Friday, July 3, 2020

BCHL News & Trades:

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:

Victoria-Drumheller Trade:

The Victoria Grizzlies of the B.C. Hockey League have acquired the playing rights of Trevor Longo from the Drumheller Dragons of the Alberta Junior Hockey League. The six-foot-three defenceman from North Vancouver has spent most of his junior career in the Western Hockey League. The 20-year-old played 61 games for Medicine Hat Tigers with five goals and 13 points in 2018-19 and 27 games with the Tigers and 25 with the Vancouver Giants in this past season with a combined six goals and 16 points. “Trevor is a quality hockey player who may come available to us,” said Grizzlies head coach and GM Craig Didmon. “If he does decide to play in the BCHL this season, we will provide him a great place to play his final junior hockey season and will continue to help develop him toward a professional career.” But playing in the BCHL is not for sure. “It is a gamble we’ve decided to take because he is a guy that can come in and be an impact player on our team and his leadership skills would be great for our environment,” said Didmon.

Prince George-Cowichan Trade:

The Spruce Kings have traded forward Tom Richter (’00) to the Cowichan Valley Capitals in exchange for future considerations. “Tom is a great person and teammate and just got caught up in a numbers game and being a 20-year-old player and an import player,” says GM Mike Hawes. Richter,  from Greenwich CT,  finished the 2019-20 campaign with two goals and eight assists in 56 games played. The 6’1, 170 pound forward is committed to play NCAA Division 1 Hockey at Union College in 2021-22. “I am happy that we were able to find a good spot for Tom. We wish him good luck in Cowichan this upcoming season,” added Hawes.

All-Time Penticton Vees lineup:

Founded in 1961, Penticton’s BCHL franchise has gone through a few name changes and a lot of players. Over the past weeks, TSN made an all-time list of all seven Canadian teams. Now, what would an all-time team look like in Penticton? For TSN’s all-time teams, they had rules and regulations, but the only rule for this will be the players must have appeared in at least 45 games.

Forwards

The forward group ranges from players as early as the 70s and includes a handful of Hockey Hall of Fame members. 

Gordie McKay, who donned the Vees sweater from 1973-77, holds the BCHL record for all-time goals with 208 and only trails Shane Kuss for first in all-time points. McKay is a sure-fire player to make the team. 

Scott Boucher ranks ninth all-time in BCHL assists with 194. Boucher played for three teams during his time in the league but played 91 games in the South Okanagan, racking up 141 points from 1994-96. 

Despite only playing in one season, Ron Vincent is a name you cant leave out. Vincent is in the top five in single-season records for goals, assists, and points. He played in 65 games and registered 74 goals and 102 assists in the 1977-78 season. 

The golden Brett Hull, one of the most celebrated alumni for the Vees, is a shoo-in for the all-time team. Hull is ranked eighth in goals in the history of the BCHL, which is impressive considering he only played in the league for two seasons. He still holds the best single-season record for goals with 105. 

Joe Murphy was drafted first in the 1986 NHL Entry Draft by the Detroit Red Wings and played professionally until 2001. Murphy played in 51 games in Penticton and had 152 points playing on the wing. 

Ray Ferraro takes a spot on the team. In the one season with the Knights before moving on to the Western Hockey League, Ferraro skated in 48 games and had an astonishing 135 points. 

Tyson Jost skated in a total of 94 games throughout three seasons in Penticton and managed to rack up 149 points in that time. His performance in his draft year captured the collective eye of scouts and earned him the title of the highest-drafted Vees player into the NHL. Jost won the Vern Dye Memorial Trophy, which is given to the MVP of the BCHL in 2016 along with CJHL top forward and CJHL MVP. 

Brendan Morrison played in one season in Penticton and had 94 points in 56 games. The Pitt Meadows native started his career playing for the team when they were called the Panthers and won the rookie of the year in 1993 before leaving to play for the University of Michigan. 

Paul Kariya made the move to Penticton in the 1990-91 season. In two seasons in Penticton, Kariya had 244 points in 97 games. During his time with the Panthers, Kariya won the rookie of the year, most sportsmanlike player, most valuable player, and 1992 Canadian Junior A player of the year. 

Beau Bennett played in Penticton during the 2009-10 season, which was his draft year. That year, he had a whopping 120 points in 56 games, which was good enough to make him the 20th player taken in the first round of the NHL Entry Draft. In his time in Penticton, Bennett won rookie of the year and was the top scorer in the BCHL in his lone season in the league. 

Joey Benik made the South Okanagan home for two years from 2010-12, meaning he was part of the greatest Vees team. Benik played in 120 games over his two seasons and put up 152 points. The final forward spot goes to UK-born 

Scott Conway. Born in Basingstoke, England before moving to and growing up in Penticton, Conway had a magical 2015-16 season. He appeared in 56 games and scoring 56 goals while adding 60 assists for 116 points.

