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:
Capitals Sign Verbicky:
The Cowichan Capitals are pleased to announce the signing of 2003 born forward Kobe Verbicky for the 2019/20 season. Verbicky was previously at Edmonton Oil Kings camp after being drafted in the 2nd round, 23rd overall by Edmonton in 2018. The 16 year old is from Victoria, and last year played for the North Island Silvertips of the British Columbia Major Midget League. He finished in the team lead in points, notching 12 goals and 23 assists for 35 points in 35 games. After his midget season was over Kobe played a pair of games with the Oil Kings and did not record a point. Verbicky is the 2nd 2003 born player to join the Capitals along with forward David Wang. Verbicky will wear #16 in his Capitals debut on Wednesday evening against the Surrey Eagles at the Cowichan Community Centre
Nanaimo-Wenatchee Trade:
The Nanaimo Clippers have added Julien Menes to the roster in a trade with Wenatchee Wild for future considerations. Julien is a 6 ft 2 inch 201 lbs power forward who the coaching staff is very familiar with due to off season scouting. The Wenatchee Wild ran out of import spots due to a returning player and needed to trade an import player. In the meantime, with the rigorous schedule of the BCHL, the Clippers have fallen into injury issues and needed another high end forward. Darren Naylor remarked “The coaching staff and I saw Julien play on several scouting trips this spring and were interested in him but learned he had committed to Wenatchee. When I heard he was coming available, I was very interested as he is an elite big body forward that fits our program. From what I saw, Julien will fit in nicely in our shut down defensive plan while adding some much needed offence.” After playing in Quebec, including at the prestigious Quebec Pee Wee Tournament, Julien decided to head south to St Paul’s High Schooling in the USHS Prep League where, over 3 seasons, he accumulated 55 points, including 31 goals in 75 games. This year, Julien contributed 1 assist in 4 games with the Wenatchee Wild. Wes Mussio, owner of the Nanaimo Clippers, said “After the coaching staff identified Julien as an important piece of the puzzle, I looked at some tape on the player and felt he would fit in nicely to our hard to play against team that wears other teams down. I have no doubt that Julien will contribute offensively but will take care of his own end as well. We are excited to see what he can bring.”
On The Bench With Trevor Miller:
This week, forward Liam_Malmquist is our guest!
Victoria Grizzlies Counting On Young Guns:
Rebuild, retool, youth movement, call it what you want, the Victoria Grizzlies are in it. After a long playoff run a season ago with the likes of NHL draft picks Alex Newhook (Colorado Avalanche), Alex Campbell (Nashville Predators), Carter Berger (Florida Panthers) and Riley Hughes (New York Rangers), the Grizzlies’ roster for the 2019-20 B.C. Hockey League season is being rebuilt this season by general manager and head coach Craig Didmon. And after a busy off-season of recruiting, Didmon has brought in some key pieces to help get the Grizzlies back on track in the Island Division. “We’re happy with where we’re at right now, but yes, we are a little raw so it might take a few games to get on track,” said Didmon, whose team opens the season tonight in Duncan against the Cowichan Valley Capitals. Here’s a look at how things break down for the Grizzlies.
• FORWARDS
The Grizzlies will be counting on new captain and 20-year-old sniper Marty Westhaver to carry a huge load up front as Victoria is without its top seven scorers from last season. And Westhaver, entering his fourth season in the Grizzlies’ den, wouldn’t have it any other way. “I have a lot of goals in mind this season, but mainly I want to be a top-10 scorer in this league and I’m confident I can do that this season, especially with the young, fast forwards we have coming in,” said Westhaver. Westhaver had 16 goals and 11 assists last season when he was the only Grizzly to play all 58 regular season games. But it was in the playoffs where the speedy winger/centre really caught fire scoring eight goals and eight assists in 13 games before his post-season was cut short by a shoulder injury in the Coastal Conference final against league champion Prince George. “Based on last year’s playoffs and what I’ve seen in the preseason, I expect Marty to be one of the best forwards in the league,” said Didmon. “And Marty is a complete player, a 200-foot player, and yes he’ll be pressed to be more offensive this year, but he brings an ability to play at both ends of the rink and that’s great asset to have.” Westhaver will be surrounded by some new faces and some familiar ones. Eddie Yan, Darwin Lakoduc and Henri Schreifels are entering their second years in the league and Didmon expects more offence from all three, who are fast and skilled and not afraid to go to the net. And newcomers Brendan Bowie, Cody Monds and Chase McInnis — all 18-year-olds — are coming off big point-producing seasons for their prep schools out east and will be counted on to score at the junior level if the Grizzlies are to be near the top of the BCHL again. Bowie (St. Lawrence), Monds (Providence) and McInnis (Northeastern) have all committed to NCAA schools for 2021. The addition of Bryce Anderson from the Trail Smoke Eaters also adds some speed up front. “This will be a team that is deep, that we can roll over even four lines,” added Didmon. “And Monds, Bowie and McInnis can step right in, in a top-six role, and then you have Yan, Lakoduc and Schreifels who will see much bigger roles this season, and then guys like [Stephen] Konroyd and [Jake] Veilleux bring some grit to the lineup so I really like our makeup of forwards.”
