

“He is a stick of dynamite on blades.”