BCHL News & Trades:
Prince George-Alberni Valley Trade:
The Prince George Spruce Kings have acquired defenseman Tyson Slater (97) from the Alberni Valley Bulldogs in exchange for defenseman Luc Salem (99). Slater is in his 2nd full season in the BCHL, with 6 assists in 27 games. The 6’2”, 207 lbs Courtenay, BC product played last season with the Trail Smoke Eaters before joining the Bulldogs this season. General Manager Mike Hawes “We’re excited to add another older veteran defenseman to the group. Tyson is a great character kid that will give us some more size and experience on the back end.” The Spruce Kings would like to thank Luc for his contributions to the hockey club, and would like to welcome Tyson and his family to the area and the organization. Slater will not be in the lineup on Friday night against the Victoria Grizzlies, but may suit up for his first game with the Spruce Kings Saturday against Salmon Arm.
Harbinson 'Very Disappointed' In Fans:
On what was the annual Teddy Bear Toss Night on Saturday, Penticton Vees fans were anything but soft and cuddly. A lacklustre Vees power play against the Nanaimo Clippers in the third period at the South Okanagan Events Centre drew a round of boos from some of the 3,000-plus fans in attendance. Fred Harbinson, Vees general manager and coach, was visibly frustrated after the game. "I'm very disappointed in our fans booing 16 to 20 year olds when we have five guys out of the lineup," Harbison said. "In 10 years in this building (it’s only) the 38th time that we've lost on home ice and they want to sit there and boo our kids." Fans didn't have to wait long to toss their bears, with Taylor Ward quickly knocking one past Clippers netminder Taz Burman just 4:14 into the opening frame with the assist from Owen Sillinger. After hundreds of teddy bears and toys were tossed onto the ice for the Salvation Army, it was downhill for the Vees with Brad Lynn and Maxwell Crozier knocking two past Vees goaltender Adam Scheel in the second. It was a tough night injury-wise for the Vees with forward Grant Cruikshank likely out for the season and defenceman Ryan O'Connell set to miss a significant amount of time after suffering a broken arm while at the World Junior A Challenge. "It had a big impact, we had five guys out of the line-up. I thought our guys played hard," Harbison said. The two second-period goals by the Clippers put the Vees in a hole they couldn't dig their way out of, going two-for-five on the power play and the prompting fans to voice their frustration. "I guess if they want to act like NHL fans then we can turn the prices up," Harbinson said. "It's the cheapest ticket in the league. I have thick skin. It's not about me. It's about my players and the way they treated my players tonight makes me sick." The Vees looked for a late-game rally with Dakota Boutin scoring at 16:23 in the third off the assist from Ward to bring the Vees within one, but Parker Colley knocked in an empty-net goal for the Clippers at 18:20 to dash the Vees’ hopes. "I'm sure these comments are going to stir up some people who think, 'Well, we have every right,' and all this stuff. These are kids. I thought it was absolute spoiled brats the way they acted when we've won over 200 games to 38 in our own building," Harbinson said. "They want to act like that with the cheapest ticket in town? Guess what? Ticket prices are going to go up if that's the way they want to act." Harbinson took no more questions from the media. The Vees head into the Christmas break with a 22-7-1-2 record and return to the ice Dec. 29 and 30 in Wenatchee. Their next home game is Jan. 5 against Prince George.
Merritt-Humboldt Trade:
The Merritt Centennials announced today that 19-year-old forward McKullen Astill has been traded to the Humboldt Broncos of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League for future considerations. “We truly appreciate McKullen’s time in Merritt over the last few months,” said Cents GM and Head Coach Joe Martin. “This is a move we feel will benefit him as he’s going to a strong organization where he’ll receive more ice time in a bigger role than we were able to offer here in Merritt.” Astill played 15 career BCHL games in Merritt, posting one assist and two penalty minutes. The Edmonton native was recruited by the Centennials from the Stavanger Oilers U20 team in Norway.