• DEFENCE
The Grizzlies bring back 20-year-old Nico Somerville and 19-year-old Brady MacDonald, who will sport an ‘A’ on their jerseys as assistant captains. Somerville had a career-high six goals and 24 assists in 57 regular season games last year and will be counted on to quarterback the Grizzlies’ power play this season. The Grizzlies’ second pairing will be the rookie tandem of 19-year-old American James Davenport, who already has an NCAA scholarship to Brown University in his back pocket, and 18-year-old Quebec native Isack Bandu. Both had impressive preseasons. “Somerville and MacDonald were in our top four last season and now we have no problem making them our top pairing,” said Didmon. “And we have [Reid] Lindsay and [Ryan] Fischer returning so the fact we are a relatively new defensive unit, we do have four returnees.” Didmon also expects big things from the newest and youngest Grizzlie, Chace Oliver. The 17-year-old younger brother of Victoria Royals forward Kaid Oliver attended the Lethbridge Hurricanes WHL training camp, but the 6-foot-1, 175-pound blue-liner has decided to play in the BCHL. “Chace is a tough kid with a lot of skill who, if he has a good season, could find himself on the [NHL Central Scouting] draft list.”
• GOALTENDING
The one position where the Grizzlies are completely set is between the pipes with 20-year-old veteran Liam Souliere and 18-year-old rookie Joe Howe. The 5-foot-11, 180-pound Souliere played Junior A last season in Ontario for the Brockville Braves where he posted a 2.13 goals-against average and .930 save percentage, which led to a spot on Team Canada East for the World Junior A Challenge and a scholarship next fall to Penn State. And despite an early injury setback that limited Souliere to one preseason game and may keep him out of tonight’s opener, Didmon is excited to see what the veteran can do. If Souliere can’t play tonight, the 6-foot-3, 185-pound Howe will make his Junior A debut after coming west from Upper Canada College, where he spent the past two season. “Liam is a guy who has played a ton of junior hockey and had a lot of success, and when he did play in the preseason he showed he’s a calm, collected goalie and that’s exactly what this young team needs,” said Didmon. “And Joe, you can tell he’s going to be a real good goalie in this league, he’s big and agile, so we’re really happy with where our goaltending situation is right now.”
• SYNOPSIS
The Grizzlies are young with only three 20-year-olds (Westhaver, Somerville, Souliere) while most teams will carry five or six, so Didmon does have some room to add players if needed because the Island Division will be a tough one again. Powell River and Nanaimo return several key players and Mike Vandekamp’s Capitals are coming off an impressive playoff run where they knocked off the Penticton Vees. “I see the Island Division as even better than last season,” said Westhaver. “It may not have one powerhouse team but this year every team looks good, there’s no weak link, so there’s going to be a lot of parity. Teams coming to the Island to play are going to have a tough time.” Making things even tougher for the Grizzlies is the Mann Cup being played at The Q Centre. The Grizzlies are forced to play their first seven games on the road. “It’s a tall order,” said Didmon. “The stars are going to have to align for us because this is a tough league to win on the road. So we’re going to try to get better every period and I think we’re ready for the task and will be a better team for it when it’s all said and done.”
Merritt-Fort Frances Trade:
The Centennials announced today that they have sent goaltender Dylan Kosik (01) to the Fort Frances Lakers of the SIJHL in exchange for future considerations. The move was some what expected after the acquisition of Tanner Marshall from the Brooks Bandits earlier in the week. Kosik only saw a period of action in the Centennials crease stopping all 5 shots he faced against the Penticton Vees. Last season he played for the Rockland Nationals where he put up a 2.53 GAA and .915 SV% in 23 games played. The Centennials would like to thank Dylan for his contributions to the club and the community in his short time here, and wish him the best with Fort Frances this season.
