Wednesday, July 16, 2025

Former Vipers Taylor, Busch & Cleaves Brothers Invited To NHL Development Camps:

Former Vernon Vipers defenceman Trey Taylor, forward Hank Cleaves, forward Shea Busch and defenceman Cooper Cleaves were recently invited to NHL development camps.

From https://bchl.ca/


83 current and former BCHL players attend 2025 NHL Development Camps | BCHL League Site


Taylor was invited to the Dallas Stars development camp.

Taylor split the 2024-25 season with Clarkson University & the American Hockey League Texas Stars.In 39 games with Clarkson, Taylor collected (9-goals-20-assists-29-points). In 10 games with the Stars, Taylor collected (0-goals-1-assist-1-point).

Taylor played the past three seasons at Clarkson University, was signed by the Dallas Stars to a two-year entry-level contract March 24th 2025. The American Hockey League Texas Stars signed Taylor to an amateur tryout March 25th 2025.

Taylor was named to the ECAC Hockey's First-Team All-Conference team & named Best Defensive Defenseman. Taylor was nominated for the 2025 Hobey Baker Memorial Award.

Taylor was invited to the Philadelphia Flyers Development Camp in July 2024.

Taylor played three seasons in Vernon with the Vipers from 2018-2021 before leaving for the United States Hockey League Youngstown Phantoms. The Phantoms selected Taylor 31st overall May 28th 2021 in Round 3 in Phase 2 of the Unites States Hockey League Draft. Taylor played the 2021-22 season with the Phantoms before joining Clarkson University in 2022. 

Taylor played three seasons in Vernon with the Vipers from 2018-2021. In 125 games with the Vipers, Taylor collected (8-goals-32-assists-40-points). 

Trey Taylor's Player Profile:

Trey Taylor - Stats, Contract, Salary & More


Cleaves was invited to the New York Rangers development camp.


Cleaves played the 2024-25 season at Dartmouth College. In 32 games last season, Cleaves collected (5-goals-16-assists-21-points).


Cleaves committed to the Vernon Vipers February 23rd 2022 for the 2022-23 season. 


Cleaves played two seasons in Vernon from 2022-2024. In 94 games with the Vernon Vipers, Cleaves collected (28-goals-61-assists-89-points).


Hank Cleaves Player Profile:


Hank Cleaves - Stats, Contract, Salary & More


Busch was invited to the Florida Panthers development camp.


Busch split the 2024-25 season with the Vernon Vipers & Western Hockey League Everett Silvertips. In 22 games with the Vernon Vipers, Busch collected (12-goals-5-assists-17-points). In 39 games with the Silvertips, Busch collected (11-goals-8-assists-19-points).


The Florida Panthers selected Busch 128th overall in round 4 of the 2025 NHL Entry Draft. Busch has committed to Penn State University for the 2025-26 season.


Busch committed to the Vernon Vipers May 11th 2023 for the 2023-24 season. Busch played parts of two seasons with the 2023-24 Vernon Vipers and 2024-25 Vernon Vipers before leaving the team November 29th 2024 for the Western Hockey League Everett Silvertips. The Lethbridge Hurricanes traded the playing rights of Shea Busch to the Everett Silvertips November 29th 2024. In 75 games with the Vipers, Busch collected (20-goals-17-assists-37-points).

Shea Busch's Player Profile:

Shea Busch - Stats, Contract, Salary & More


Cleaves was invited to the Montreal Canadiens development camp.


Cleaves split the 2024-25 season with the Vernon Vipers and the United States Hockey League Green Bay Gamblers. In 25 games with the Vipers, Cleaves collected (2-goals-13-assists-15-points). In 38 games with the Gamblers, Cleaves collected (2-goals-9-assists-11-points).


Cleaves has committed to Dartmouth College for the 2025-26 season. 


Cleaves played parts of two seasons with the 2023-24 Vernon Vipers and the 2024-25 Vernon Vipers. Cleaves started the 2023-24 season with the Vernon Vipers, played in 6 games before returning to his high school team for the remainder of the 2023-24 season. Cleaves committed to the Vernon Vipers January 17th 2024 for the 2024-25 season, left the team in December 2024 for the United States Hockey League Green Bay Gamblers. In 35 games with the Vipers, Cleaves collected (3-goals-13-assists-16-points).

Cooper Cleaves Player Profile:


Cooper Cleaves - Stats, Contract, Salary & More

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

"83 current and former BCHL players attend 2025 NHL Development Camps BCHL League Site".

To me this appears to be overstated, the list of players attending Development Camps has mostly "former" BCHL players and actually very few "current" BCHL players.

Anonymous said...

Edited by vipersdiehardfan

“mostly former…few current” …. so the header is still correct.

Anonymous said...

"83 current and former BCHL players" is EXACTLY what the BCHL states. Of this list there are really only 2 players who played BCHL last year and could return, thus be considered "current" players, Marleau from Powell River and Gatto from Chilliwack. All the other young players have finished in the BCHL and have headed off to their university commitments. 60+ of these players have already aged out of BCHL eligibility and have been playing elsewhere the past few years.

The point of the original comment was not to do a deep dive on the accounting, rather just to say that "in my opinion the BCHL overstated this press release". It sounds to me that they are spinning it to appear like they are responsible for developing these players from the NHL camps? The vast majority of these players spent only a year in our league, hardly long enough for the BCHL to have much of an impact on them. Those are the facts.