Coquitlam-Pembroke Trade:
The Coquitlam Express have transferred the CJHL playing rights to Jake Brien(97)(D) to the Pembroke Lumber Kings of the CCHL in exchange for future considerations
Alberni Valley-Thief River Trade:
The Alberni Valley Bulldogs have acquired the CJHL playing rights to Brock Lefevbre(97)(G) from the Thief River Norskies of the SIJHL in exchange for the CJHL playing rights to Gregg Lee(98)(F)
2018 BCHL Exposure Camp:
The BCHL is excited to announce, together with Elite Hockey Players, the 2018 BCHL Exposure Camp which will provide a valuable recruiting platform for elite players born in 2003 and 2004. There will be two camps upcoming – one in Richmond May 19 to 21 and one in West Kelowna July 18 to 20. Based on the success of the inaugural camp held this past July, the BCHL and Elite Hockey Players anticipate more applicants and scouting presence. “The BCHL Exposure Camp provides talented prospects the ability to showcase their skills directly to BCHL coaches, scouts and management,” said BCHL commissioner John Grisdale. “Prospects will gain valuable insight to the opportunities and benefits available to them while playing in the BCHL.” New for the upcoming camps is the Elite 40. Pro scouts in attendance will have an unbiased opportunity to identify the top 40 players and the selected athletes will be invited to participate at the Elite 40 game that will take place during the 2018 Bauer BCHL Showcase in September. The BCHL Showcase is heavily attended by over 200 scouts including the NCAA and the National Hockey League. To qualify to participate in a BCHL Exposure Camp, you must meet the following criteria: You are born in 2003 or 2004 You are currently playing at the A1, AAA, Canadian Sports School Hockey League, or US Prep School level.
Alberni Valley-Grande Prairie Trade:
The Alberni Valley Bulldogs have acquired the CJHL playing rights to Carter Harris(99)(F) from the Grande Prairie Storm of the AJHL in exchange for future considerations
Warriors Acquire Paivarinta:
The West Kelowna Warriors have acquired the CHL/BCHL list rights to Cody Paivarinta(98)(D) in exchange for future considerations
Smoke Eaters Acquire Sidoni & Byers:
The Trail Smoke Eaters have acquired the rights to forwards, Blake Sidoni (98) and Mack Byers (99). Sidoni, a Trail native was initially brought up as an AP from the KIJHL’s Beaver Valley Nitehawks and has 1 goal and 4 assists in his 9 BCHL games with the Smokies. Mack, from Long Lake, Minnesota, will be joining the Smoke Eaters in Wenatchee for tomorrow night’s game against the Wild.
Rivermen Acquire Dawson:
Rivermen will have newly signed defensemen Jordan Dawson in the lineup this weekend making his debut with the Rivermen. Dawson, the Delta BC native has played the last 3 seasons in the WHL with the Edmonton Oil Kings.
MacDonald Commits To Prince George Spruce Kings For 2018-19 Season:
The Prince George Spruce Kings have added some local flavour to next year’s edition of the club, as forward Craig MacDonald (’00) has committed to the team for the 2018/2019 season. MacDonald is in his first full year with the Cariboo Cougars of the BC Major Midget League, where he has amassed 9 goals and 16 assists for 25 points in 20 games. The 5’9”, 170 lbs MacDonald has also played 2 games for the Spruce Kings as an affiliate player this season, and is expected to be in the lineup this weekend as well as both Kyle Johnson and Ethan de Jong represent Team Canada West at the World Junior A Challenge in Truro, Nova Scotia. General Manager Mike Hawes is excited about the addition “We’re thrilled to announce the commitment of Craig to our program. He is a tremendous young man from a great family and has great core values that are in line with what we expect from a Spruce Kings player. On the ice, he is a terrific skater and a student of the game. He will fit in well with our players that will be returning next season and will thrive in the systems and up tempo style of play that we like to utilize.”
Trail-Cowichan Trade:
The Trail Smoke Eaters announced that they have acquired goaltender Adam Marcoux from the Cowichan Valley Capitals. Marcoux will be joining the team against the Wenatchee Wild tonight. As a result of this acquisition, Brandon Wells has been released from the Smokies active roster. The entire Smoke Eaters organization wish Brandon the very best.
