Silverbacks add Davis to their blueline
The Salmon Arm Silverbacks have added 2004-born defender Nathaniel Davis from the Burlington Cougars of the Ontario Junior Hockey League for the 2023-24 season.
Davis hails from Toronto and finished this past season with 10 goals and 36 points in 45 games. He added three goals and five points in 13 OJHL playoff games.
The 2023 NHL Draft prospect was a member of Canada East at last year’s World Junior A Challenge. He didn’t post any points in six appearances but did earn a silver medal in the tournament.
Westling heads from Maryland to Nanaimo
2003-born forward Gabriel Westling has signed with the Nanaimo Clippers for the upcoming B.C. Hockey League season. Westling, a native of Mora, Sweden, spent 2022-23 with Maryland of the North American Hockey League, where he notched 10 goals and 26 points in 42 games.
The St. Lawrence University commit added three goals and eight points in 10 games during the NAHL playoffs. He’ll head to St. Lawrence’s Canton, New York campus in September 2024.
Ranström joins the Spruce Kings for 2023-24
Lake Superior State University commit Max Ranström has inked a deal with the Prince George Spruce Kings for the upcoming BCHL season. He’s off to LSSU to start his NCAA Division I career in the fall of 2024.
The 2004-born defender finished 2022-23 with a pair of goals and 14 points in 36 games with Skellefteå AIK J20 in J20 Nationell, which is the top junior league in Sweden. The Filipstad, Sweden product was scoreless in a pair of J20 Nationell playoff games.
Chiefs add Kazakhstani import to their crease
The Chilliwack Chiefs have signed Kazakhstani import goaltender Vladimir Nikitin for the 2023-24 season. He spent most of this past season with Barys Astana U20 in the Kazakhstan U20 league.
In 24 games with Barys Astana, Nikitin was 18-6-0 with a 2.07 goals-against average, a .921 save percentage, and three shutouts. He also played two pro games with Snezhnye Barsy Nur-Sultan in the Kazakhstan Hockey Championship.
Nikitin was outstanding for Kazakhstan at the 2023 IIHF U18 World Championship Division I Group A, finishing the tournament with a 4-1 record, a sparkling 1.50 goals-against average, a .936 save percentage, and three shutouts.
High-scoring forward Ziliotto joins the Bulldogs
2005-born forward Jack Ziliotto has left the Mississauga Chargers of the OJHL to sign with the Alberni Valley Bulldogs for the coming BCHL season. The Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute commit had 21 goals and 62 points in 54 games during the 2022-23 season. He’s off to RPI in September 2024.
The product of Waterdown, Ont. was second in scoring among all 2005-born players in the OJHL last season and was named a First Team All-Prospect in the league. Ziliotto was chosen by Oshawa in the 11th round of the 2021 Ontario Hockey League Priority Selection.
It’s “All aboard!” for Walther-Sneve as he signs in Coquitlam
After making appearances for four different Norwegian clubs in 2022-23, 2004-born forward Kasper Walther-Sneve will join the Coquitlam Express to play in the B.C. Hockey League in 2023-24.
The Oslo, Norway product’s main team last season was Vålerenga U20 in Norway’s U20 league. He played 29 games for Vålerenga and finished with 18 goals and 41 points. Walther-Sneve added three points in four playoff games.
He also split five games in Fjordkraft-ligaen, which is the top pro league in Norway, between Vålerenga and Grüner and potted three goals. In six games with Lørenskog in 1. divisjon, Norway’s second tier of pro hockey, he also had three goals.
Kings bring netminder Wotton to the Sunshine Coast
The Powell River Kings have brought in veteran 2003-born goaltender Tresor Wotton from Waywayseecappo of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League for 2023-24.
Wotton, who hails from Foxwarren, Man., was a workhorse for the Wolverines this past season, playing 40 out of 58 games. He finished with a 22-14-2 record, a 3.07 goals-against average, an .897 save percentage, and two shutouts.
Lalonde jumps from Powell River to Brooks
2004-born Powell River Kings forward Parker Lalonde has decided to join Brooks of the Alberta Junior Hockey League for the 2023-24 season. He is committed to Minnesota State University-Mankato starting in September 2024.
Lalonde, who is from Aberdeen, Sask., put up 16 goals and 33 points in 36 games for the Kings this past season. He added an assist in five playoff games.
Caps alum Brossoit wins Stanley Cup
Goaltender Laurent Brossoit (10-8-0 with a 3.78 goals-against-average, an .898 save percentage, and two shutouts with Cowichan Valley in 2009-10) and his Vegas Golden Knights are Stanley Cup champions after a 9-3 drubbing of the Florida Panthers in game five of the NHL’s penultimate playoff series.
Brossoit, a 30-year-old from Port Alberni, BC, was 5-2-0 with a 3.18 goals-against average, and an .894 save percentage in eight playoff games this year. He hadn’t played since game three of the second round against Edmonton due to an injury.
Kuntz joins Rivermen front office
The Langley Rivermen have hired 45-year-old Tyler Kuntz (five goals, 27 assists in 57 games with Burnaby in 1998-99) as associate head coach and associate general manager. The Lumsden, Sask. native was head coach of St. George’s School U18 Prep in the Canadian Sport School Hockey League for the last three seasons.
Kuntz also spent 2022-23 as an assistant coach for the Surrey Eagles. His coaching experience includes two years in the BCHL as general manager and head coach of the Powell River Kings from 2018-20 and one season in 2009-10 as an assistant coach for the Burnaby Express.
