The Victoria Grizzlies conducted two trades and one player signing to open the 2025 calendar year. On Jan. 15, the Grizzlies traded 2004-born defender Oscar Pantzare to the Penticton Vees for future considerations.
Later that day, the Grizzlies signed 2004-born Major Junior defender Charles Côté to their roster. Finally, Victoria traded future considerations to the Spruce Grove Saints for 2005-born defender Brody Juck on Jan. 27.
These roster changes are the latest in a season that’s seen several Grizzlies come and go, including several changes to their defense pairs. These changes concluded at the Feb. 10 roster deadline, which is when Victoria picked up 2007-born forward Max Silver and 2004-born forward Will Schumacher.
This article is about the new and departing players to the Grizzlies roster. I’ll start with the departures in January and then list the moves at the roster deadline.
Player arrivals and departures
In January, the Grizzlies saw three players depart their team. As mentioned above, the Grizzlies traded Pantzare to the Penticton Vees.
Also leaving the Grizzlies was 2006-born forward Nathan Taylor, who signed with the Blackfalds Bulldogs. He played four games in Blackfalds before leaving for Bonnyville of the Alberta Junior Hockey League. Finally, 2006-born defender Garrett Frazer joined the Ontario Hockey League’s Erie Otters on Jan. 10.
Pantzare signed in Victoria before its first game on Sept. 20. Taylor joined the Grizzlies before the 2024-25 season, playing 31 games in Victoria and then signing with Blackfalds on Jan. 15.
Frazer was a mid-season signing. Before joining the Grizzlies in early December, he played for the Janesville Jets of the North American Hockey League. Frazer got into eight games in Victoria before joining the Otters.
On Jan. 4, the Grizzlies acquired 2005-born defender Sam Ward from the Vernon Vipers for future considerations. Ward started the 2024-25 season with the Wenatchee Wild in the Western Hockey League. After leaving the Wild, he joined the Vipers on Nov. 13.
In mid-January, the Grizzlies signed Côté. He is a 20-year-old defender from Laval, Quebec who spent three seasons with the Rimouski Océanic of the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League.
On Jan. 27, Victoria sent future considerations to the Spruce Grove Saints for Juck.
The roster deadline and player debuts
At the Feb. 10 roster deadline, the Grizzlies made a trio of trades. The first deal saw the Grizzlies acquire Silver from the Cranbrook Bucks for the BCHL rights to 2007-born forward Tyson Moss.
The second trade saw the Grizzlies trade 2004-born forward Ryan Watt and 2007-born forward Finn Kallay to the Vernon Vipers for the BCHL rights to 2005-born forward Georgios Stavrianeas, future considerations, and Schumacher.
The third trade saw the Grizzlies send Stavrianeas to the Penticton Vees for 2005-born defender Julien Wasmer, who is currently with the Chicoutimi Saguenéens of the QMJHL.
Silver split this season between the St. Cloud Norsemen of the NAHL and the Bucks. Schumacher played 37 games for the Vipers before being traded to Victoria.
Ward played his debut game with the Grizzlies on Jan. 4 against the Alberni Valley Bulldogs and made a splash with three assists. He scored his first goal for Victoria in the Grizzlies’ Jan. 11 game against the Powell River Kings.
Côté made his Victoria debut on Jan. 25 against Langley. Juck played his first game with the Grizz on Jan. 31 in Nanaimo against the Clippers.
Côté’s first impression on a BCHL score sheet was earning four penalty minutes in that Jan. 25 game. Juck notched an assist on a Reegan Hiscock first period goal during his debut game on Jan. 31. It was his eighth helper of the season.
Silver and Schumacher played their first games in a Grizzlies’ jersey on Feb. 15 game against the Kings. Both had an impact with Silver posting one assist while Schumacher scored twice.
Photo credit: Island Images Photography