Defensemen

As for the defense core, most currently play and are having quite the NHL careers but one thing they all have in common is they played a big role in Penticton. Former Vancouver Canucks defenceman Ian Kidd played in Penticton from 1982-85 when the team was named the Knights. His last season anchoring the backend, Kidd tied Bruce Harris’s record for most assists in a season by a defenseman. Over his BCHL career, Kidd skated in 143 games and tailed 235 points. Coquitlam native 

Dante Fabbro cracks the top six for the all-time Vees team. As a right-shot defenseman, Fabbro spent two years in Penticton and managed 100 points in 89 games. In his time, he earned RBC cup top defenceman in 2015. In 2016, Fabbro was named to the first all-star team and took BCHL top defenseman honours. 

Former Vees captain and current Canucks defenceman Troy Stecher earns a spot on the blueline. Stecher was on the 2011-12 Penticton roster that won the RBC Cup as part of the greatest season in junior A history. In Penticton, Stecher played in 159 games and had 109 points. 

Stecher’s defense partner on that 2011-12 season was Mike Reilly, who despite playing one season in Penticton had such an impact that it earns him a spot on the all-time team. In 51 games, Reilly had 83 points and won the BCHL best defenceman award that season. 

Duncan Keith, who will one day end up in the Hockey Hall of Fame, started his hockey journey in the South Okanagan playing for Penticton for two seasons, starting as a 16-year-old in 1999-2000. Patrolling the blue line, Keith racked up 118 points in 119 games, nearly a point per game, during his tenure. 

Rounding out the core is 2012 Edmonton Oilers draft pick Joey Laleggia. In the 2010-11 season, Laleggia had 82 points in 58 games. Overall, Laleggia played in 114 games and registered 147 points with the Vees.

Goaltenders

Finally, the two goalies on our all-time Vees lineup haven’t had stellar professional careers, but both are BCHL legends. Goalie Corey Milan had 72 career wins, all while wearing the Vees sweater. The all-time leader in Vees history also ranks fifth for all-time career wins among the BCHL. 

Backing up Milan is 2012 RBC Cup champion Michael Garteig. During that 2011-12 season, Garteig had five shutouts, which is seventh-best all-time in a single season and two off of the single-season record. Garteig also won the BCHL’s goaltending award for the lowest goals-against average with 1.93 in 2012. With the number of standouts and accolades this organization has produced, there’s no doubt the Penticton Vees have the deepest rosters among any great BCHL teams.

Top 10 Salmon Arm Silverbacks Goals of 2019-20

Finishing third in the highly-competitive Interior Division, the Salmon Arm Silverbacks were led offensively by the league's second highest goal scorer Daniel Rybarik.


Bucks Name Stuart New Assistant Coach:

The Cranbrook Bucks (BCHL) are excited to announce that Adam Stuart has been named as an Assistant Coach.  Stuart and the Bucks have come to an agreement on a 2-Year contract which will begin with the 2020-2021 season. Stuart spent the last two seasons as an assistant coach with the EDGE Midget Prep Team of the CSSHL. The Calgary, Alberta native played 7 years of professional hockey before starting his coaching career. Before that, Stuart spent 3 seasons playing Junior “A” hockey including time in the BCHL. Adam is the younger brother of Derek Stuart who is the current Head Coach and GM of the Kimberley Dynamiters. “We are excited to add Adam to our staff for our inaugural season in Cranbrook.” Said Head Coach and General Manager Ryan Donald. “Adam stood out as a young coach that is motivated to develop himself as well as the young men in our program.  We were fortunate to have many quality candidates express interest in the position, but it was clear to us that Adam was the best fit for both our team and our community.  His extensive professional experience, familiarity with the East Kootenays, and his passion for coaching stood out during the interview process and make him an excellent addition to our staff.” Stuart, 31, grew up spending much of his time in Kimberley as much of his family still resides there. “I am very excited to be joining the Bucks organization and family.” Said Adam Stuart. “I strongly believe we can create a program that is competitive year in and year out and one the people of Cranbrook and surrounding area can be proud of. Ryan and Nathan have done a great job recruiting and I can’t wait to get this season underway.” The Cranbrook Bucks wish to welcome Adam to the City of Cranbrook and the Bucks Family.

Kerr Commits To Capitals:

The Cowichan Capitals are excited to announce the commitment of 2002 born forward Brendan Kerr from the Notre Dame Hounds Midget Prep team. Brendan is from Victoria, British Columbia, but has spent the past two seasons at Notre Dame, playing in the Saskatchewan Male AAA Hockey League. This past season the 17 year old had an even 16-16-32 in 44 games played with the Hounds, and totalled 48 points in 88 career SMAAAHL games. “I’ve always wanted to play in the BCHL, one of if not the best leagues in Canada, so when Cowichan approached me I took it right away. I feel like it’s a great fit for me, and I can stay close to home” said Kerr. Standing at 6’1″ Kerr knows his size is an asset and likes to play a physical game, saying that his time in Saskatchewan taught him how to use his size and strength. “He’s an extremely hardworking guy with good size and skill and will bring a lot to our lineup. When speaking to his former coaches, the main theme that kept coming up was his leadership and his character. This is the type of player we want to bring into our dressing and we couldn’t be happier to add Brendan to our team” said Capitals Head Coach Geoff Grimwood. Kerr had off ice success at Notre Dame as well, as he was the most recent recipient of the school’s Pere Athol Murray Award, given out by the Notre Dame Alumni to a student who over the academic year best exemplifies the characteristics, principles, and ideals of the founder of Notre Dame College. Some of the terms of reference for the award include a student who: demonstrates leadership through deeds and actions, communicates effectively and inspires others, and shows exemplary moral conduct among other things. “That was a huge honour, to be recognized like that and be able to represent my grad class like that” said Kerr. Welcome to the Cowichan Valley Brendan!

