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:
Hodge Commits To Smoke Eaters:
The Trail Smoke Eaters are pleased to announce the commitment of 2000-born forward, Michael Hodge for the upcoming season. Hodge comes to the Smoke Eaters by way of the Calgary Flames of the Alberta Midget AAA League. During the 2017-2018 season Hodge totalled 10 goals and 22 points in 34 games for the Flames and added an additional 5 goals and 7 points over eight AMHL playoff games. Hodge impressed the Smoke Eaters staff during the team’s two identification camps this spring. Smoke Eaters General Manager and Head Coach, Jeff Tambellini feels that Hodge is another solid addition to the team’s offence, saying “Michael is a highly skilled forward who possesses professional level details in his game. We are very excited to add Michael to our lineup as he has the ability to play in any situation. We’re looking forward to developing his game and providing him the opportunity to play at the NCAA level.” We would like to take this opportunity to welcome Michael and his family to the Trail Smoke Eaters. Hodge joins defensemen Jeremy Smith, Diarmad DiMurro, Kyle Budvarson, and forward Hayden Rowan as additions to the Trail Smoke Eaters 2018-2019 roster.
Tri-City Americans Sign Dorsey:
Tri-City Americans Governor/General Manager Bob Tory today announced that the team has signed 19 year-old forward Matt Dorsey to a standard WHL Player Agreement. The 6’1” 190-pound forward hails from Wenatchee, WA. “We are excited that Matt will be joining our hockey club,” said Tory. He is a skilled forward with very good speed. Matt played last season with the Calgary Hitmen of the WHL and the Wenatchee Wild of the BCHL capturing the BCHL Championship and advancing to the RBC Cup.
Silverbacks Name Lepper New Broadcaster:
The Salmon Arm Silverbacks are pleased to announce that they have hired Ryan Lepper for the positions of Play-by-Play Broadcaster and Director of Marketing. Ryan brings a wealth of experience in both areas as he has previously held similar positions with the Prince George Cougars of the WHL & the Prince George Spruce Kings of the BCHL. Ryan Commented “I am very excited to be joining the Silverbacks organization. It’s a great team in a great division, and I look forward to joining the amazing off ice group that is already in place. From my previous time in the BCHL I know the team has great fans both at home and on road, and I look forward to meeting everyone!” Silverbacks Operations Manager Brooks Christensen commented, “We are thrilled that a person of Ryan’s experience and enthusiasm has decided to join our Corporate Team. I’m looking forward to introducing Ryan to our corporate sponsors, our fan base and the community of Salmon Arm. Ryan will be relocating to Salmon Arm in early July and will begin his employment with the Silverbacks shortly thereafter.
League Releases 2018-19 Regular Season Schedule:
The BCHL has finalized and published its schedule for the 2018-19 season with the exception of the Showcase event which is set for Sept. 20 to 22. Opening night for the coming season will be Friday, Sept. 7 and the regular season will conclude on Sunday, Feb. 24, 2019. There are currently 476 games scheduled but 17 more will be added once the Showcase matchups are revealed. Fans and media can find the schedule on the league website under the Schedule & Scores menu and League Schedule page. The display defaults to today’s date so users will have to adjust the dropdown menus on that page to view the month they wish to see. Alternatively, users can visit the League Scoreboard page but again will have to adjust the dropdown menus to view dates that contain regular-season games. Dates for exhibition games will also be added to the schedule later and will be finalized when teams’ main training camps get underway in late August. All regular-season and playoff games will once again be carried on the BCHL’s HockeyTV pay-per-view site (http://bchl.hockeytv.com). Fans can also follow games on their mobile devices by getting the HockeyTV app by HockeyTech Inc. in the app store. The defending league champion Wenatchee Wild open the regular season on an 11 game road trip.
West Kelowna Warriors Name Grimwood New Associate Head Coach/Assistant General Manager:
The West Kelowna Warriors Junior ‘A’ Hockey Club is pleased to announce the hiring of Geoff Grimwood as the associate Head Coach and assistant General Manager. Grimwood, 37, comes to the Warriors after three seasons in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) with the Kindersley Klippers as the Head Coach and General Manager. Grimwood helped the Klippers to a 79-82-8-5 record over the last three campaigns including playoff berths in each of his three seasons in Kindersley and playing into the quarterfinal round twice. Although spending the last three seasons in the prairies, Grimwood is very familiar with British Columbia and, in particular, the BC Hockey League. Grimwood spent two seasons at the helm of the South Island Royals of the BC Major Midget League while also working with the Victoria Royals of the Western Hockey League (WHL) in those two seasons. Before that, Grimwood was the assistant coach with the Powell River Kings from 2010-2012, helping guide the team to back-to-back Coastal Conference championships. In his playing days, the Victoria, BC native suited up for the Victoria Salsa from 1998-2000 before attending Red Deer College for three seasons and transitioning into the coaching side of the game. “I am honoured to be joining the West Kelowna Warriors,” commented Grimwood, “I have known Rylan for quite a few years now and am very excited to work with him and the entire Warriors staff; I would like to thank Rylan and Kim Dobranski for the opportunity and looking forward to moving to the West Kelowna area.” Warriors Head Coach and General Manager Rylan Ferster knows adding the experience that Grimwood possesses will only benefit the club, “I have known Geoff for over 10 years and have always had a ton of respect in the way he carried himself and the professionalism in which represented the programs he was with,” stated the Warriors bench boss, “We would talk philosophy and exchange ideas from time to time.” In addition, the Warriors are pleased to announce the return of Matt Miller to the coaching staff for the 2018/19 season. Miller will enter his third season working with the club handling the video coach aspects as well as helping out behind the bench. “To be able to add a person in Geoff who has been a head coach the last three years is outstanding,” continued Ferster, “I’m really looking forward to being able to work together now and, with having Matt back on our staff this season, makes for a great fit.” The Warriors would like to welcome Geoff and his family to the Warriors organization and the City of West Kelowna.
Powell River Kings June Update:
Get caught up from a busy month of June with the 2nd installment of our Off-Season Update Series. Alex Rawnsley breaks down rule changes, the 2018/19 schedule and much more!
Langennegger Commits To Salmon Arm:
The Salmon Arm Silverbacks are pleased to announce that they have committed to goaltender Ethan Langennegger formerly of the Thompson Blazers (MML). Langennegger had an outstanding 2017-18 campaign posting a 3.04 goals against average and a save percentage of .914. In addition, the Kamloops native was spectacular in his only appearance as an affiliated player with the Silverbacks. Langenegger backstopped the Silverbacks to an exciting 3-1 home victory against the West Kelowna Warriors in late October. Langenegger faced 36 shots and posted a .973 save percentage in the contest. Head Coach and General Manager Scott Atkinson stated, “We see Ethan as our goaltender of the future, he is a high character person who happens to be an outstanding goaltender. He practiced with us about a dozen times last year and displayed impressive technical prowess and a high compete level at each ice time.” Langenegger expressed his thoughts on the signing by stating, “I couldn’t be more excited to join the Salmon Arm Silverbacks. The Silverbacks are a great organization and I’m excited to be part of their future successes. I think this is a great fit for me going forward and I can’t wait to get started.”