Victoria-Calgary Trade:
The Victoria Grizzlies are pleased to announce they have acquired a veteran goaltender from the Calgary Mustangs of the Alberta Junior Hockey League. Kurtis Chapman 1998 born goaltender from Airdre, Alberta was acquired for a player development fee. Grizzlies GM/Head Coach, Craig Didmon, decided to acquire Chapman, after learning that both of the Grizzlies current goalies would be off the roster for December. Starting goaltender Zach Rose, was chosen to represent Western Canada in the World Junior A Challenge and will now not be back until January, and Shawn Parkinson has been placed on the Injured Reserve. “It is a tough situation as both goalies have played well in their rookie seasons, and continued to improve. Shawn has been fighting injuries over the last month and needs to rest and heal. We are very happy for Zach, however there are six games remaining before the break, so we felt we needed to bring in some stability,” said Didmon. Chapman is a proven Jr . A goalie who led the Portage Terriers of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League to a league championship last season. Chapman has also spent time in the Western League with the Regina Pats and the Kootenay Ice during the past three seasons. “I like that he has experience with success. He has won at Midget and at the Junior A level,” added Didmon. Chapman won a Provincial Championship with the UFA Bisons Midget AAA team taking them to the Telus Cup (Midget Nationals) in 2015. Fans can expect to see Chapman in the net for both Grizzlies home games this weekend as they host the Nanaimo Clippers for their Teddy Bear toss on Saturday and then host the Division leading Powell River Kings on Sunday for a 1 pm start. There is also a chance that Chapman may be in the lineup tonight versus the Cowichan Valley Capitals.
Alberni Valley-Brooks Trade:
The Alberni Valley Bulldogs have acquired the CJHL playing rights to Liam Lytton(99)(F) from the Brooks Bandits of the AJHL in exchange for future considerations
Cost Commits To Langley Rivermen For 2018-19:
A BCHL team has committed to Castlegar Rebels’ forward Brandon Cost for the 2018-19 season. The Langley Rivermen have committed to Costa, who will join former Rebel Daneel Lategan, who signed with the Rivermen prior to this season. “I am very excited to have been committed by the Langley Rivermen. I am looking forward to learning from my new coaches and teammates, and I know this organization is a great fit for me. Thank you to the Castlegar Rebels organization for being such a big part of my development and preparing me for this opportunity. I cannot wait to contribute to a deep playoff run and bring that experience to the next level,” Costa said in a press release. Costa was affiliated with the BCHL last season when he finished the season with the Trail Smoke Eaters after the Rebels were eliminated from the playoffs. “We are thrilled for Brandon. We were surprised to have him back this season,” Bill Rotheisler, Rebels general manager, said in the release. “I thought he did a lot of good things with his opportunity affiliating in the BCHL last season, and to be able to be with an organization like Langley, where I know their staff appreciate and will benefit a great deal from his unique blend of skill and grit. He did great things for us the past two seasons’ and he is going to do great things in the BCHL for the next three years. We hope this gives Brandon some extra motivation off finish this season off strong as a Rebel”. Costa signed with the Rebels as a 16-year-old, prior to the 2016-17 season. He finished the 2016-17 season with 33 points in 40 games.
Johnson Comitts To Trail For 2018-19 Season:
The Trail Smoke Eaters are pleased to announce the commitment of 2002-born Kent Johnson for the 2018-2019 season. Johnson, a forward, currently plays for the Burnaby Winter Club Academy Midget Prep team alongside other Smokie commit Sean Donaldson. The native of Port Moody, BC has had a productive season to date posting 26 points in 20 games which ranks him third in team scoring as a first year midget-aged player and was a much sought-after recruit across the league. Head Coach and General Manager, Cam Keith saw Johnson play first-hand earlier this season and came away impressed. “Kent thinks the game at an elite level. When you watch him play, [Johnson] makes right decision after right decision, with and without the puck. Impressive at any age, let alone as a 15-year-old rookie in that league.” Keith went further saying, “[Johnson] has the head, the heart and the hands to one day develop into an elite player in the BCHL, with that day coming sooner rather than later.” Johnson visited Trail last week, when he suited up for the Smoke Eaters for an away game against Vernon and a home game against Merritt where he did not look out of place against players up to 5 years his senior. Kent had a very positive experience during his visit to Trail which helped solidify his decision. “My time in Trail was an awesome experience for me; seeing the amazing facilities, as well as getting to play in such a great hockey town in front of the best fans in the BCHL, in an awesome rink. After this experience I was sure I wanted to play for Trail. I’m very excited to get to play for this historic franchise next season,” said Johnson. The Smoke Eaters organization would like to welcome Kent and his family to our team and look forward to following his progress for the remainder of this season with the Burnaby Winter Club and are excited to see him wear a Smoke Eaters uniform next fall.
