Trail Smoke Eaters hockey club’s starting goaltender announced his commitment to play college hockey at Bowling Green State University via Instagram on Thursday, April 9. Cooper Michaluk finished this past season with the Eaters in the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL) playoffs, losing to Salmon Arm in overtime.
The Sherwood Park, Alberta native played his first season in the BCHL in 2025-26, where he started a team-high 25 games, and 14-9-1 record. His save percentage sat below .900, and his goals against average just above three per game in the most recent season.
A 21-year-old, Michaluk has exhausted his junior hockey eligibility, playing two full seasons in the Western Hockey League (WHL) with the Spokane Chiefs and being traded after one start in 2024-25 to the Prince George Cougars.
In the WHL overall, he played 91 games, saved 87.8% of his shots, and allowed an average of over 4 goals per game.
During his two seasons as the starting goaltender for Spokane, he played with freshman Falcon defenseman Brayden Crampton, who scored 73 points in 120 games across 2022-23 and 2023-24.
Michaluk was also rostered against Falcon head coach Dennis Williams 15 times when Williams coached the Everett Silvertips. Everett went 11-4 against Spokane, and the goaltender went 1-2 in 7 of those 15 games played.
The commitment offers an interesting look into the goaltender room for the Falcons. After the most recent 2025-26 season, the Falcons had three very solid goaltenders, all with eligibility for 2026-27.
Jacob Steinman was Williams’ first goaltender recruit to BG, from both Moncton and Halifax in the Quebec Maritime Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). He was one of the best rookie goalies in the CCHA last season, with a 2.14 goals against average and a .921 save percentage.
Tyler Palmer transferred to BG from the University of Alberta, a stud goaltender as a freshman with the Golden Bears. While Williams was at Everett in 2022-23, he traded for Palmer from the Victoria Royals and started him in 79 games. Palmer was Impressive down the stretch for the Falcons in limited starts, allowing 2.35 goals per game and going 5-3-1 in 2025-26.
Cole Moore played his junior season at Bowling Green in 2025-26 and allowed a career-best 2.13 goals per game. He was a freshman standout in 2023-24, honored on the all-CCHA Rookie Team with a team-best in starts, goals allowed per game, save percentage, and wins.
All three of these goaltenders can play college hockey in the coming season, for the Falcons or otherwise. Moore has one season left; Palmer has two, and Steinman has three.