Niedermayer Commits To Penticton:
The Penticton Vees are excited to announce the commitment of 2001-born forward Jackson Niedermayer for the 2018-19 season. Niedermayer, from Newport Beach, California, comes to Penticton having spent the past two seasons with the Anaheim Jr. Ducks U16 team. In 2017-18 he scored 23 goals and 19 assists in 34 games. The 5’10’’, 194-pound winger is the son of Hockey Hall of Famer and four-time Stanley Cup champion Scott Niedermayer. Jackson, along with his parents and two younger brothers, will be moving to Penticton this summer. He will wear number 21 and will join the rest of his teammates for training camp in late August. Vees play-by-play broadcaster Craig Beauchemin caught up with Jackson Niedermayer for this feature story. The name Niedermayer is familiar with hockey fans around the world. Scott, a four-time Stanley Cup champion, played over 1,200 games in the National Hockey league and is regarded as one of the best defenceman in NHL history. Now, a new generation of Niedermayer’s look to make their mark on the hockey world, beginning with Jackson. “My dad had a huge impact on me playing the sport, my love for the game came from watching him play,” Niedermayer said. “Seeing what he meant to the sport motivated me to play and try to do something with my own name.” Jackson, the 2001-born forward, will begin his junior hockey career in the South Okanagan as he and his family move to Penticton for the upcoming season. Jackson will be joined by his parents Scott and Lisa, along with his two younger brothers. His older brother will be staying in California to attend university. The 5’10’’ 194-pound winger spent the last two seasons playing with the Anaheim Jr. Ducks U16 program, becoming a top offensive performer last season. After eight goals and 13 assists in 2016-17, he surpassed those numbers and then some with 23 goals and 19 assists in 34 games last year. “It was a good year for the whole team,” Niedermayer said. “I thought all the kids bought into their roles and came together as a team. Finishing third at Nationals for a team from California was great. It led to kids moving on to a lot of different leagues. Our coaching staff taught us so much, they helped all of us.” California continues to become a viable area for hockey players to learn the game, as shown by the growing number of player emerging from the State. “I think the amount of California guys that have been drafted or seen as prospects always come back during the summers and you’re able to skate with them and work out with them,” Niedermayer said. “It kind of motivates you to want to be the next guy.” Motivation also came in the form of watching his dad earn so many accolades during the course of his career, which Niedermayer had a front-row seat to during the second half of Scott’s NHL career. Though there’s one glaring difference between the two: their positions on the ice. “Everyone in my family are defenceman, I’m the only forward. I think I take after my uncle for that one,” he said with a laugh. “I’ve been a forward since day one, I’m a competitive kid and I like to score goals.” Jackson’s uncle, Rob, also had a long NHL career which spanned 1,153 games, including winning the 2007 Stanley Cup with Scott as a member of the Anaheim Ducks. It might be obvious to think Jackson had a ton of influence from his father on the ice, but it’s the things away from the rink that can have just as much of an impact. “He was always a humble and quiet kind of guy when it came to his accolades and accomplishments,” Niedermayer said. “Just staying humble through it all and not letting anything go to your head is one of the big things he’s taught me. Seeing the way he’s carried himself has shown me a lot.” Niedermayer faces a unique situation as players coming north of the border usually have to leave their families behind. Since his family is relocating to Penticton, the transition will be much easier Niedermayer says. “Having my family there, I’m pretty fortunate,” Niedermayer said. “My brother and I will be going to the same high school, it’ll just be like old times. I’m very fortunate with the sacrifices they’ve made to help me.” Earlier this year, Niedermayer came to Penticton with his mom to visit the city and get first-hand look at the facilities the Vees have at their disposal. While the rink and city were nice, Niedermayer says the impact the team has on the city is one of the things that stood out in his mind when visiting. “The city loves the team, it’s like a huge family there,” Niedermayer said. “I’ve lived in California my whole life, so to be going to a [comparatively] small city and to see how everyone is so connected within the community is something I loved about it.” A player of his skill level and age would have had no shortage or suitors looking for his services for the upcoming season, but the visit, along with the history of the program, swayed Niedermayer’s mind. “They carry themselves like a Division 1 program,” he stated. “How they treat the players and the facilities they have are amazing. How professionally they carry themselves and care about their players was something that stood out for me.” Unsurprisingly, Niedermayer’s goal is to obtain an NCAA Division 1 scholarship down the road, saying he wants to focus on growing his personal game as much as possible. He’s hoping to work on his speed and hockey sense as he moves from the midget ranks to junior hockey. When it comes to his style of play, Niedermayer knows exactly the role he wants to play on the team. “Just help the team win in any way possible,” he said. “Whatever I can do to contribute to the teams success is something that I want to be able to look back on after I’m gone and say ‘I did that.’” There’s no question Vees fans would love to look back on Niedermayer’s time as a Vee and say the same thing.
