BCHL News & Trades:
Leivermann Joins Penticton Vees:
The Penticton Vees are proud to announce that American Defenceman Nicky Leivermann will join the club for the upcoming 2017-2018 season. Leivermann, who will turn 19 on September 14th is from Eden Prairie Minnesota. He was the captain of the Eden Prairie High School team where he notched 10 goals and 24 assists for 34 points in 21 games. He also suited up in 8 games for the Bloomington Thunder of the USHL to close out the season. He is currently ranked 119th among North American Skaters by Central Scouting for the upcoming NHL Draft. Leivermann, who is committed to the University of Notre Dame for the 2018-2019 season was a finalist for the 33rd Annual Mr. Hockey award in Minnesota. The award is given to the most outstanding senior high school boys player. “We’re thrilled that Nicky has chosen to further his hockey development here in Penticton. Nicky continues the long list of Minnesota players who’ve helped create a winning culture within our organization. Once again, our defence core should play a significant role in our quest to win another championship” said Vees president, general manager & head coach Fred Harbinson. For his part, Leivermann said the history and the organization was tough to turn down. “I’m excited to come to Penticton because of the style of play, the coaching staff, and just how professional the entire organization is. I can’t wait to get up there and get started.” Leivermann and the rest of the Vees will report to Penticton for mid-August for the start of the Penticton Vees main camp.
Prince George-Nanaimo Trade:
The Prince George Spruce Kings would like to announce they have acquired 20 year old netminder Evan DeBrouwer from the Nanaimo Clippers in exchange for forward Parker Colley. The 6’1” 195 pound DeBrouwer is from Blenheim, Ontario. DeBrouwer spent all of last season with the Nanaimo Clippers after coming over from the Smith Falls Bears of the Central Canada Hockey League. With the Clippers, DeBrouwer had 15 wins and 23 losses to go along with a pair of shutouts. His goals against average (GAA) was 3.15 and save percentage (SV%) 0.894% during the regular season, but both improved in the playoffs with a 2.22 GAA and 0.931 SV%. Parker Colley played two full seasons with the Spruce Kings after signing out of Spring Camp in 2015. With Prince George, the Pitt Meadows forward had 16 goals and 32 assists for 48 points in 113 BCHL games. In the playoffs this season against the Wenatchee Wild, he had one assist while playing all six games. “We’re excited to be able to add a proven veteran goalie like Evan to our team. He’s a big goalie with a lot of junior A experience which will be a huge benefit to our team. He will be relied on heavily this season to provide leadership on and off the ice,” said Spruce Kings General Manager Mike Hawes. “We would like to thank Parker for his time with us. He always played hard with the Spruce Kings jersey on. That being said I know he is looking forward to the fresh start in Nanaimo. We wish him good luck with his new team.” The Spruce Kings would like to welcome Evan and his family, and thank Parker for his time with the team, and wish him the best with the Clippers organization.
Hay Leaves Silverbacks:
Salmon Arm Silverbacks general manager Troy Mick today announced that Assistant Coach Darrell Hay would not be returning for the 2017-2018 season. “First of all on behalf of the entire organization we would like to congratulate Darrell and his wife Casey as they just got married June 4th and also will be having have their first child together”. Stated GM Troy Mick. Having said this Darrell will be moving back to Colorado this fall to be with his family and we wish him all of the successes in the world. Darrell is an amazing coach and was a great motivator for the Backs this year as he helped so many of our players during the year and he will be greatly missed. The players absolutely loved him on and off the ice! The Silverbacks search for a new Assistant Coach will begin immediately.