30 Years of Chiefs Hockey: Part 1 – The Early Years
The Chilliwack Chiefs are celebrating their 30th anniversary in the BCHL this season. Not many teams can say they have played 30-plus seasons in the league. In fact, only Vernon, Powell River, Penticton, Merritt – and now the Chiefs – can. Here is a three part series looking back at 30 years of Chiefs’ hockey starting with 1990-1998. Junior A hockey in Chilliwack prior to the Chiefs arrival in 1990 wasn’t exactly the best. Three different teams called the Chilliwack Coliseum home in the BCHL – the Bruins from 1970-1976, the Colts from 1978-1981 (the team ceased operations midway through the 1980-81 season), and the Eagles from 1987-1989. The Chiefs arrived in Chilliwack after the Richmond Sockeyes was sold to the Brew family in 1989. The team came out sporting red, white, and blue Winnipeg Jets-style jerseys with the basic chief headdress logo used to this day. They put together a good group of skilled tough players with the likes of Joey Potskin with 146 points and 156 PIMs, Marc Gagnon with 145 points and 119 PIMs, and to complement them, Bill MacGilivary with 109 points and only 34 PIMs. The team was lead by head coach Mike O’Brian to a record of 38-18-0-3 that won them the Interior Division as well as having the best record in the league. The dream first season continued as the team beat the Merritt Centennials in six games in the first round of the playoffs, but then it came to an end, losing to the defending national champion Vernon Lakers in six games. The next season of 1991-92, with Gagnon leading the way with 84 points and new head coach Eddy Beers, the Chiefs forged a solid 38-19-3 record to finish second in the Interior. The 1992-93 season was one to forget with the Chiefs finishing last in the division and going through three coaches. The team did have some bright sides with the arrival of future all time leading goal scorer Doug Ast and the hiring of the legendary BCHL coach Harvey Smyl that summer. The team bounced back in 1993-94 with a 28-28-4 record. With the addition of a few more teams to the BCHL, the Chiefs moved to the newly formed Mainland Division for 1994-95, where they finished first with a 39-18-3 record. The roster featured future NHLer Jason Krog, team captain Peter Zurba, and second leading scorer Jeff Trembecky, and a solid defense with future captain Corey deMoissac. The club had a nice mix of local talent, veterans, and one of the only imports from Europe to play in the BCHL – Ilya Borisychev. They also had the league’s top goaltender in Mike Minard. In the playoffs that year, the Chiefs would go on to defeat the Surrey Eagles in six games, and set up a match up with the high powered defending champion Kelowna Spartans, who had swept them in the first round the year previous. The Chiefs upset the Spartans in seven games and would go on to the league finals for the first time in franchise history, where they would meet the Powell River Paper Kings. The Chiefs would claim their first championship over Powell River, winning game five at home at the Coliseum. The Chiefs won the Mowat Cup and played the AJHL powerhouse Calgary Canucks in the Doyle Cup. The Chiefs lost in five games, ending their bid to play for the Centennial Cup National Junior A Championship. In 1995-96, the Chiefs looked to continue their run after the previous season’s success. The team was poised to win the division again, but finished second to the Surrey Eagles. In the playoffs, the Chiefs played Merritt in the quarterfinals, beating the Cents in five games. The Chiefs faced the Langley Thunder in the semifinals, losing in seven games and putting an end to their bid for back to back championships. Over the next two seasons, the Chiefs again put themselves in a position to go on championship runs. In 1996-97, they finished fifth in the newly formed Coastal Division, putting them in a first round mini-series against Cowichan Valley. Chilliwack beat the Capitals 2-1 in the best-of-3, and set up a meeting against the division champion South Surrey Eagles, where the Chiefs lost in five games. In 1998 with the addition of Brian Maloney to the team, the Chiefs once again finished second in the division to the Eagles. In the playoffs that year, Chilliwack beat Victoria in seven games in the first round, putting them up against the Eagles for the second straight year. Unfortunately for the Chiefs, it was déjà vu as they lost in five games for the second straight year against the defending champions. In their first eight years of existence in Chilliwack, the Chiefs had a successful history in only missing the playoffs once. Stay tuned for Part 2 of this three part series, which will focus on 1999-2006, which is known in Chilliwack as the “rage” era.
