Now that the 2022-23 BC Hockey League season is over, let’s look at the top 2002-born players from each BCHL conference who were guaranteed to be playing their final junior hockey seasons as they’ll age out in 2023-24.
The other age group all-star teams are available below:
Coastal Conference
Goalie – Aidan Campbell (Nanaimo Clippers)
As a first-year BCHL player but junior hockey veteran, Campbell had a very consistent season with the Clippers. His record this season was 26-11-3-0 in 40 games, finishing with a 3.19 goals-against average and a .913 save percentage. The Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania product also had strong playoff numbers, despite posting a 1-4 record. In five games between the first and second rounds, he had a 2.84 goals-against average and one shutout. Campbell spent three seasons with the Erie Otters of the Ontario Hockey League from 2019-22 before heading west to Nanaimo.
Defender – Michael Craig (Nanaimo Clippers)
This past season, Craig had a breakout year with the Clippers, putting up 10 goals and 38 assists in 54 games, which led all 2002-born blueliners. He then followed that up with two goals and three assists in 12 playoff games. His totals were a significant improvement from the 2021-22 season in Nanaimo when he put up three goals and 25 assists in 36 games. The native of St. Catharines, Ont. is off to Robert Morris University to start his NCAA Division I career this September. His BCHL totals leave him with 16 goals and 66 assists in 110 career games – all with Nanaimo.
Defender – Cameron Moger (Coquitlam Express)
Moger had his best BCHL season with the Express this past season. He finished third on the team among blueliners with eight goals and 12 assists in 50 games before adding a goal and an assist in five playoff games earlier this spring. The Vernon, B.C. product has a commitment to Michigan Tech University for this fall. He finished the season tied for fourth in the league among all defenders in power-play goals with four. Moger capped off his BCHL career with 14 goals and 24 assists in 103 games split between Coquitlam and Trail.
Forward – Brody Waters (Nanaimo Clippers)
Waters put up a career-high 22 goals and 39 assists in 51 games for the Clippers in 2022-23 and the Bowling Green State University commit continued his success in the playoffs against Langley and Chilliwack. In a dozen post-season games, the native of Heidelberg, Ont., picked up six goals and eight assists to lead the Clippers in scoring. Waters wraps up his three-year BCHL career with 38 goals and 59 assists in 120 games. He increased his BCHL points per game from 0.81 during the season to 1.00 in the playoffs, finishing with 15 goals and 13 assists in 28 post-season games.
Forward – Olivier Picard (Victoria Grizzlies)
Picard was third among 2002-born skaters in the BCHL this season with 29 goals and 29 assists in 53 games. A three-year veteran of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League who won a Memorial Cup as an alternate captain with the Saint John Sea Dogs in 2021-22, he also potted a goal and an assist in four first-round playoff games against Alberni Valley. Picard isn’t eligible to play NCAA Division I hockey this fall because of his Major Junior career, but it won’t be a surprise to see him nab a USPORTS commitment to a Canadian school before September.
Forward – Jacob Hewitt (Nanaimo Clippers)
Hewitt is the fourth member of the Clippers on this list, showing the strength of their veteran group this season. He capped off his 20-year-old year sitting third on Nanaimo in scoring with 26 goals and 28 assists in 51 games. The product of Ashburnham, Massachusetts was also second on the Clippers in power-play goals with seven and tied for second on the team in game-winning goals with five. As well, Hewitt tallied four goals and four assists in nine playoff games. The Army commit finishes his BCHL career with 36 goals and 45 assists in 97 games.
Interior Conference
Goalie – Matthew Tovell (Salmon Arm Silverbacks)
Tovell was outstanding as a 20-year-old in his lone BCHL season, compiling a 23-18-6 record to go along with a 2.64 goals-against average, a .919 save percentage, and four shutouts in 47 games. Tovell, who’s from Shannonville, Ont., continued his hot play in Salmon Arm’s run to the Interior Conference final. He went 9-3-2 in the post-season and finished with a 2.87 goals-against average and a .907 save percentage in 14 games. Tovell is committed to playing USPORTS hockey this fall at York University in Toronto.
Defender – Frank Djurasevic (Penticton Vees)
Djurasevic was the top-scoring defenseman on the Vees this season with 10 goals and 36 assists in 54 games, also adding two goals and a dozen assists in 17 playoff games in Penticton’s run to the Fred Page Cup. He also served as Vees captain in 2022-23. His BCHL career totals leave him with 19 goals and 66 assists in 127 games. Djurasevic tallied four goals and 16 assists in 34 playoff games over the last two seasons. The native of New Rochelle, New York is headed to Merrimack College in the fall.
Defender – Rhys Bentham (Cranbrook Bucks)
Bentham lead the charge on the back end for the Bucks this season as their captain for the second straight year. He wrapped 2022-23 with 13 goals and 25 assists in 48 games and his goal total was tops among all 2002-born blueliners in the league. The Calgary native tallied 16 goals and 26 assists in 119 games during his BCHL career and added four assists in 12 career Fred Page Cup playoff games. Bentham, who is an alumnus of the Calgary Royals U18 AAA program, heads to Yale University next season.
Forward – Brady Hunter (Trail Smoke Eaters)
Hunter led the Smoke Eaters in points this season, scoring 18 goals and 62 points in 54 games. His 44 assists were the most by a 2002-born skater in the league. In a four-game playoff sweep by Penticton, Hunter had a goal and four assists. An offensive threat throughout his BCHL career, the Enfield, N.S. product capped off his three seasons with the Smokies by earning a commitment to Merrimack College for the upcoming season. He finishes his BCHL career with 44 goals and 82 assists in 115 games.
Forward – John Herrington (Prince George Spruce Kings)
Herrington, who’s from Hudson’s Hope, B.C., spent parts of the last four seasons with the Spruce Kings. This past season, he led the Spruce Kings with 24 goals and 24 assists in 54 games. His seven power-play goals tied for first on the team while his four game-winning goals also tied for tops on the Spruce Kings. The Lake Superior State University commit also chipped in with a pair of goals in four playoff games for Prince George. His BCHL career ends with him totaling 54 goals and 62 assists in 136 games.
Forward – Rylee Hlusiak (West Kelowna Warriors)
Hlusiak was second on the Warriors in points this past season with 22 goals and 29 assists in 54 games. The Sacred Heart University commit only played one season in the BCHL and sure left his mark with 12 multi-point games in 2022-23. He also had a seven-game point streak from Feb. 18 – March 10 where he put up six goals and three assists. The native of Barrie, Ont. played in the National Collegiate Development Conference for the Jersey Hitmen and Hawkesbury Hawks of the Central Canada Hockey League prior to joining the Warriors.