Cozzi Commits To Spruce Kings:
The Prince George Spruce Kings are excited to announce the commitment of Patrick Cozzi for the 2017/18 season. Patrick Cozzi is a 5’11” 196lb 1998 born forward who calls Greenlawn, New Jersey home and played last season for the North Jersey Avalanche who compiled an impressive 31 – 1 record during league play in the Tier 1 Elite League. Playing 49 games, Cozzi had 26 goals and 29 assists for 55 points on the season. During the playoffs he had 2 goals and 3 assists in five games helping his team to an Atlantic Youth Hockey League Championship. The season before, his North Jersey Avalanche team were champions of the Tier 1 Elite Hockey League. Patrick is committed to play NCAA division 1 hockey at Colorado College. Former Spruce Kings defenceman Cole McCaskill is currently playing for the Colorado College Tigers. “Patrick Cozzi is a very smart and skilled player who will provide some offensive punch while still being good in all areas. He’s dynamic with the puck and will be leaned on heavily to help lead the offensive style that we will play. He’s also a great young man who will fit in well with our existing group” said Spruce Kings General Manager Mike Hawes. Patrick will join his new Spruce Kings teammates when the team begins their main training camp on Thursday August 24th at Rolling Mix Concrete Arena. The team would like to welcome Patrick and his family to the Spruce Kings family.
Wenatchee-Salmon Arm Trade:
The Wenatchee Wild, proud members of the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL), have announced an offseason transaction in which the Wild have acquired forward Nathan Iannone from the Salmon Arm Silverbacks in exchange for cash. Iannone is a native of Penticton, BC, and appeared in 4 games for the Vees in the 2015-16 season, and played in 56 games for the Silverbacks last season. The 6’0, 175 lb. right winger honed his skills in the Okanagan Hockey Academy, where he spent three seasons moving from the Elite 15 to the Red Varsity and Red Prep teams. He proved himself as an accomplished point producer in his early years, and the Wild are looking forward to his arrival in Wenatchee. “He’s a big bodied forward that can contribute in a variety of ways”, explained Wild Head Coach / GM Bliss Littler. “He has two years of junior eligibility left and we’re excited to see him develop here.”
Penticton Vees Name Beauchemin New Play By Play Guy:
The Penticton Vees are excited to announce the hiring of Craig Beauchemin as the new Director of Broadcasting & Communications. Beauchemin, a graduate from Loyalist College in Belleville, Ontario, comes to the Vees with two years of play-by-play experience having spent last season with the Powell River Kings and the 2015-16 season in Saskatchewan with the Battlefords North Stars. “I’m incredibly excited to be given this opportunity with an organization like the Vees,” Beauchemin said. “The history, professionalism and culture of this team make it a very attractive place to be. I’ve seen first hand how Vees fans support this team and I can’t wait for the season to get underway and to be a part of it.” Vees head coach and general manager Fred Harbinson is happy to bring Beauchemin in to the fold. “Craig is enthusiastic and brings great energy to his broadcasts. I think our fans will really enjoy his call and we’re excited for the next chapter of Vees hockey on EZ Rock.” Beauchemin can be heard on EZ Rock Penticton throughout the season, and will be moving to Penticton in time for training camp in August.
Davis-Martel Commits To Cowichan:
The Cowichan Valley Capitals junior A hockey club is pleased to welcome defenseman Yuri Davis-Martel, who has committed for the 2017-18 season. From Sherbrooke, QC, Davis-Martel has spent the past two seasons with the Iowa Wild program in the U.S.-based Tier One Elite Hockey League (T1EHL). After spending 2015-16 with the Wild’s U16 Midget Major club, Davis-Martel spent last season with the program’s U18 Midget Major team, totaling eight goals and one assist in 28 games from the back end, as well as a league-high 120 penalty minutes. His eight goals were tied for third-most among all defenders in the 24-team T1EHL league. Capitals head coach and general manager Bob Beatty calls Davis-Martel a “diamond in the rough” type of player that impressed coaches at spring camp without a lot of prior hype or fanfare. Since committing to the Capitals, the coaching staff has had the opportunity to watch the 18-year-old play at a showcase tournament in Boston, reinforcing their mindset. “Yuri will be an exciting player that has a good shot and will deliver some bone-crunching open ice hits. He is an extremely strong and athletic player that won’t lose many puck or spatial battles,” Beatty said.
