The Vernon Vipers made two trades on the final day of the BCHL card deadline, first sending defenceman, Elliot Richardson, goaltender, Bryton Udy & future considerations to the Quesnel Millionaires for goaltender, Kirby Halcrow. Then the Vipers aquired defenceman, Bruin McDonald from the Victoria Grizzlies for future considerations.
I for one am shocked to see 19 year old veteran goaltender, Kirby Halcrow heading to Vernon. Halcrow on almost every meeting against the Vipers gave the Millionaires a chance to win, making anywhere between 40-50 saves on most nights. Ive always been a huge fan of Halcrow and think playing on one of the bottom teams in the Interior Division is one of if not the leagues best goaltender. From the start of the season the Vipers wernt getting the goaltending they needed-wanted so you could see a change between the pipes coming. But I dont think Vernon fans would have guessed Halcrow would have been the goaltender involved in a trade and the guy coming to Vernon. Mark Ferner has now made a trade for a veteran goaltender or goaltender in three of the four seasons he has been with the Vipers. In Ferners first year with the Vipers, Mark aquired veteran goaltender, Andrew Hammond before picking up Graeme Gordon the following season and now you can add Kirby Halcrow to that list. I have said this all season and almost every year, if any team wants to go deep into the playoffs, you need that veteran 19 or 20 year old goaltender between the pipes. Picking up Halcrow will give the Vipers that veteran goaltender they need. Halcrow is a bigger goaltender who played on most nights in Quesnel and saw alot of rubber. Halcrow was in his second season with the Millionaires after getting traded to Quesnel back in August of 2009. The Millionaires traded Joshua Fersovitch (F)(89) and Jeff Wright (D)(89) to the Ft McMurray Oil Barons Hockey Club of the AJHL in exchange for Holcrow (91). Halcrow has a 5-18-1 record with a 3.56 GAA. In 66 career games with Quesnel Halcrow has a 18-43-1 record. With 16 new players this season and a young team you need that veteran presence and leadership between the pipes. Adding Halcrow to your roster now gives the Vipers a great one-two punch between the pipes and gives them a chance to win on any night. Welcome to Vernon Kirby and all the best this season.
Kirby Halcrows Player Profile:
http://www.bchl.ca/leagues/rosters_profile.cfm?clientID=1413&leagueID=2393&teamID=267279&playerID=569057&pos=G
I think after Blake Voth went 21-2 during the regular season last year, the Vipers were expecting big things from the second year goaltender and depending on Voth to carry the Vipers this coming season. Voth just 18 years old (turning 19 in December) had alot of weight on his shoulders, coming into his second season in Vernon, & I think is just too young and dosnt have the experience just yet to carry a young team, add on the presure of the Vipers coming off back to back National Championships and thats alot on such a young goaltender. From the start of the season, the Vipers were outshooting the their opponents in large numbers but on many nights wernt getting the big save when needed. Voth who has seemed to get some of his confidence back latley, has played very well in his last two games (wins over Surrey & Trail) but in the end, I just dont think Blake is ready for the challenge and has what it takes to be the teams #1 goaltender this season. I really like Blake and think hes a great young goaltender, but another year as the teams backup wont hurt him. Voth a year older with a little more experience will be a great goaltender in this league but I dont think can handle the #1 job this season, with such a young team in front of him. You can bet Blake wont be happy going from the teams #1 man to the teams backup but Voth just wasnt making the big saves when needed on most nights. I think with the addition of Kirby Halcrow, this will push Blake to compete and be a better goaltender. The question now, both goaltenders will be 20 years old next season, will one want to sit on the bench as a 20 year old? In 1995-96 the Vipers went with two 20 year old goaltenders, in veterans Todd Laurin and Beau Riedel. That year the Vipers won the 1996 Royal Bank Cup. The other option would have been to trade Voth and groom Bryton Udy into the teams #1 goaltender. Halcrow will return next year as a 20 year old wich means Udy could be the teams #1 the following season as a 19 year old with two years as the backup under his belt.
