Matt Buckles, James De Haas and Luke Shiplo are teammates on the OJHL's Toronto Lakeshore Patriots for now, but in a couple years the trio will be vying for an NCAA title as opponents.

Buckles (Cornell), De Haas (Clarkson) and Shiplo (Western Michigan) all participated in Reebok Collegiate Hockey Summits in the past year and have all since committed to Division I schools.

"I went down and visited Western Michigan," said Shiplo, the most recent of the commits. "They put on a really good tour. I met the President of the school, met with the team. I really felt a connection."

Likewise, Buckles was sold on Cornell following a visit to Ithaca to take in the atmosphere at Lynah Rink.

"It was unbelievable, a packed house," he said after seeing the Big Red beat Princeton Nov. 18. "It's a really exciting environment to see as a prospect."

Buckles is a skilled offensive player with a good shot and terrific size: "almost 200 pounds and still growing," he said. Shiplo is an offensive defenseman who will bring skating and puck-moving ability to the Broncos.

Choosing the College Route

Like most top prospects, the college route was just one option these players had. Buckles was a fourth-round selection of the OHL's Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds in 2011, while the Peterborough Petes took Shiplo in the 12th round. Shiplo - whose brother, Tyler, is off to a terrific start as a freshman at Mercyhurst, noted that the pressure to decide on a certain route intensified around the time of the OHL draft last spring.

But both players kept their options open and did their homework. Shiplo could get advice from his brother - "he's loving it," he noted - while events like College Hockey, Inc.'s summits helped make the players more familiar with the college process.

"College Hockey, Inc. has done a great job educating us on the college route and the process," said Buckles, who has attended three Reebok Collegiate Hockey Summits. "I feel really comfortable and couldn't be happier with my decision."