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:
Smoke Eaters Name Phillips New Broadcaster:
The Trail Smoke Eaters Junior ‘A’ Hockey Club is happy to announce the hiring of Ben Phillips as the team’s new play-by-play broadcaster ahead of the 2019-20 season. Phillips has spent the past two seasons as the play-by-play announcer and social media manager for the PJHL’s North Van Wolf Pack, earning the honour of Broadcaster of the Year for the 2018-19 season. In addition to his time with the Wolf Pack, Ben was also the voice of the North West Hawks of the BC Major Midget League this past season, as well as providing colour commentary for the BCHL’s Langley Rivermen. “I am very excited to head to Trail and and begin working for the Smoke Eaters organization”, said Phillips. “I’ve heard great things about the community and the fans of Trail and I can’t wait for the season to start!” “The Trail Smoke Eaters are excited to add Ben to our organization,” said Director of Hockey & Business Operations, Craig Clare. “He was selected from a group of finalists that included appealing national candidates and we know our fans are going to enjoy hearing him call our games at home and on the road.”
2019-20 Penticton Vees Spotlight: Liam Malmquist
The familiarity between the Vees organization and the State of Hockey brings Edina, Minnesota native Liam Malmquist to Penticton for the beginning of his junior hockey career. While playing his high school hockey in his hometown, Malmquist registered 36 goals and 41 assists for 77 points in 59 games including a senior season in which he led the Hornets with 23 goals and 52 points in just 29 games played over the 2018/19 campaign. “Playing three years at Edina was awesome,” said the incoming Vees forward, “Being around my teammates, who I grew up playing with and the coaches I’ve known for a while as well. Last year was definitely the icing on the cake in my senior season and I really enjoyed my time playing there.” Moving to Minnesota from San Francisco, California at the age of three, Malmquist had hockey in his life at all times, “Ever since I moved to Minnesota, I grew up an Edina Hornet hockey player,” commented the 18-year-old, “It’s been a pretty wild ride here but I love the community here and the hockey is awesome.” In choosing a place to advance in his hockey career and make the jump to Junior ‘A’, a trip to Penticton was a decisive factor, “Seeing how nice the facility is and how supportive the coaching staff looked to be was a big part in making my decision,” said Malmquist, “The team is bringing in some really talented players so I think I’m going to get the best opportunity in playing with the Vees.” “Another factor in choosing where to play this season was the decision between the BCHL and USHL,” continued Malmquist, “After talking to people who I knew and people who had played in the league, I think Penticton was definitely the right choice.” The visit for Malmquist also gave him his first look at the town of Penticton, “It’s a pretty long drive through the mountains, which is something I’ve never experienced before so that was pretty cool,” mentioned Malmquist, “When I got to the rink, it was pretty breathtaking to see and Penticton has everything I could need to succeed.” There weren’t too many weekends in which the Malmquist family wasn’t at a hockey rink somewhere. Each of Liam’s two brothers played the game with his oldest sibling, Dylan, playing four seasons at the University of Notre Dame and moving onto a pro hockey career. “It’s been a part of our lives for as long as I can remember,” said the 5’8″, 170-pound left shot forward, “Whether it was playing mini-sticks in the basement, street hockey or playing on the outdoor rinks in Minnesota with my brothers and my Dad, it was just about every day.” “During the summer, we get out everyday and it’s like you’re competing with them in the back of your head and adds to my competitive nature as a player,” Malmquist continued, “Both my brothers are talented so it’s been very helpful and pushed me to be a better player.” After his senior season at Edina came to a close, Malmquist secured his collegiate career by committing to the University of Wisconsin, “After our season-ending tournament, I sat down, looked at everything and did some research and it was a really tough decision but Coach (Tony) Granato, (Mark) Strobel and (Mark) Osieki were the people I wanted to play for ,” said Malmquist, “Wisconsin was the place for me and I’m happy to be a Badger.” As for offseason training, Malmquist likes to keep the routine similar for each of his years, “I do a weight training program which I’ve been doing for the past three or four summers,” stated Malmquist, “That goes Monday to Friday, working to get faster and stronger overall. It’s a lot of hockey moves and mechanics that go along with the game and is something I’ve really enjoyed doing for a while.” “I’m also on the ice quite a bit, skating four or fives times a week,” continued Malmquist, “It’s a pretty busy summer with hockey but I also like to make time to hang out with my friends and get out to the cabin to fish and find some time away from the game.”