Powell River-Salmon Arm Trade:
The Powell River Kings would like to announce the acquisition of defenceman Riley Hayles and future considerations from the Salmon Arm Silverbacks, in exchange for defenceman Andy Stevens. Originally from Delta, Hayles will enter his 3rd season of BCHL action in September. In his previous two years, both in Salmon Arm, Hayles scored 8 goals and 39 points. Prior to playing with the Silverbacks, the 6’0, 185lb defenceman attended the Okanagan Hockey Academy, captaining his team during his final year. Going to Salmon Arm is 1998 born defenceman, Andy Stevens. Over the last three years, Stevens had been a stalwart on the Kings blue line, playing in 178 regular season and 25 playoff games between 2014 and 2018. In that span, Stevens scored 12 goals and 73 points. The Kings would like to thank Andy for his work on and off the ice with the Kings over the past three seasons, and wish him all the best with the Silverbacks. The team also would like to welcome Riley to the Kings ahead of the team’s 30th anniversary season.
Vees Roster Coming Along:
The Vees are now at their limit of six import players for the 2018-19 B.C. Hockey League season. The Vees are still hopeful of signing standout defenceman Max Crozier, who they recently acquired in a three-player deal with the Nanaimo Clippers. Crozier had wanted to be traded out of Nanaimo. While waiting for a deal, he committed to Sioux Falls of the USHL for 2018-19. Harbinson met Tuesday with Crozier’s father, Jim. “His Dad was gracious enough to take the time to meet us, it was a positive exchange, so we’ll see where it all goes,” said Harbinson, noting Crozier would be closer to his family’s home in Calgary. “We’re hopeful he’ll come here for a visit. He’d made the decision to go to (Sioux Falls) before because he didn’t know when or if he’d be traded. The situation has changed now.” The Vees also acquired speedy centre David Sillye in the deal with Nanaimo, with forward Marcus Mitchell going the other way. “We’ve acquired a lot of great pieces in the last few weeks,” said Harbinson. “We’re set in goal, we’re in really good shape up front and if Crozier decides to come, the back end looks real good, too. If he doesn’t, then we’ll probably have to do a couple of other things.” Harbinson said the Vees are going to be fast and big this season. The Vees currently only have three 20-year-olds – returning defencemen James Miller and Kenny Johnson, and recently acquired goaltender Jack LaFontaine. BCHL teams are permitted to carry a maximum of six 20-year-olds. “We’re going to be fairly young, but having said that we’ve got a lot of junior experience,” said Harbinson. “We’re sitting pretty well for the last week of June.”
Forwards
Cole Shepard 2002 5'9 150lbs West Vancouver, BC
Ryan Sandelin 1999 6'0 195lbs Hermantown, MN, USA
David Sylie 1999 5'11 185lbs Arnprior, ON
Massimo Rizzo 2001 5'10 170lbs Burnaby, BC
Jack Barnes 2000 5'10 175lbs Penticton, BC
Luke Loheit 2000 6'0 185lbs Minnetonka, MN, USA
Henri Schreifels 2000 6'0 195lbs Agoura Hills, CA, USA
Jackson Niedermayer 2001 5'11 190lbs Penticton, BC
Lukas Sillinger 2000 5'9 175lbs Regina, SK
Sammy Steele 2000 6'3 185lbs Hummelstown, PA, USA
Matthew Byrne 2000 5'9 170lbs Penticton, BC
Drew Elser 2000 5'11 180lbs Hopewell Junction, NY, USA
Ocean Wiesblatt 1999 5'9 170lbs Calgary, AB
Cassidy Bowes 1999 5'11 190lbs Kelowna, BC
Defence
Devon Mussio 1999 6'1 190lbs Vancouver, BC
Kenny Johnson 1998 6'4 235lbs Ann Arbor, MI, USA
Connor Hutchison 2000 5'11 180lbs Hicksville, NY, USA
Trevor Isaksson 2000 6'2 215lbs North Delta, BC
James Miller 1998 6'2 175lbs Spruce Grove, AB
Jack Lagerstrom 2000 6'2 200lbs Mississauga, ON
Goaltenders
Derek Krall 1999 6'0 170lbs Nanaimo, BC
Jack LaFontaine 1998 6'3 200lbs Mississauga, ON
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