Centennials Sign Schneider, Kopperud & Munro:
The Merritt Centennials announced on Monday the signing of 18-year-old forward Brendan Schneider, 17-year-old Matthew Kopperud, and 17-year-old Jackson Munro. Schneider is from Wesley, Ontario and has played the last two seasons for Albany Academy and the Boston Bulldogs U-18. Kopperud is from Denver, Colorado and has played the last two seasons for The Pursuit Of Excellence and played 2 games for the Centennials this past season. Munro is from Vancouver, British Columbia, and played last season with the Richmond Sockeyes. Schneider put up 40 points last season, scoring 19 goals and having 21 assists. Schneider is also committed to play for Mercyhurst University in the 2019/2020 season. Kopperud put up 35 points for the POE Prep last season, scoring 13 goals and getting 22 assists. Munro put up 24 points for the Sockeyes last season, scoring 4 goals and getting 20 assists.
Viegas Leaves Silverbacks:
The Salmon Arm Silverbacks Hockey Club is currently accepting applications for the position of Athletic Therapist/Equipment Manager with the BCHL club for the 2017-2018 season. “Jade Viegas has been an amazing AT for the last 2 years for the Silverbacks”, said GM Troy Mick, she is very professional and does so many things good that we are truly going to miss her. Jade has been excellent to work with since day one and we wish her the best of luck as she heads back to school to continue to work on her education. “I want to thank the Silverbacks for 2 amazing years. I am going to miss going to the rink every day.” Stated Jade. The Silverbacks will be announcing Jade’s successor on Friday. Main Camp starts Aug 21 at the Shaw Centre!
Trail-Melville Trade:
The Trail Smoke Eaters have acquired 20-year-old goaltender, Brandon Wells from the Melville Millionaires in exchange for defensemen Tyson Slater, Ryan Warner and future considerations. With Zack Dyment aging out of the league and Linden Marshall moving on to the NCAA, the Smoke Eaters were in need of an experienced goalie to carry a heavy workload in the coming season. The Smoke Eaters are excited to add Wells, who is expected to immediately provide experience, maturity and leadership for the team. Wells, who is a product of Spirit River, Alberta, played the past two seasons for Melville in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League. In his rookie season with the Millionaires, he was named the team’s Most Valuable Player. The 6-2 goaltender followed his MVP season up with an even more impressive run, playing 24 games and posting a 2.80 GAA .924 save percentage and his strong play yielded seven invites for goaltenders to the Canada West tryouts. In the second half of the season, Wells was traded to the Spruce Grove Saints where he continued his strong play, posting a 7-3 record, 1.91 GAA and .926 save percentage. Wells also started 5 games for the Saints in the 2017 playoffs before the team was eliminated in the second round. During the off-season, Wells’ rights were transferred back to the Millionaires, with whom the Smoke Eaters made the deal. Head Coach, Cam Keith was selective in his search for a netminder, knowing that whoever was brought in was going to be relied upon to assume the starting role for a team that had success last year in reaching the second round of the BCHL playoffs. The addition of Wells solidifies the team’s net and further strengthens the club to contend for a league title in the 2017-2018 season. The entire Smoke Eaters organization would like to wish departing players, Ryan Warner and Tyson Slater all the best as they continue their hockey careers with the Melville Millionaires in the SJHL.
