Western Michigan picked up a new defenseman who was formerly committed to the Buckeyes.
Former Ohio State commit Edison Engle has decommitted from the Buckeyes, according to multiple reports. Instead, he’ll be joining Pat Ferschweiler’s Broncos at Western Michigan.
Engle is a 6-foot-2, 174 lb defenseman who shoots left. A native of Arlington Heights, IL, Engle first emerged in the hockey world on Team Illinois U13, a prestigious team in Illinois that players like Lane Hutson (Canadiens) and Ryker Lee (Predators) once played for. He joined the Chicago Reapers for two seasons before he made his transition to the USHL, where he spent a season and a half playing for the Des Moines Buccaneers.
He was traded to the Dubuque Fighting Saints with 34 games left in his second season, where he scored two goals and contributed 11 assists for 14 points. In June, he was selected by the Winnipeg Jets in the sixth round of the 2025 NHL Draft. He also played for the USA U18 team that year.
In his D+1 year, Engle made the decision to go to the OHL while still retaining his Ohio State commitment due to the new CHL-NCAA agreement, and joined the Brantford Bulldogs. In 61 games, he racked up 3 goals and 25 assists, keeping his production relatively stable at half a point per game. He helped his team reach the OHL Eastern Conference Final, including scoring the series-winning goal in the first round against the Sudbury Wolves.
Engle is a fast and nimble skater with a strong poke check. Gabriel Foley of Recruit Scouting described him as “a DOG” who is gifted at driving play, which is clear in Engle’s point accumulation.
Sadly for Jets fans, Engle will not get to play with fellow Jets prospect Sascha Boumedienne, who is transferring to Ohio State. However, his play-driving ability makes him an excellent match for Ferschweiler’s systems with the Broncos, and he’ll join a team that is just one season removed from an NCAA championship.