Warriors Bare Financial Soul:
Saying he wants to "dispel any rumours regarding the financial health of the (hockey) club, the owner of the West Kelowna Warriors has laid out the teams financial statements for all to see. In a news release issued late Friday night, Kim Dobranski says the BC Hockey League club, which admittedly lost hundreds of thousands of dollars over the previous decade, showed a loss of slightly more that $59,000 under his first year of team ownership. Dobranski assumed control of the Warriors from previous owner Mark Cheyne in August of last year with the team in danger of moving or folding. While admitting to some challenges last season, which included the firing, rehiring and later the firing of head coach Geoff Grimwood, a player revolt over the initial firing, and now two lawsuits brought forward by Grimwood and his former business partner Xiaorong Liang, Dobranski says staff and volunteers "worked incredibly hard supporting our efforts to grow the fan base, reach more sponsors, and have a greater participation in the community." "There is always an element of cynicism towards public organizations as many believe the efforts to support the club is “all about money," said Dobranski in the email. "To counter this I have made our P&L (profit and loss) statement public to restore confidence in the community. As a disclaimer there are still some adjustments in categories as everything is currently being reviewed, but the net revenue will not change." The statement claims the club brought in revenues of $1,243,117.09 during the year ending July 31, with expenses of $1,302,476.88. That left a net operating loss of $59,318.47. There is no indication these figures have been fully audited. "While this may seem like a disappointment, we are actually pleased when looking back to the heavy loses the club faced over the last 10 years prior. "We certainly do not want to lose money as our goal is to break-even every year, and we are heading in the right direction." In order to make up the shortfall this season, Dobranski says the team needs to increase attendance by about 16 per cent over last season. That would work out to about 133 adult fans per game, or 3,750 over the course of the regular season. According to HockeyDB.com, the Warriors averaged 828 fans last season. Over their first two home games, the Warriors have brought in 1,371 fans, an average of 685 per game. "I am of the belief we can do it, and we will continue to work to make it happen."
Click here to view the complete profit and loss statement.
Centennials Sign Galloway & Orchard:
The Merritt Centennials are proud to announce the signings of Tyson Galloway (03) and Jerzy Orchard (01) as they have been released from their respective WHL teams. Both players were the victims of the numbers game on their respective teams. Galloway is a prospect with the Calgary Hitmen and the young 16 year old was looking primed to make the roster if not for the presence of a strong D-core with 6 returning players. Orchard, who’s WHL rights are with the Kamloops Blazers, was squeezed out due to a wealth of younger talent with the team electing to keep 3 16 year olds to start the season. Galloway, a Kamloops native, standing at 6’2″ and weighing 201 lbs will be getting his first true taste of Junior hockey action with the Merritt Centennials. Last year he put up 18 assists in 37 games with the BC Major Midget League’s Thompson Blazers. He also got into 3 WHL games with the Hitmen where he didn’t register a point. Prior to serving on the Blazers, he spent a year at Yale Academy in 2017-18 where he had 3 goals and 11 assists in 29 games. Head Coach and General Manager Barry Wolff says that Galloway is someone the team is familiar with. “He was at our camp, so we kind of new we had a chance to get him if things didn’t work out with the Hitmen. There would have been limited ice time for him there, so we’re lucky enough to get him here.” Orchard, a left-handed shot from Delisle, Saskatchewan, spent the full year with the Kamloops Blazers last season getting into 41 games registering a goal and two assists in a limited role. Coach Wolff says that Orchard is a player that comes in motivated to prove he’s more than a grinder. “Good feet, good first step. Got some offensive ability. Obviously his numbers weren’t there last year due to the situation, hopefully he can get some numbers here. His goal is to get back to that league, so hopefully we can help him do that.” With the additions there may be some need for subtractions says Coach Wolff. “We’ll see how it goes, day by day we figure things out. We just want to get better and if these guys make us better then obviously someone’s got to go. Which is the unfortunate part of the business, but that is the business.” The signings could see action as early as this weekend against the West Kelowna Warriors and Wenatchee Wild, or the coaching staff may wait until next week. The Cents would like to welcome Galloway and Orchard to the Nicola Valley, and hope you’ll be there to welcome them on Friday night at the NVMA versus the West Kelowna Warriors.
Salmon Arm-West Kelowna Trade:
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