Kelly Commits To Powell River:
The Powell River Kings would like to welcome 2000-born defenceman Nathan Kelly to the team for the 2017/2018 season. The 5’11, 175lb blue liner out of Vancouver has spent the past two years with the Greater Vancouver Canadians of the BC Major Midget League. In 68 games, Kelly scored twice, while adding 35 assists. All but two of those points came last season in a breakout year for the puck moving defenceman. “It was a really big summer last year, where I worked really hard and practiced hard as well in a bid to come into the season better”, said Kelly on his improved stat line. “We had a great group of guys on the team this year and they really helped me grow and develop and I tried to do the same for them.” The jump to Junior A will be a challenge according to Kelly, however it’s the culmination of many years of hard work and dedication to his game. “It’s a really exciting feeling and something I’ve wanted for a really long time now”, said Kelly. “This was a huge goal for me that’s been reached and now it’s onto the next big thing that I have to do which is to adjust to the BCHL. The BCHL is obviously a fast, high end league. Guys will be a lot bigger and stronger and something that I’ll have to work on and get used to.” “You always want those puck moving defencemen in your lineup”, said Kings Head Coach and GM Kent Lewis. “Nathan brings a lot to the table. He’s young, and developing really well. He sees the ice well, he’s well rounded in his game and he’ll come in to our program and continue to develop among a pretty solid veteran core and it’ll be a good transition for him.” Kelly’s chance with the Kings came through the teams annual Spring Camp in Kamloops back in May. It’s a pathway to the main roster that has proven fruitful over the years, with several past and present players first showing their stuff in the Spring. “An opportunity came up to go to Spring Camp in May, and in doing research for that I learnt how good the organization is in the community and how much work they put into picking the right guys, so all that all seemed to fit pretty well with what I wanted”, said Kelly. Kelly will join his new team mates ahead of camp in the last two weeks of August. The Kings would like to welcome Nathan and his family to the Kings organization.
Salmon Arm-Chilliwack Trade:
Salmon Arm Silverbacks general manager Troy Mick announced today they have traded forward forward Jared Turcotte to the Chilliwack Chiefs for Future considerations. “Jared has been an amazing young man for the Silverbacks for the last 2 years”, stated GM Troy Mick, this will give Jared an opportunity to play for the Royal Bank Cup, as Chilliwack is hosting it this year. With Jared having to be a full time college student this coming year and with the recent trade to acquire 20-year-old Bo Didur we had to get down to 6 20 year olds. The Silverbacks wish Jared the best of luck in Chilliwack with his hockey and schooling this coming season.
Grist Commits To Capitals:
The Cowichan Valley Capitals junior A hockey club is pleased to announce the commitment of defenseman Ben (Boo) Grist to the team for the 2017-18 campaign. Grist, from North Saanich, captained the Shawnigan Lake School Prep team in the CSSHL last season. He comes to the BCHL with a solid recommendation of his athletic ability and leadership skills from Kevin Cooper, the hockey director and coach of the Shawnigan Prep squad. Grist totaled a combined six goals and 26 points in 56 games with Shawnigan over two CSSHL seasons. Prior to his two-year tenure at Shawnigan, Grist played his 15-year-old season with the South Island Royals of the BC Major Midget League. “Boo is a solid defender that plays with an edge, defends well, moves the puck very well and makes good decisions with and without the puck,” Capitals Head Coach and GM Bob Beatty said. “I can see him becoming an anchor on our D core in short time.” Grist, who turned 18-years old on Mar 24, debuted in the BCHL with the Capitals last season, playing two regular season games and one playoff game as an affiliate. He’s one of two players to commit to the Capitals so far this offseason as a CSSHL recruit (F Ethan Scardina, Delta), and one of two who played last season in the Cowichan Valley (F Caleb Franklin, Kerry Park, VIJHL).
Vees & Bandits Will Meet In Pre-Season:
The Brooks Bandits, defending champions of the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL), will welcome the defending champions of the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL), the Penticton Vees, on Labour Day Weekend for a pair of games, the team announced today. The series will begin Friday, September 1st as the Bandits host the Vees at 7:00 PM at the Centennial Regional Arena, and conclude the following afternoon, Saturday, September 2nd at 4:00 PM at the CRA. It will be the second pre-season series between the two teams after Brooks visited Penticton in early September of 2015, falling 6-5 in overtime in the teams’ first matchup and tying the Vees 5-5 in the follow-up game. The teams also met twice this past season in post-season play, with the Bandits downing the Vees 4-3 in a shootout at the Western Canada Cup in Penticton, and defeating them 2-1 in overtime at the RBC Cup in Cobourg, Ontario. It will be the first time that the Vees will travel to Brooks since the 2012 Doyle Cup.
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