Elfring joins the Chiefs for 2023-24
The Chilliwack Chiefs have signed 2004-born forward Caleb Elfring for the 2023-24 B.C. Hockey League season. Elfring played three games with the Wenatchee Wild as an affiliate player during the 2022-23 season and scored one goal.
Elfring, who’s from Richland, Washington, spent this past season with the Northstar Christian Academy Knights U18 AAA team based out of Alexandria, Minnesota. In 52 games for the Knights, he posted 33 goals and 72 points.
Clippers bolster forward group with Lonsdale
The Nanaimo Clippers have recruited 2004-born forward Cole Lonsdale for the upcoming BCHL season. The native of Mississauga, Ont. had 15 goals and 32 points this past season with the Springfield Jr. Blues of the North American Hockey League.
Lonsdale, who is committed to playing NCAA Division I hockey at the Rochester Institute of Technology in September 2024, also scored one goal in six games on loan to the Madison Capitols of the United States Hockey League in 2022-23. He spent the 2021-22 season with his hometown Chargers in the Ontario Junior Hockey League.
Harkimo makes tracks to Coquitlam
The Coquitlam Express announced the addition of Finnish forward Dan Harkimo on Monday. The 2004-born forward spent 2022-23 at South Kent School in South Kent, Connecticut, playing for its 18U AAA team.
In 58 games at South Kent last season, Harkimo, who hails from Sipoo, