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:
Wagner Commits To Prince George Spruce Kings:
The Prince George Spruce Kings are pleased to announce the commitment of Forward Henry Wagner (01) from the St. Louis AAA Blues of USHS-MO. Wagner, a 5’9”, 150 pound native of St. Louis, Missouri, scored 28 goals and added 23 assists in in 37 games last season. Henry is committed to Yale University, where he will join the Bulldogs after his time in Prince George
Penticton-Coquitlam Trade:
The Penticton Vees announced today that they have traded 2001-born forward Massimo Rizzo to the Coquitlam Express to complete the June 1 deal that saw the Vees acquire Alex DiPaolo. Rizzo, from Burnaby, spent the past two years with the Vees recording 24 goals and 55 assists in 87 games. He missed 21 games this past season. “This was a difficult decision but in the end was the decision that was best for both the Vees and Massimo Rizzo,” Vees head coach, general manager and president Fred Harbinson said. “The past two seasons have been trying for Massimo, dealing with significant injuries which forced him to start the seasons late and miss substantial stretches of games. We felt that with Massimo’s recent surgery, it would be best for him to rehab at home next season. Fortunately we were able to make a hockey trade with Coquitlam that helped our team in the process. Massimo will always be a Vees alum and we wish him the best during his recovery next season,” Harbinson finished. The Vees would like to thank Rizzo for his contributions both on and off the ice, and wish him the best of luck with the Express and University of North Dakota in the future.
Harrison Returns To Warriors:
The West Kelowna Junior ‘A’ Hockey Club is excited to announce the return of defender Jake Harrison(‘99) for the 2019-2020 season. Harrison, 20, spent last season with the Fargo Force of the United States Hockey League(USHL) where he was able to register a pair of goals and 8 assists in 49 games played with the Force. “We are very excited to have Jake back in West Kelowna for next season”, said Warriors Head Coach and General Manager Brandon West. “Jake is a leader who has a wealth of experience in our league and our program. Jake has always been a fan favourite and everyone will be excited to see him back on Royal LePage Place Ice.” The 5’10 175 pound defender was a part of the Warriors historic RBC Cup team back in 2016 but elected to play his 19 year old season in the USHL. “Moving away from home for the first time was a great life experience that I was yet to have”, said Harrison. “It pushed me to mature and grow as a person. The Fargo Force coaching staff played a big part of improving my defensive game and further my skating abilities”. The West Kelowna native is thrilled to be back wearing a Warriors jersey again. “There is no greater feeling than being able to play for your hometown team.”, stated Harrison." It is awesome to have the opportunity to play my fourth and final year of junior hockey with the Warriors .”The Warriors would like to welcome Jake and his family back to the Warriors organization.
Ramsay Commits To Surrey Eagles:
The Surrey Eagles are very pleased to announce that forward Sean Ramsay has committed to the team for the upcoming 2019-20 BCHL season. The 2001-born Ramsay led the entire CSSHL in scoring last season with the Pacific Coast Hockey Academy, breaking the single-season points record with 96 in only 35 games. Ramsay found the back of the net 46 times in his record-breaking 2018-19 season, scoring at a 2.74 point-per-game clip which eclipsed the next closest player by almost half a point per game. He also appeared in four BCHL games last year with the Victoria Grizzlies as an affiliated player down the stretch. As one of the more highly sought-after BCHL recruits this offseason, Ramsay officially decided to commit to Surrey after taking a visit to the South Surrey Arena facility and meeting with the coaching staff. He toured the White Rock/South Surrey area and met with head coach/associate general manager Cam Keith to confirm his plan to sign with the Eagles. “Cam was a huge part in me signing with Surrey,” Ramsay explained in a conversation with SurreyEagles.ca. “He just showed me the arena, the nice facility, the big ice surface. You really can’t go wrong playing at that rink. I wanted to move away. I’ve been living in Victoria my whole life, so it will be nice to discover White Rock.” The Eagles staff is incredibly happy to have Ramsay as part of the team moving forward. Keith sees him as a key piece of the rebuild moving forward, and they expect to him to step in and play a role right away. “We are extremely excited about the potential for Sean to be a impact player this upcoming season,” Keith said about his latest recruit. “His ability to create offence at the academy level should translate immediately. He can slow the game down or play with pace, and his offensive creativity will be exhilarating for fans to watch on our Olympic ice sheet.” When talking about his exceptional final season in the CSSHL, Ramsay shies away from drawing attention to himself, and instead prefers to compliment the play of his Pacific Sea Devils teammates. Breaking the single-season scoring record wasn’t a specific goal going into the season, but became a very real possibility as the year went on. “It just sort of happened,” Ramsay explained. “I was aware that the previous record was held by Holden Kodak with 92 points. I broke the record with an assist in Delta and everyone was really happy for me when I got it.” Although he prefers to compliment his teammates, Ramsay’s torrid scoring pace put him directly under the spotlight of scouts from the BCHL, NCAA, and even the WHL. “I was approached by the Everett Silvertips [of the WHL] this past year,” said Ramsay, who made it clear that his desire is to achieve a scholarship to a division I college program. “They wanted me to play in their top six, but I’ve decided to go the college route. My dad has been through it and he tells me about how awesome it was. He says it was the best four years of his life. He’s really helped guide me throughout my path.” Ramsay’s father, Ian, is a former Nanaimo Clippers player and coach. He spent four years with the University of Denver Pioneers, and coached his son through his minor hockey years. By signing with the Eagles, Sean is now one step closer to matching his father’s career path. His four-game BCHL stint at the end of the season may not seem important, but Ramsay contends that it allowed him to get an idea of the skill-level of the league. He now understands the speed, and more importantly, the strength required to be a player at the junior A level. “I’m still trying to put on some weight this summer,” Ramsay said, describing his off-season plan. “The BCHL is definitely a faster and stronger league. I have to work hard this summer. I have to get faster. I’ve been doing some runs at Mount Douglas, sprints. A lot of leg and core work.” There’s little concern from the team’s staff about Ramsay making the adjustment to the higher level. He’s described as an exceptionally talented offensive threat with elite speed, which should only be helped by the extra time and space on the bigger South Surrey Arena ice surface. “I’m excited to use my speed a bit more on the larger ice surface. I’ll have more time to handle the puck, with more room and more time to make decisions. It will be pretty cool moving up and seeing what I can do in the BCHL. I’m hoping to make an impact in my first year.”
Kings Add Finlay To Roster:
The Powell River Kings are looking forward to the addition of University of Vermont commit, Dylan Finlay to their 2019/2020 roster. The 2001-born, 6’1, 176lb Quebec native has spent the last two seasons with the Lac St-Louis Lions in the Quebec Midget AAA League where he racked up a total of 59 points in 82 games from the blue line. “I think Finlay is going to bring some reliability and consistency to our backend,” says General Manager and Head Coach Tyler Kuntz, “He’s extremely mobile. “When I spoke with his coach, he described Dylan as a huge hockey nerd. He can’t get enough of learning and being taught. This is how I coach, so I like hockey nerds, I have found that those types of kids often improve very quickly.” Finlay enjoyed his time playing in Lac St-Louis saying, “I believe my time there has played an instrumental role on the player and person I am today. I don’t think there’s any better place to develop in midget hockey in Quebec, and maybe all of Canada. The coaching staff all really know what they’re talking about and if you look at the alumni and the seasons they’ve had in the past, it speaks for itself.” Bringing Finlay onto the roster was a no-brainer for coach Kuntz, “We are getting a kid who will be around for two years and who will work extremely hard and be a good leader. His coaches have had great things to say about him as a person. Our recruiting with him started last November and he has done his research. He asked intelligent questions and I was very impressed not just by his play but by how mature he is, we are very excited to bring him in.” When making his decision on coming out to BC to join the Kings organization, Finlay spoke with Kings alumni, Ryan Brushett, “We didn’t really know each other but I remember him from watching the Lions games when I was younger. We texted back and forth and spoke on the phone and he had great things to say about Powell River and he made me really want to play for the Kings.” After speaking with Ryan and hearing about how coach Kuntz teaches, Finlay felt it was an easy decision, “I feel Coach Kuntz and my coach in Lac St-Louis, Jon Goyens are very similar in the fact that they are teachers first and they really care about player development which was very intriguing. Video sessions have helped me grow as a player and hearing how much Tyler likes to do video and how often he does it, really helped influence my decision.” Finlay will be busy this off season trying to add a few pounds to his frame, “I want to gain more strength all throughout my body, in my core, my hips and my upper body to become a bit more of a physical presence out there.” Finlay will join his teammates in Powell River for main camp, starting August 19th.