Suzukovich Commits To Eagles:
The Surrey Eagles are excited to announce that 2001-born Ryan Suzukovich has committed to the team for the upcoming 2019-20 BCHL season. Suzukovich comes to Surrey from the Burnaby Winter Club Academy of the CSSHL. He is the fourth player to join the team that was signed out of this year’s spring identification camp. Eagles fans will be familiar with Suzukovich, after he appeared in the maximum 10 games as an affiliated player last season. He did not record a point in those 10 games, but amassed 4 penalty minutes and provided a steady hand on the back end defensively. With BWC he recorded 5 goals and 13 assists for 18 points in 30 games. “I’m looking forward to the season,” Suzukovich told SurreyEagles.ca in an interview. “Coming in, I know a couple of the guys from last year and some of the new commits, so it’s nice.” Suzukovich is known for his physical play, ability to move the puck up ice, and positional flexibility as he is able to fill a need both defensively and offensively. He was primarily a defenceman during his stint with the Eagles in 2018-19. “I’ve played defence pretty much my whole life,” Suzukovich explained. “It’s my go-to, but I will do whatever the team needs. Forward is fun, but D is probably where I feel I’m better suited and I’d like to stick to. Whatever the team needs, I can do.” Before joining the Burnaby Winter Club last year, Suzukovich was a member of the Vancouver NE Chiefs program of the BC Major Midget League. He played alongside fellow Eagles recruit and Spring Camp signee Cody Hough. “Cody and I are really good friends,” Suzukovich revealed. “We’ve talked throughout the summer a little bit and we’re both looking forward to the year. It would be pretty cool to line up with him again because I know how Cody plays and what he’s going to do. I need to be reliable defensively when he skates up with the puck, and I know he’ll have my back when I want to skate the puck up too.” Through the experience gained last season as an AP, Suzukovich brings a rare comfortability to the roster that is not usually seen with new recruits. He’ll be playing for a new head coach in Cam Keith, but he already knows what the coach is looking for in order to receive more ice time. “[Coach Keith] wants me to be strong defensively and earn my ice time through playing smart and playing strong, being hard to play against. The offence will come throughout the whole year, and I know I’ll have the whole year to do it.” Suzukovich also realizes that his 18-year-old season will be a important one in terms of his career. He’s excited to be joining a young group that consists of players that will be drawing a lot of attention from scouts – including the five already-committed players on the Eagles roster. “I’d love to get a scholarship. We’ll be getting a lot of exposure because we have so many commits on this team now, there should be some more scouts compared to last year. I just have to play my game and I hope they like what they see.” Welcome to the team, Ryan!
BC Hockey League and B.C. Chevrolet Dealers Renew Partnership:
The BC Hockey League and B.C. Chevrolet Dealers have announced a renewed agreement for the 2019-20 season as Chevrolet will become one of the league’s Founding Sponsors and will be known as the “Official Vehicle of the BCHL.” For the second year in a row, the Chevrolet logo will be prominently featured on the front left of every BCHL team jersey. The B.C. Chevrolet Dealers will also be bringing back one of the most popular features from the league last year – the “BCHL in 60”. BCHL in 60 is a minute-long highlight reel recapping the night’s action across the BCHL. It features on all BCHL social-media channels as well as the league website and runs two to three times a week during the regular season and even more frequently in the playoffs. “We are excited to have Chevrolet back on board as one of the league’s Founding Sponsors,” said BCHL Commissioner Chris Hebb. “They’ve been a great partner for the BCHL since coming on board last season and we can’t wait to grow this relationship going forward.” Chevrolet will have increased participation in game nights and on the BCHL’s website, social-media channels and newsletter. Local Chevrolet dealers will also have an opportunity for an increased presence in all 16 Canadian BCHL arenas. “Our B.C. Chevrolet Dealers are excited to partner with the BC Hockey League for the second year in a row,” said Michelle Bovon, Marketing Manager of Western Canada for GM Canada. “This partnership allows Chevrolet’s long-standing affiliation with hockey to get down to the local level where our dealers live, work and serve their communities.”
Next Generation: Powell River Kings
All summer we’ll be going team-by-team to profile new players coming in for the 2019-20 season with recaps of offseason commits and acquisitions. We will also have interviews and scouting reports from the coaches.
Next up is the Powell River Kings.
Last season, Powell River finished only a handful of points out of the Island Division lead and forced the high-powered Victoria Grizzlies to Game 7 in their second-round playoff series. With a number of players from last year’s roster moving on, the Kings have hit the recruiting trail this summer and added some quality pieces ahead of this season. With this in mind, head coach Tyler Kuntz is approaching this year’s training camp the same way he did a year ago in his first season behind the bench. “For me last year, I was new,” said Kuntz. “I was with 23 players I’d never met. This year we’ve got more kids that I know now and the other thing is I recruited them all. I’ve kind of got to know them in the offseason here. We’ll just be patient. We’ll teach. Our number-one thing is development and we’re invested in that. I think it’s no different than last year. You’ve got a group of kids and you want to teach them and you want them to have the best experience possible.”
