BCHL News & Trades:
McLaughlin Commits To Silverbacks:
The Salmon Arm Silverbacks are pleased to announce their commitment to 18 year old defenceman Ethan McLaughlin for the upcoming 2018-19 BCHL season. Last season the Penticton product registered 7 goals, 30 assists, for 37 points in 36 games while playing for the OHA-Red Midget Prep team of the CSSHL. Silverback’s Head Coach and General Manager Scott Atkinson had this to say about the signing, “Ethan’s outstanding skating ability enables him to contribute at both ends of the ice. He possesses a very good all-round skill set and has a high hockey IQ. Ethan fits right into our overall game plan: he defends well, has the skill to play the puck possession game, and can push the pace.” Last year McLaughlin affiliated with Penticton. In response to the signing McLaughlin commented, “I am very thrilled and honoured to start my Junior career with the Salmon Arm Silverbacks. Putting on the Silverback jersey for the start of the season will be a very proud and exciting time. I also want to prove I can make an impact at both ends of the ice. I look forward to meeting my new teammates, working with the coaches and staff, and being involved in the community of Salmon Arm.” Ethan will join his teammates next week for training camp at the Shaw Centre. Exhibition games will be played at home August 25th against the West Kelowna Warriors and August 31st against the Vernon Vipers.
2018-19 Outlook With New Penticton Vees Recruit Hutchison:
Growing up in New York offers no shortage of attractions to catch someones eye. For a young Conner Hutchison, that attraction happened to be hockey and the New York Rangers. “My mom used to have Rangers season tickets when I was four or five,” Hutchison said. “I remember her bringing me to Madison Square Garden to watch the Rangers play. My brother and I used to always go to the rink in my town and he and my dad taught me to skate. It kind of took off from there.” Once he joined organized hockey Hutchison started on defence and by his own admission it was because he wasn’t that “skilled.” While he’s listed at 5’11’’ and 181 pounds, Hutchison grew early and was bigger than most of the kids on his team which added to the reasoning to put him on the back end. His size didn’t continue to trend upwards but Hutchison feels with the game of hockey progressing the way it has, defenceman don’t need to tower over their opponents. “A lot of my favourite players are defenceman that are under six feet,” he said. “Shayne Gostisbehere is around 5’11’’ and he went to South Kent too. You see a lot of defenceman in the NHL now who are under six feet. Their skating ability is what carries them. As you mature as a player you can sort of control the game more from the defensive side. You can see everything as you’re carrying the puck up the ice and create offence from defence.” Gostisbehere finished third in NHL defenceman scoring this past year with 65 points as a member of the Philadelphia Flyers. South Kent School is a private, boys-only boarding school in South Kent, Connecticut. Hutchison spent the last four years of his life there and admits not going back will be a big change for him. “It was basically my home for four years and I became really close with a lot of people there,” Hutchison said. “It’s definitely going to be weird to be changing my whole scene. All my pre-game rituals are going to be different after being the exact same for the last four years.” While the school was less than two hours away from his hometown, Hutchison says his school and hockey schedule didn’t allow him to get home very often, limiting visits to holidays. He was able to get away to visit Penticton last season, however. A chance for Hutchison to scope out a potential landing spot for himself before he heads to the University of Vermont in the future. “I had seen some pictures before I came out there,” Hutchison said of his visit. “I didn’t know exactly what to expect but when I got here I was blown away. The rink was amazing, the fans were unbelievable and the atmosphere during the game made it an incredible trip.” Hutchison also had previous knowledge of the BCHL as his older brother, Nick, played two seasons with the Salmon Arm Silverbacks from 2014-2016. Despite being impressed with everything Penticton had to offer following his trip, Hutchison still wanted to take his time weighing his options for his first year of junior hockey. “I got traded to Chicago in the USHL and I knew some of the guys in their organization pretty well,” he said. “I wanted to give them the benefit of the doubt so I went out to see it before I made my decision, but after comparing them and Penticton I just thought the Vees were the better spot for me.” Hutchison’s move to the Vees is a substantial one in a lot of ways, considering how far it is from home and the fact he’s moving to a new country. But not everything will be new as an old teammate and roommate, Drew Elser, will be along for the ride. “We roomed together for my first two years at South Kent so when I heard he was looking at Penticton we talked about nice it would be to live together and play together again,” Hutchison explained. “I’ve known him for about eight years now and we’re both coming from different situations so we’re both going through the same sort of thing. I think it’s good that we’re going to be doing it together.” Following a breakout season in which he scored 51 points in 49 games, Hutchison feels he’ll be able to bring a lot to the table for his new team. He also knows how high the expectations are for the Vees each year, but his own expectations match them. “Just from my visit and all the things the coaches have told me about the tradition, they always seem to be one of the best teams in the BCHL,” he said. “I expect that we’re going to be one of the best teams the league and hopefully go all the way to the RBC Cup. For myself I want to do whatever I can to help the team win and work everyday towards getting ready for college hockey. I want to work on being stronger in the defensive zone. I think I do well with creating offence but I don’t want to give up too much on the other side of the puck.” Fans in Penticton have the same hopes, and the long journey for Hutchison and his teammates begins August 20 in training camp.
Smoke Eaters Name Leier New Athletic Trainer:
The Smoke Eaters are also excited to announce the hiring of Bobby-Jean Leier as our Athletic Trainer. Bobby is a Kinesiologist, majoring in Human Kinetics. She obtained her degree in her hometown at the University of Regina. While studying in Regina, she had the privilege of spending two seasons with the University of Regina Rams Football Club, gaining a wealth of knowledge from her Sport Physio superiors. It was then that the opportunity to work in junior hockey and lacrosse came and she never looked back. Bobby-Jean found her passion for working with athletes at the young age of 14, as she volunteered as a student athletic trainer. For the past 12 years, Bobby has dedicated her life to training and treating elite athletes in hockey, football and lacrosse within Saskatchewan. Bobby spent last year with the Jr. A Weyburn Red Wings of the SJHL and the previous 6 years with the Extreme Hockey Regina Capitals of the PJHL. She is also the full-time athletic trainer for the Barracuda Lacrosse Program, which involves novice to junior level athletes and for the Team Saskatchewan PeeWee national team. Bobby is thrilled for her next chapter in Trail, BC and can’t wait to become an intricate part of the community.
2018-19 Outlook With New Vees Recruit Silye:
David Silye is no stranger to the BCHL. Two seasons with the Nanaimo Clippers has seen the Arnprior, Ontario native establish himself as an offensive threat each time he jumps over the boards. After eight goals and 10 assists as a rookie in 2016-17, Silye broke out last year with 10 goals and 31 assists. “I think just understanding my body better as I’ve gotten older,” Silye said of his growth as a player. “Developing a bit more confidence in myself and knowing that I can play at the level I’m playing at right now.” Last season wasn’t the first time Silye took a big step forward offensively; his first year of minor midget in Ontario he nearly doubled his point totals from his bantam season the year before. While he played all of his minor hockey in the Ottawa region, Silye spent a lot of time in Calgary as a kid and has a brother that lives in Vancouver. All of that combined with an opportunity to play in the BCHL worked out well for him and his family. “My mom wanted to move back to Vancouver so I kind of had a feeling my family wanted to go back West,” Silye recalled. “At the time Kanata wasn’t the best situation for me and there was an opportunity in Nanaimo.” During his final midget season Silye affiliated with the Kanata Lasers of the CCHL, scoring a goal and an assist in 10 games. The team finished with a 7-54-1 record during the 2015-16 season. The move to the West Coast was Silye’s first chance to really experience what British Columbia has to offer he said, and perhaps unsurprisingly, he immediately fell in love with it. After his solid rookie season, Silye was determined to be more of an impact player in his second year, and he circled back to a word he used before. “It all comes down to confidence for sure,” he stated. “Once I settled down into my role with the team later in the season that’s when I kind of took off.” Once the calendar flipped over to 2018, Silye’s offensive production went through the roof as he tallied 20 points over the final 20 games before adding three goals and an assist in six playoff games as the Clippers were eliminated by the Powell River Kings. His effort didn’t go unnoticed around the league and south of the border, as Clarkson University kept close tabs on him which culminated with a scholarship for the 2019-20 season. “I’m super excited about, it feels like such a relief going into the season having that security,” Silye said. “Now I can just focus on hockey and not have to worry about all the outside stuff.” Working hockey camps in Ontario has kept Silye busy over the summer months, but in July news came out that he would be wearing a blue jersey instead of orange for the 2018-19 season as he was acquired in a trade for Marcus Mitchell. It was something Silye was thrilled about. “Even just visiting and coming to the rink it’s amazing,” Silye said. “The atmosphere is unbelievable and I’m excited. I’m hoping to be a bit of a go-to guy for this year. I’m looking forward to getting to know all the other guys and seeing the kind of style they play so we can all fit into our roles. I’m a pass-first kind of player so hopefully we’ve got some guys who can put the puck in the net.” With roster changes and NCAA commitments, the Vees are losing players who combined for 162 of their 216 goals from the 2017-18 season, so the team and the fans are hoping the new faces can put the puck in the net as well.