In order to bring in Kirby Halcrow the Vipers ended up dealing away a young 17 year old prospect in backup goaltender, Bryton Udy. Udy who was in his first season in Vernon played and looked very solid between the pipes for the Vipers during the teams blue and white games over the summer. Udy snagged the backup job over current Merritt Centennials goaltender and Vernon product, Tyler Steel who was the last goaltender with Udy at the Vipers camp. Udy a bigger goaltender has a quick glove and plays his position very well. This kid dosnt give up alot of rebounds or second chances. I think for being just 17 years old Udy will be a great goaltender in this league and Mills fans will be happy with Bryton between the pipes. I think going into this season, with Blake Voth basically the teams #1 goaltender, Udy was going to be the teams backup for the next few seasons before being molded as the Vipers #1 man after Blake Voth moved on. This was a tough move because you never want to see a young prospect like Bryton go, but like they say, sometimes you need to give up someone good, in order to get someone good. & I think adding Kirby Halcrow was the right move. I dont think the Vipers would have gone very far this season with Blake Voth & Bryton Udy between the pipes. Thats alot of presure on two young kids. Udy played in just seven games with the Vipers going 1-4-1 with a 3.32 GAA I felt bad for the youngster, in a few of his seven starts I dont think the rookie goaltender had much help in front of him, wich resulted in a few losses and deserved a better result. I think Quesnel now has two young goaltending prospects in Udy and Adam Harris, both of who will be very solid goaltenders in this league. Even though the Vipers traded away a young prospect in Udy, both Voth and Halcrow will be back next season. Id like to wish Bryton all the best in Quesnel Im dissapointed to see him go, but thank him for his time as a Viper.
Bryton Udys Player Profile:
http://www.bchl.ca/leagues/rosters_profile.cfm?clientID=1413&leagueID=2393&teamID=267281&playerID=688447&pos=G
Elliot Richardson heads to Quesnel after joining the Vipers just days before the teams training camp. Vernon aquired Richardson back on August 27th from the OJHL Lindsay Muskies for future considerations. Richardson who has good size was coming off an injury proned year with the Muskies last season. The 19 year old d-man never really got his game going in Vernon. Got off to a slow start, had troubles in his own end, as well as in and around the net, coughing up the puck on several occasions. I thought it may take Richardson a handfull of games to get his game going, and get use to a new league and new team but the veteran defenceman still struggled as the season went on. Richardson never really stood out as a Viper but I have to say I noticed he has improved the last few weeks and over the past month has played some of his best hockey of the season. I thought Elliott played well in a 4-1 win over Trail last Friday night. I hope Elliott can get his game going in Quesnel and maybe a change like this will do good. All the best with the Mills and thanks for your time as a Viper.
Elliott Richardsons Player Profile:
http://www.bchl.ca/leagues/rosters_profile.cfm?clientID=1413&leagueID=2393&teamID=267281&playerID=688461
Bruin McDonald is the second newest member to join the Vipers. This is the third trade between the Vipers & Grizzlies this year and you have to wonder if McDonald is the future considerations part of one or both earlier trades. The Vipers traded defenceman, Taylor Love to Victoria as well as forward, Kyle St. Denis both for future considerations. McDonald who comes to Vernon with three years experience in the Western Hockey League with the Prince George Cougars and Spokane Chiefs. McDonald played in just three games with the Chiefs before landing in Victoria. The Chiefs acquired McDonald back on August 17th 2010 from the Prince George Cougars in exchange for a conditional sixth round draft selection in the 2011 WHL Bantam Draft. The 18-year-old McDonald has played 107 games in parts of three seasons with the Cougars, including a career high 53 last year when he registered three goals and 10 points. The Coquitlam, BC native was originally a seventh round selection in the 2007 WHL Bantam Draft. I dont know much about McDonald other then his stats. Welcome to Vernon Bruin and all the best with the Vipers.
Here is a good article from the Victoria Newspaper after the Grizzlies aquired McDonald from Spokane.
http://www.timescolonist.com/sports/Something+Bruin+Grizzlies/3815384/story.html?cid=megadrop_story
Here is a player profile on McDonald when he played in Prince George,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BppXc52eSuc
Here is a fight between Prince George Cougars Bruin McDonald & Chilliwack Bruins Blair Wentworth,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fUdBP0ZEIcc
Bruin McDonals Player Profile:
http://www.bchl.ca/leagues/rosters_profile.cfm?clientID=1413&leagueID=2393&teamID=267279&playerID=718967
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