New Faces Step Up At Centennials AGM Meetings:
The Merritt Centennials hosted their Annual General Meeting last night, officially capping off the 2018-19 season. President Neil Menard, Governor and Director of Hockey Operations Brian Barrett, Business Operations Manager Jared Thomas, Treasurer Beth Nadeau, Billet Coordinator Jessica Culbertson, Booster Club President Betty Doberstein, and through Brian Barrett, Head Coach and GM Barry Wolff, all made reports on the season that was to a solid turnout of Cents fans in the mezzanine at the Nicola Valley Memorial Arena. After the reports, the board elected to cap the number of directors at 14 moving forward, and called for nominations from the floor. Six names were put forward, but since only two former board members did not let their name stand it meant only 3 new members could join the board. Long time volunteer in the score booth, Richard Stirling, was named one of the new directors. Lisa Cavaliere, a billet of 13 years got solid support from the floor, and Kevin Rabbitt, a former Centennials defenseman, scout in the league, and local business owner got the final seat at the table. Following the general meeting, the board elected its officers for the coming year. Neil Menard will remain as President, Kevin Rabbitt will serve as Vice-President, Beth Nadeau will remain as Treasurer, and Lisa Cavaliere will assume the role of Secretary. The Centennials would like to thank Dave MacCauley and Caryl Moffat for their years of service on the board, and look forward to getting to work with the new faces on the board for the coming year. The Centennials next AGM will be in June of 2020.
Eagles Name Schiavon Captain:
The Surrey Eagles are extremely proud to announce that Cody Schiavon has been named captain for the upcoming 2019-20 BCHL season. The 18-year-old defenceman takes over the captaincy from the departing Jeremy Smith, who will be attending Quinnipiac University next season. Schiavon is entering his third season with the club, having appeared in 101 BCHL games in his career – 96 of which have been with the Eagles. He served as an assistant captain last season with the 2018-19 leadership group. “I was excited when I found out,” Schiavon told SurreyEagles.ca. “It’s a huge honour. I’m really looking forward to the season coming up. We have a good group of guys coming in and returning, I think it will be a lot of fun.” With 21 points last season, Schiavon was tied with Riley Hayles for the team lead in points among defencemen. He tied his career-best with 3 goals, and set a new career high with 18 assists in 44 games. Although he is capable of racking up points and possesses a powerful shot from the point, scoring isn’t what Schiavon is primarily known for. His leadership is what sets him apart and is the reason general manager Blaine Neufeld and head coach/associate general manager Cam Keith felt comfortable making the captaincy announcement before the season. “This announcement means a lot to me,” Schiavon explained. “It means you’re being singled out as a guy who leads by example. I think I’m a very competitive person, and hopefully people will follow that because we want to have 22-23 leaders in the room. It doesn’t matter who it is, how old you are, or if you’re wearing a letter.” This will be Schiavon’s first season under the guidance of new head coach Cam Keith, who has made a great first impression with the new captain. Dealing with a coaching change is never easy, but with assistant coaches Brad Tobin and Linden Saip maintaining a presence on the staff, it has made the transition easier. It’s not a complete blank slate, either. It turns out that Schiavon already had a level of familiarity with Keith before he was even announced as the new head coach. “I know Cam a little bit,” said Schiavon about his new bench boss. “When I first came to Surrey he was recruiting me to Trail as well, when he was there, so it came full circle a little bit. I think we’ve built on the previous relationship we had, and it’s been good so far.” The two have met one-on-one to discuss the upcoming season and the direction of the team, which has added to Schiavon’s excitement level about the players that have been recruited so far. There is still a bitter taste still left in his mouth after last season, so Schiavon says he would love nothing more than to bounce back in a big way. With a solid core of returning players, and excitement surrounding the players being brought in, that is a real possibility in his mind. “I think winning would show resiliency for the group that has been here, myself included, but there are others. Having that perseverance and sticking with it would mean so much to me. I can’t wait for next season.”
Leal Commits To Prince George Spruce Kings:
The Prince George Spruce Kings are pleased to announce the commitment of Defenseman Cole Leal (01) from Northwood School in Lake Placid, NY. Leal, a 5’11, 170 pound native of Belleville, Ontario, scored 13 goals and added 17 assists in 82 games last season between High School Hockey and the US Premier Hockey League.