Merritt-North York Trade:
The Merritt Centennials have announced a trade ahead of main camp. The Cents have acquired the CJHL playing rights of Peter Muzyka of the North York Rangers of the OJHL in exchange for forward Ashton Stockie and future considerations. A native of Stratford, Stockie returns to Ontario after a one year stint with the Centennials. During the 2017-18 season, Stockie compiled 8 goals and 15 assists for 23 points over 57 games while adding 1 goal in 4 playoff games against the Wenatchee Wild. Head Coach and General Manager Joe Martin says that the move will free up more time at centre ice for the upcoming season. “We have a number of forwards who can play the middle and this move offers us an opportunity to try out some different line combinations and be more creative moving ahead.” Among the players expected to get a look at centre are: Mathieu Gosselin, Matt Kopperud, and Brad Cocca.
Coquitlam-Calgary Trade:
The Coquitlam Express have bolstered their goaltending position just prior to the opening of training camp next week with the acquisition of local product Kolby Matthews (99) from the Calgary Canucks of the AJHL for future considerations. The Coquitlam native is coming off his first full season of junior hockey and is familiar to local hockey followers. Matthews split last season with the Battlefords Northstars (SJHL) and Calgary Canucks (AJHL). In 10 games with Battlefords, he posted a 9-1 record with a 2.46 GAA and a .911 save percentage. On November 30, 2017 he was traded to the Calgary Canucks. In Calgary, he posted a 9-6-1 record with a 4.40 GAA and .886 save percentage. But it wasn’t uncommon for Matthews to face 35+ shots per night, something he did 11 times last season posting a record of 7-3-0-1 in those games. In the playoffs he posted a 1-3 record while facing 34+ shots per game in all 4 contests. He has made two cameo appearances with the Express as an affiliate player playing in one game in each of the 2016-17 and 2015-16 seasons. “My start 2 years ago was very memorable. It was a big moment in my career and it showed me that I can compete in the BCHL. Playing for my hometown city gave me that extra push to want to do well.” -Kolby Matthews on his February 2017 start for the Express. Kolby played his major midget hockey in Coquitlam spending two seasons with the Vancouver North East Chiefs of the BC Major Midget league. He posted spectacular numbers during the 2016-17 season with a 21-3 record with a stingy 1.81 GAA. His 21 wins were tops in the BCMML that season. Matthews will be on the ice next week when the Express open training camp on Monday. They will have intrasquad games during the week. Monday’s game starts at 7pm at the Porier Sports and Leisure complex. Welcome to the Express Kolby.
Atkinson Preview's Silverbacks Upcoming Season:
For the Salmon Arm Silverbacks coaching staff, the 2018-19 season started the day after they were eliminated in the playoffs by the Vernon Vipers. GM & Head Coach Scotty Atkinson enters his sophomore season with the BCHL team and says he's ready to go for another season!"They're super competitive [Other BCHL teams] and they're looking for an advantage any way they can get it and that's their job...just like it's my job. To me it's full on...let's get after it and let's see who is better, right?" Training camp and pre-season opens up in about two weeks time with the season home opener kicking off on September 7th vs Merritt.
