BCHL News & Trades:

I found these press releases off team websites, twitter accounts, blogs or online. All Vipers news-trades are posted on this blog as soon as released-announced.

BCHL News & Trades:

Spruce Kings Name Johnson Captain:

The Prince George Spruce Kings announced their leadership core for the upcoming 2017-18 season. General Manager Mike Hawes and Head Coach Adam Maglio have named 19-year-old forward Kyle Johnson as Team Captain. The Port Moody native exemplifies what it is to be a Spruce King through his hard work on and off the ice. He is also a great young man who is focused on his goals and sets a great example for his teammates. Jarod Hovde and Ben Brar will be Assistant Captains. Ben Poisson and Chays Ruddy will split the third Assistant Captain’s role. Johnson, Hovde, Brar, Poisson, Ruddy, and the rest of their Spruce Kings teammates begin the BCHL regular season this Friday and Saturday, September 8th and 9th with their home opener weekend against Mainland Division rivals, the Chilliwack Chiefs.

Vees Sign Enebak:

The Penticton Vees Junior ‘A’ hockey club is pleased to announce the signing of 1998-born forward Henry Enebak out of Prior Lake, Minnesota. Enebek has spent the last four seasons playing in the United States High School league, totalling 85 goals and 93 assists in 157 games. He played in two of the prestigious Minnesota State high school tournaments, scoring twice with four assists in eight games. Enebak has a scholarship to St. Cloud State University for the fall of 2019. “The addition of Henry brings another big body that plays a two-way game,” Vees head coach and general manager Fred Harbinson said. “Henry is a former captain who checks out as a great character kid.” Enebak will wear number 25 and make his Vees debut Friday, September 8 when the regular season begins in Merritt.

Langley-Chilliwack Trade:

The Langley Rivermen have acquired the CJHL playing rights to Colin Bernard(97)(D) from the Chilliwack Chiefs in exchange for future considerations

Nanaimo-Coquitlam Trade:

The Nanaimo Clippers have acquired the CJHL playing rights to Cal Babych(97)(F) from the Coquitlam Express in exchange for future considerations

West Kelowna Warriors New Third Jerseys:

Chief Wannawin Retires:

Chief Wannawin – the mascot of the Chilliwack Chiefs Hockey Club for more than 20 years – will make his final appearance at Prospera Centre on Friday, September 15 when the Chiefs host the Langley Rivermen.  Fans of the popular character are urged to attend the game to bid a fond farewell to the retiring Cheerleader. Chief Wannawin has been the Club’s biggest booster since the mid 1990s and since then has attended virtually every home game and many championship games including the team’s appearance at the RBC Cup in Fort McMurray in 2000 and in Halifax in 2002.  In addition to games, the beloved mascot represented the Chiefs at countless community events, at schools and other Club functions where he was always the center of attention, especially for children. Several “face-lifts” over the years have helped him maintain his youthful and energetic appearance.  But time has taken its toll and has suggested that a new mascot and face of the Club take his place.  That new face will be revealed to Chiefs fans at the second home game of the season – on October 6. According to a CBC report….Chief David Jimmie of the Squiala First Nation says he urged the team to stop using the mascot and is pleased they are doing that. “I felt that in an age of reconciliation, and looking at the Truth and Reconciliation Commission report, that this was really not an acceptable mascot,” he said. In the report Jimmie told the reporter that he has no problem with the team’s name or logo — “They wear it with pride,” he said — and Squiala is holding a contest for an artist to design new jerseys for the team. Chilliwack is preparing to host the RBC National Championship next year and is making the right moves before inviting the rest of the country to take in the week-long event.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMzkmwdwKew

Vees Add New Murral-Captains Wall To South Okanagan Events Centre:

It looks like the Penticton Vees have added another mural inside the South Okanagan Events Centre. A new painting has been added to one of the pillars inside the SOEC listing the former captains of the Penticton Panthers-Penticton Vees. A very cool tribute honouring past captains.

Warriors Name Leadership Group:

The West Kelowna Warriors Junior ‘A’ Hockey Club is pleased to announce the team has rounded out their leadership group for the 2017/18 season as joining captain Jared Marino will be defensemen Jake Harrison. Stephen Kleysen and forward Cavin Tilsley serving as alternate captains. Harrison, 18, is entering his third season in the BCHL with the Warriors and has plenty of experience even for his young age. The West Kelowna native, along with captain Marino, are the only two players remaining from the 2016 National Championship squad. The veteran of 108 regular season games for the Warriors has tallied 10 goals and earned 50 points with 83 penalty minutes. “It’s an honour for me to wear a letter this season,” stated Harrison, “I can’t wait to get out and help lead this team to another championship.” Kleysen, 20, enters his second season with the Warriors and fourth and final year of Junior hockey. The Winnipeg, Manitoba native has suited up for 170 regular season games between three different teams in the likes of the Winnipeg Blues (MJHL), Madison Capitols (USHL) and the Warriors with last season tallying 6 goals and 23 points with 150 penalty minutes in West Kelowna. “It’s a great honour to wear a letter this season,” says Kleysen, “I am excited about our team this year and can’t wait to get things going.” Tilsley, 19, comes into his first full season with the Warriors in 2017/18, being acquired in mid-November by the Warriors from the Prince George Spruce Kings. The Delta, BC native has played in 102 regular season contests in the BCHL, scoring 15 goals and collecting 39 points to go along with 178 penalty minutes. “Being named as an assistant captain is a huge honour for me,” commented Tilsley, “I have some big shoes to fill as the leaders from last season have moved on but it’s something I’m very excited for. Throughout my Junior hockey career, I’ve had some pretty amazing leaders to look up to and I hope to use their leadership skills mixed in with my own.” Warriors head coach and general manager Rylan Ferster knows he has a lot of veteran presence leading him team, “Along with Jared, we believe that these three men will be able to provide plenty of veteran leadership to our team for this season.” “Jake has plenty of experience entering his third season including a Royal Bank Cup,” continued Ferster, “While Stephen is a 20-year-old with plenty of Junior hockey knowledge and Cavin has the work ethic and character to be a great leader.” West Kelowna opens their regular season up with home-and-home against the Trail Smoke Eaters beginning on Friday, September 8th at 7:00 PM at Cominco Arena. The game will be broadcasted live on the Warriors Internet Network and on pay-per-view at www.hockeytv.com. Pre-game festivities on the broadcast get underway at 6:45 PM with the voice of the Warriors, Trevor Miller.

Around the Pound Episode 7

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9s0FOo33Os

Vees Open Defence Of BCHL Crown Battling Key Injuries:

Things have gone well for the Penticton Vees the past few seasons, but it has been far from picture perfect. The perennial B.C. Hockey League powers have had their fair share of injury problems in recent campaigns, including getting just 22 regular-season games out of high-end defenceman Gabe Bast over the past two seasons combined. Penticton starts 2017-18 with key players on the sideline as well, as injured forwards Grant Cruikshank (undisclosed) and Massimo Rizzo (undisclosed) will both begin the campaign in the infirmary. The Junior A regular season begins Friday on seven fronts, including the reigning league champion Penticton visiting the Merritt Centennials. Cruikshank, 19, scored 32 times last season for Penticton in the regular season. Rizzo, 16, oddly enough got in five games in last year’s Royal Bank Cup national tournament as an underage call-up because of injuries with the Vees. “Every team deals with it,” Fred Harbinson, Penticton’s general manager and coach, said of having guys on the disabled list. “The players are bigger, stronger, faster and in better shape. At the same time, the game is so fast now and played so hard, there are injuries. You feel like you always have somebody out. “That’s where depth is so crucial. We had guys sitting out with us who had to come into the lineup and found ways to help us win.” Harbinson said that Rizzo, a Burnaby Winter Club product who was the 15th overall pick by the Kamloops Blazers in the 2016 WHL bantam draft, should be out a couple of weeks. He expects Cruikshank, the son of American speedskaters Bonnie Blair and Dave Cruikshank, to be out until the end of the month at least. Cruikshank, a native of Delafield, Wis., is committed to the University of Wisconsin. The Vees beat the Chilliwack Chiefs in seven games in the league final last spring. Penticton ended up losing to lost Ontario’s Cobourg Cougars in the Royal Bank Cup semifinals. Cobourg, the tournament hosts, won the event. Penticton should be a major factor in the 17-team BCHL once again this season. Their blue-line includes two NHL drafted players in newcomers Nicky Leivermann, 18, a 2017 Colorado Avalanche seventh rounder out of Eden Prairie, Minn., and Ryan O’Connell, 18, a 2017 Toronto Maple Leafs seventh rounder from Gloucester, Ont. The Chiefs, the Wenatchee Wild and Vernon Vipers are other teams of note to start. Wenatchee, the Washington State squad that won the BCHL regular season crown last season (45-9-4-0) but were knocked out of the playoffs by Chilliwack in the second round, shifted from the Mainland Division to the Interior in the off-season. The last three league champions and eight of the past 10 have come from the Interior.

Trail Smoke Eaters New Road Jerseys:

Penticton Vees TV:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=353&v=Ly3TDBoIl3o

Wild Name Vanderbeck Captain:

The Wenatchee Wild, proud members of the BCHL, have announced their team captain for the 2017-18 season will be returning forward AJ Vanderbeck. The announcement came during an exclusive dinner for Season Ticket Members on Thursday night at Town Toyota Center. Vanderbeck, from Monument, CO, is back for his second season with Wenatchee and fourth year of junior hockey. He played for the Lone Star Brahmas (NAHL) in 2014-15 and the Sioux Falls Musketeers (USHL) in 2015-16 before joining the Wild last season where he exploded for 39 goals and 66 points. “AJ is the kind of teammate that players naturally gravitate to, and that makes him a natural leader”, said Head Coach / GM Bliss Littler. “We’re excited to watch as he continues to develop in that role.” The Wild begin their regular season on the road at Merritt on Saturday, September 9. Wenatchee’s home opener is September 16 against the Vernon Vipers.