Glass Explodes In Chilliwack:
During a BCHL game between the Chilliwack Chiefs and the Alberni Valley Bulldogs…the side glass completely vanishes when Chiefs forward Kaden Pickering is taken high into the glass on a hip check from the Bulldogs Connor Welsh. A couple of great angles and you can see the glass just shower down on both players.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZaXgZm6WGBg
Warriors Sign Paivarinta:
The West Kelowna Warriors announced on Tuesday afternoon that the team has added defenseman Cody Paivarinta (’98) to their roster from the Western Hockey League (WHL). Paivarinta, 19, has 95 career WHL games under his belt, registering 2 goals and 9 points along with 77 penalty minutes in that span with the Prince Albert Raiders. The 6’6”, 192-pound defender is no stranger to playing hockey in British Columbia as the Abbotsford, BC played in 29 games between the Nelson Leafs and Richmond Sockeyes in the Junior ‘B’ circuit where he amassed 3 goals and 7 points along with 39 penalty minutes. “Adding another defenseman like Cody gives us more size on the back end,” said Ferster, “He skates really well and has a good stick.” The Warriors would like to congratulate Jake on the achievement and welcome Cody and his family to the Warriors and the city of West Kelowna.
Cougars Sign Holowko:
The Prince George Cougars have made several roster moves ahead of the WHL Christmas break, General Manager Todd Harkins announced Tuesday. The Cougars have signed 20-year-old forward Nic Holowko off of WHL waivers. Holowko started the season with the Kamloops Blazers before being released, before joining the BCHL Coquitlam Express. In seven games with the Blazers, Holowko had three goals and four points. The Burnaby, BC, product is a veteran of over four seasons and over 200 games in the WHL with Seattle, Kamloops and Prince Albert. In 208 career regular season games, Holowko has compiled 21 goals and 53 points to go along with 100 penalty-minutes. In a corresponding move, the Cougars have placed fellow 20-year-old forward Brogan O’Brien on the Injured Reserve (lower-body) and he is listed as month-to-month. O’Brien suffered a lower-body injury Sunday in the Cougars’ game against Victoria. The Prince George native was fourth in team scoring with 10 goals and 21 points in 29 games. The 6’1, 190-pound Holowko will add some much-needed size and experience says General Manager Todd Harkins, “He’s a veteran piece that we can insert into our line-up after losing O’Brien on the weekend. Nic is a power-forward, who fits in very well with our style of play and he’ll add some grit to our forward group.” “Losing Brogan is significant, as he’s such a terrific leader on and off the ice, and he was really coming into his own. You can’t replace that type of character in your dressing room but we know we have a group that can rally around their injured teammate.” Prince George has also recalled 16-year-old Cole Beamin from the Saskatoon Contacts of the Saskatchewan Midget AAA Hockey League (SMAAAHL). The 6’3, 210-pound rear-guard is an Alternate Captain with the Contacts and has a pair of goals and six points in 18 games in the SMAAAHL. Beamin was the Cougars second-round pick, 31st overall, in the 2016 WHL Bantam Draft. His call-up coincides with Captain Dennis Cholowski being at Canada’s National Junior Team Sport Chek Selection Camp in St. Catherines, Ontario. Holowko will wear number 17 and Beamin will wear number 19, and both could make their Cougar debuts tonight against the Victoria Royals.
Penticton Vees Sign Wiesblatt:
The Penticton Vees are excited to announce the signing of 1999-born forward Ocean Wiesblatt. Wiesblatt, from Vancouver, has spent the last year and a half with the Brooks Bandits of the Alberta Junior Hockey League. Last season he was limited to just 14 games, scoring two goals and adding three assists. He then skated in 28 games with the Bandits this season adding two more goals to go along with six assists and 48 penalty minutes. Wiesblatt is committed to the University of Vermont in the future. “Ocean will add energy to our lineup,” said Vees head coach and general manager Fred Harbinson. “He’s 18 years old and has a lot of room to grow over the next few seasons.” The 5’9’’, 170-pound forward will wear jersey number 27 and will make his Vees debut Friday when the team travels to play the West Kelowna Warriors for the final time this season.
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