2018-19 Outlook With New Penticton Vees Recruit Miotto:
It didn’t go exactly according to plan, but Ryan Miotto and the rest of his Chilliwack Chief teammates were able to call themselves RBC Cup champions at the end of last season. After finishing fourth in the Mainland Division and being eliminated in the opening round of the Fred Page Cup playoffs, the Chiefs went 62 days in between games as hosts of the National Junior ‘A’ Championship. “We did have some pressure on us, but we tried not to look at it too much,” Miotto said from his hometown of Thorold, Ontario. “We had two weeks off to go home and see family and friends. After we got back we went through some really tough training, everyone was healthy and in the best shape of their lives.” After dropping the opening game of the tournament 2-1 in overtime to the Wenatchee Wild, the Chiefs wouldn’t lose again culminating with a 4-2 win over the Wellington Dukes in the championship game May 20. While they would have rather been battling through the Fred Page Cup playoffs to win their way into the RBC Cup, Miotto says they learned lessons throughout the season that helped them when it came to crunch time. “Over the year we definitely became a really tight group,” he said. “I felt like that was one of the reasons we played so well once the tournament came around. I was at a loss for words when the final buzzer went. Everyone was just throwing their gloves in the air and screaming. It was one of the best experiences of my life.” Less than a month after winning the title, Miotto’s rights were traded from the Chiefs to the Bonnyville Pontiacs of the Alberta Junior Hockey League to complete a trade made during the regular season. They didn’t stay there long as the Vees made a move to acquire him August 1. “I was talking to my family about every situation and didn’t know there was going to be another move being made,” Miotto explained. “It definitely builds my confidence to be picked up by a team like Penticton. I’m excited to be a Vee and I can’t wait for the season to start.” Miotto’s family are the ones that got him into hockey in the first place as his dad strapped a pair of skates on his feet when he was a kid. It was an instant love for Moitto who saw his game grow quickly every year. Throughout his final year of midget with the Niagara North Stars, in which he scored 33 points in 32 games, he AP’d with the Welland Canadians of the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League. After four assists in 10 regular season games, he skated in five playoff games recording six points. “Those playoffs helped me get ready for the next year by playing against older players,” Miotto said. “In a way I was a little surprised at what I was able to do the following year. I felt like a lot of things went my way that year, but overall it was a lot of fun. I had a ton of great teammates and memories from that season.” Miotto blew up offensively during the 2016-17 year; playing full time with the Canadians he scored 27 goals and 44 assists in 48 games, claiming the GOJHL’s rookie of the year honours. He also accomplished a personal goal that year; receiving an NCAA scholarship. February 6 of that season it was announced Miotto had committed to Canisius College for the 2019-20 season. While an NCAA Div 1 scholarship from a Junior ‘B’ league is almost non-existent out west, Miotto says it’s not surprising in Ontario. “There’s a lot of good teams and players in that league,” Miotto explained. “There are a bunch of guys who played in the Ontario Hockey League. It’s good for younger guys to go against the older guys who have played a lot of junior hockey before.” Miotto also got his first taste of Junior ‘A’ action that season as he was an AP for the Georgetown Raiders of the Ontario Junior Hockey League. He played two regular season games, with two goals and an assist, before becoming a regular in the playoffs where he suited up for 11 games. Miotto chipped in offensively with two goals and three assists during the playoff run in which Georgetown reached the league final, but there was a noteworthy player on that team as well. Jack Hughes, the likely first overall pick in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft, was also an AP. “He was really young, like a couple years younger than everyone else. But you could already see the skill he had, and everyone knew he was a special player,” Miotto said of Hughes. After proving he could score in the GOJHL, Miotto had his sights set on Junior ‘A’ for the 2017-18 season. While staying at home in the OJHL was on the table, coming out West seemed like a better path, Miotto said. “There were definitely thoughts of staying at home and playing in the OJHL,” Miotto admitted. “But my family and I figured playing in the BCHL would get me more ready for college hockey.” Miotto packed his bags and travelled over 4,000 kilometres west to play for the Chiefs this past season, a solid year in which he scored nine goals with 12 assists. Interestingly enough, his first and last goals of the regular season both came against Penticton. His numbers may not have been as eye-popping as they were with Welland, but Miotto takes pride in being able to do anything the team needs for a spark. “I can see myself playing any position up front,” Miotto said. “I can play defence or chip in offensively. I’m a utility guy who can play any position the coach puts me in to help the team win.” With a description like that, Miotto may find himself stepping on the ice to acknowledge the crowd as energy player of the game quite often during the 2018-19 season.
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