2019-20 commits
Dylan Finlay (2001, D)
- Hometown: L’Île-Bizard, Que.
- Previous team: Lac St-Louis Lions (QMAAA)
- Commitment: University of Vermont (2020-21)
Finlay is an offensive defenceman who had 59 points combined in 82 games over his last two seasons in midget.
Kuntz’s scouting report:
“We were on him really early. He’s had great coaching at Lac St-Louis. That’s arguably one of the best midget programs in Canada. We’re getting a kid that’s been well-coached and he’s an offensive player that was a captain on his team. He always wants to get better. He’s always asking questions and he studies the game. That’s someone we thought would be a really good fit for us.”
Michael Abgrall (2003, F)
- Hometown: Richmond, B.C.
- Previous team: Burnaby Winter Club Elite 15s (CSSHL E15)
The 15-year-old was his team’s leading goal scorer last year with 26 markers in 29 games and also finished the year with 48 points. He played in five games as an affiliate with Powell River last year, debuting as a 14-year-old due to his late birthday, and chipped in with a pair of assists.
Kuntz’s scouting report:
“He’s really intelligent. He’s a great skater, really light on his feet and he can really move. He’s got a great shot too. With a kid like Michael, he’s going to be highly sought-after by schools. It brings a little attention to the team. He’s a great kid with a great family. We look at him as someone who’s not just going to be a great player in our league, but he’s also a great human.”
Reilly Moran (2000, F)
- Hometown: Milton, Mass.
- Previous team: Thayer Academy (USHS-Prep)
- Commitment: Army (U.S. Military Academy) (2020-21)
Moran played the last four years at Thayer Academy, putting up 25 points in 28 games in his most recent season.
Kuntz’s scouting report:
“He’s got a good offensive skillset. He’s quick and he’s got good hands. He’s also an extremely tireless worker. He’s just another kid that has really good character. In talking with Army, they feel he brings really good leadership qualities to our program and could one day be a captain.”
Davis Pennington (2001, D)
- Hometown: Saline, Mich.
- Previous team: Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights (NAHL)
- Commitment: University of Nebraska-Omaha (2020-21)
The 18-year-old was his team’s second-leading scoring defenceman last season with 20 points in 52 games.
Kuntz’s scouting report:
“He’s a smart, intelligent player with a great shot. He’s a good skater and he’s got good offensive abilities. For us, that’s something that we really needed. When you’re losing kids like Jayden Lee, we needed to add some firepower on the backend and we think he’ll be a really good fit there.”
Hunter McCoy (2000, F)
- Hometown: Newburyport, Mass.
- Previous team: Islander Hockey Club (NCDC)
McCoy led his club in scoring and was second in the NCDC in points with 61 in 47 games last year.
Kuntz’s scouting report:
“We lost a lot of players last year and we were looking for somebody that was a little bit older that had played junior hockey. We think he’ll be a really good player in our league. It might take him a couple of games to get going, but we think he’s a guy that adds some firepower. With his age and experience, he can help out our younger players.”
Jack Brackett (2000, F)
- Hometown: Manassas, Va.
- Previous team: Boston Jr. Bruins (NCDC)
- Commitment: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) (2020-21)
The 18-year-old had 23 goals in 43 games last year to lead his team and also finished second in points with 37.
Dylan Hewlett (2002, F)
- Hometown: Port Moody, B.C.
- Previous team: Burnaby Winter Club Prep (CSSHL)
Hewlett played three games as an affiliate with the Kings last season. He had 16 points in 23 games for Burnaby Winter Club in 2018-19.
Ian Kern (2002, D)
- Hometown: Vancouver, B.C.
- Previous team: Greater Vancouver Canadians (BCMML)
Another player to play as an affiliate with Powell River, Kern suited up for four BCHL contests. He led his major midget team in scoring from the backend with 14 points in 36 games and was an assistant captain.
Nicholas Porchetta (2002, F)
- Hometown: Powell River, B.C.
- Previous team: Delta Hockey Academy Prep (CSSHL)
Porchetta had nearly a point a game last year playing for Delta, registering 32 in 33 games. He also got in five games with Powell River as an affiliate and scored one goal.
Acquired via trade
Dawson McKay (2000, F)
- Hometown: Houghton, Mich.
- Previous team: Surrey Eagles
McKay started last season with the Bismarck Bobcats of the North American Hockey League (NAHL) before joining Surrey midseason where he had 10 points in 21 games.
Kuntz’s scouting report:
“We recruited him last year and his paperwork, for whatever reason, didn’t go through. After he joined Surrey, we played him in late January in Powell River and I thought that he was exactly what I thought he would be. You’re never sure, when a kid comes into the league, what he’s going to be. I thought, he’s going to be a good, big power forward that can skate and who’s hungry to get better.”
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