Clippers Management Address Capacity Likelihoods:

Open letter to fans, Dear Clipper Nation, The Nanaimo Clippers Owners, Wes and Penny Mussio, Clippers Management and the British Columbia Hockey League are working very hard with BC Health Officials, viaSport and Hockey Canada on the return to play. As of now, we are still unsure what it’s going to look like, however we are certainly optimistic there will be a season in-front of fans at Frank Crane Arena. As we see other sectors opening in BC we see the trend of capacity being limited and there is a high likelihood that once arenas reopen to game play, that we will also have a capacity that is less than what we are used to. As many suggestions continue to be circulated, the Clippers, at this stage, believe a possible season ticket holder only season may be on the horizon and the number of season tickets will be capped at 1,200. Fans are the bloodline of our organization, helping us continue to keep operating in Nanaimo, we are encouraging fans to secure their season tickets. We are trying to make it easy for fans to commit to season tickets with payment plan options and only $25 deposit to hold seat(s). We want to work with our fans to make sure everyone who wants to support us, can support us. Please reach out to us today to find out more information at 250-722-5477 or tali@nanaimoclippers.com. We want to thank all the fans that have already purchased their season tickets and who continue to support us during this tough time. Thanks, Tali Campbell Governor / General Manager

The Future Of Rolling Mix Concrete Arena:

Rolling Mix Concrete Arena opened in 1958 and has been the home of the Prince George Spruce Kings since 1972. While it is not the oldest arena in the BCHL, it has some unique features when compared to other arena’s in the league It uses bench seating instead of stadium seats, the score clock isn’t directly above centre ice, and it has a flat roof supported by horizontal steel tresses internally, and externally. The arena is also beginning to show its age. Of the six arenas the City of Prince George owns and operates, RMCA is the costliest one to maintain, according to a June 2019 article posted on Princegeorgematters.ca. In the article, RMCA was identified as a facility that should be replaced with something new. Citing Prince George’s 2019 Civic Facilities Renewal Strategy, it states that Rolling Mix Concrete Arena requires significant renewal investment in order to continue the service it’s expected to. The city has invested $1.8 million on projects like replacing the roof and other exterior upgrades over the last 11 years and will need between $9.5 and $11 million over the next decade to keep the arena up to snuff. According to City of Prince George Utilities Manager Christy Brown, RMCA could be a candidate to consider replacing with a modern facility instead of investing in renovations. Based on the costs of arena upkeep, the best decision is for the City to replace the RMCA with a newer facility. The best example of what form that could take is West Fraser Centre in Quesnel.

What a replacement could look like

West Fraser Centre opened on September 16, 2017. It was built at a cost of $20.6 million and seats 1,300 people. When adjusted for inflation the total cost rises to just over $20.7 million. The arena was approved in a referendum vote as part of a joint initiative. The Cariboo Regional District and the City of Quesnel, under the CRD’s North Cariboo Recreation Parks Function, jointly collaborated on the project. West Fraser Centre can be a model for how the City of Prince George could replace Rolling Mix Concrete Arena. Having already engaged in two other necessary infrastructure projects, the City is capable of absorbing the cost of building a new facility. In a recent referendum, the City of Prince George approved a replacement for Fire Hall #1 and a replacement for the Four Seasons Leisure Pool. The cost to replace both buildings is $50 million which the city will repay over the next twenty years. The cost of maintaining the Four Seasons Leisure Pool was estimated at $10 million over the next few years. It’s telling that voters chose to replace ageing public facilities rather than invest in renovations that would disrupt service. As for how this could affect the Spruce Kings there are several possibilities. While the City constructs a new facility, it could continue to operate RMCA. The City could also demolish RMCA and build a new facility on the same site. If that occurs, the Spruce Kings could play their home games at CN Centre or Kin 1.

Other venues for the Spruce Kings

The CN Centre is a multi-purpose arena with a capacity of 5,582. The arena’s capacity is more than the arenas in both Penticton and Cranbrook. As for Kin 1, it is a 1,000 seat arena right next to the CN Centre. The arena was completely rebuilt for the 2015 Canada Winter Games. In both instances, the Spruce Kings would have to share the arena with other tenants. At CN Centre, it would be shared with the Western Hockey League’s Prince George Cougars. As for Kin 1, they would share it with the various Cariboo Cougars teams. Of course, COVID-19 has put the world on pause so don’t expect a decision on Rolling Mix Concrete Arena anytime soon. However, when it’s time to move forward, it seems prudent for the City to replace the home of the Spruce Kings rather than prolong its life.

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