2019-20 Penticton Vees Spotlight: Danny Weight:
Danny Weight never had to look far for inspiration. The song of Doug Weight, who played 1,238 games in the National Hockey League, Danny knew from a young age what he wanted to do. “Some of my earliest memories of the game are probably just due to my dad playing,” Weight said. “Going into the locker room with him, meeting players and seeing what you had to do to be a pro, it just gave me a desire to make the NHL too.” Weight has seen his dad accomplish a lot since being born in 2001; Doug hoisted the Stanley Cup as a member of the Carolina Hurricanes in 2006, played at two Olympic Games in 2002 and 2006, skated in his 1,000th career game November 17, 2006 and won the King Clancy Trophy as the NHL’s Leadership-Humanitarian of the year in the 2010-11 season. Following his playing career, Doug immediately joined the New York Islanders as an assistant coach and assistant general manager. Management and coaching positions in professional sports are often met with endless criticism from the public, but Danny was easily able to let comments about his dad roll off his back. “I was already used to it just from when he played,” he said. “People are a little harder on you when you’re a coach, so that a little different to get used to. But it was awesome to see him on TV all the time and have people ask me about him.” Unsurprisingly, Weight’s father is the biggest influence in his career. “Without a doubt. Whether it’s doing video, shooting pucks, skating or just being by my side,” Weight said. “He’s helped me the whole way. He’s given me so much advice and taught me how to overcome certain situations. He’s been a huge help for me.” Danny burst onto the hockey scene in New York during his midget season in 2016-17, torching the league with 52 goals and 68 assists in 83 games with the PAL Junior Islanders. He was quick to credit his coach for his success. “I had a great coach there, Bob Thornton, who really just helped me play through my mistakes,” he explained. “He didn’t criticize me too much, he just allowed me to play my game. We had a really good team that year and a lot of my success goes to Bob. That was kind of the start me thinking I could make the NHL one day.” At the end of that season, Weight received his NCAA commitment to Boston College. While he got his commitment out of the way before playing junior hockey, Weight insisted it was never a rush to get finished. “It was a really cool experience going through the college process,” he said. “You go see some schools and try to find what fits you best. Boston College was unreal, and the coaching staff were so nice. I’m really excited to be heading there in the future.” For 2017-18 Weight made the jump to junior hockey with the United States National Development Program, which splits the season between the USHL and playing in national tournaments. Being a 16-year-old and playing against players as old as 21, it was understandably a big jump for Weight to make. “The first year was definitely pretty difficult,” he admitted. “Every player was older and heavier, but about halfway through the year I think I got used to the pace and as a team we played really well.” Weight played in tournaments in Russia, the Czech Republic and Canada during his 16-year-old season. One of those tournaments was the Under-17 World Hockey Championships in Dawson Creek and Fort St. John, where Team USA claimed gold. “That was our first International tournament and the first big stage we all played on,” Weight said. “It was really fun; we dominated the whole tournament. We were lighting it up that tournament and never looked back after that.” Team USA went 6-0 at the tournament, outscoring opponents 34-15 en route to the gold medal. Weight scored a goal and two assists at the event and couldn’t help but mention Jack Hughes’ performance as the phenom scored 15 points, three shy of the all-time tournament record. Hughes is seen as the consensus first overall pick for the 2019 NHL Entry Draft on Friday, and Weight has had a front row seat to Hughes for the past two years. The US Development Program is stacked with talent and could see five or more players drafted into the first round on Friday. “Those two years were such a great experience, being with all those top players,” Weight said. “Learning from them in practice and playing against the best players every day, it just makes you so much better. Everyone wants to succeed and be the best player they can be. I can’t say enough good things about The Program, it was so good development wise and I made 22 new brothers.” Weight could also hear his name called at the draft this weekend, though he says he’s trying not to focus on it. “If I don’t get drafted this year, I just want to have a great year to try and get drafted as high as I can next year.” Weight had no shortage of options on where to play for the 2019-20 season; he was drafted by the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey league in 2017 and had USHL teams clamoring for his services, but a visit to Penticton sealed his decision. “Honestly, right when I got there, I knew that’s where I wanted to go,” Weight said. “The facilities are amazing; I don’t think any other place I could go would have facilities like theirs. Fred was just great to me throughout the whole process. The team is looking really good for next year. I couldn’t be happier to come to Penticton, meet all the guys and try to make a run at a championship.” Weight knew a fair amount about the Vees organization before coming on a visit with his dad, but he says seeing it for himself blew him away. “I knew it was a great organization, but I didn’t know what I was walking into,” Weight laughed. “How new the rink was, how everyone in Penticton loves their hockey. The whole city is amazing. It’s a beautiful spot. There are golf courses all around. It’s a great place to play junior hockey and I’m really excited.” Knowing the history of the franchise, Weight has high expectations of himself coming north of the border as he tries to develop his game to a new level. “I’m looking to come in and be a really key part to our team,” Weight stated. “I want to be a play maker, be a goal scorer and be an offensive leader on our team. I want to develop my game as much as I can so I can work towards being an NHL player. My mentality is to come in and help this team in any way I can to help them win a championship.” Vees fans hope they’ll see Danny parading around the South Okanagan Events Centre ice with a trophy over his head, just like his dad did 14 years ago.
Former Vernon Viper goaltenders Darion Hanson is one of 40 players attending the Buffalo Sabres development camp.
The camp will feature current Sabres prospects, including all six players selected at the 2019 NHL Draft. Attendees will take part in both on-ice and off-ice workouts. All on-ice sessions will be held at Harborcenter.
