The Truro Bearcats have announced that defenseman Zach Welsh has committed to Dalhousie University for the 2024-25 season.
The 20-year-old from Halifax, N.S. was selected by the Bearcats in the 8th Round, 114th overall, of the 2019 MHL Entry Draft. In his rookie season of 2019-20, Welsh had four assists in 44 games and just 26 penalty minutes. Welsh joined the Cape Breton Eagles of the QMJHL for the 2020-21 season, posting one assist in 30 games. He played a handful of games with the Sherbrooke Phoenix in 2021-22 before the Bearcats traded his rights to Edmundston where he had two assists in twelve games with the Blizzard and one assist in five playoff games.
Welsh returned to the Blizzard for the 2022-23 season but played just four games, picking up one assist, before joining the Saint John Sea Dogs for eight games. In November 2022, he was part of a large trade with South Shore. Welsh played nineteen games with the Lumberjacks, tallying five goals and thirteen assists. Welsh was named to the Eastlink South Team of the Week once during the season.
Welsh was traded back to the Bearcats in July 2023 by the newly relocated West Kent Steamers. With one week left in the 2023-24 season, Welsh is fifth in scoring among MHL defensemen with seven goals and 30 assists in 49 games. His assist total sits fifth in the league among blueliners. Welsh has been named to the Eastlink South Team of the Week three times and has been an honourable mention for Top Defensemen in both October and February.
The MHL congratulates Welsh on his post-secondary commitment.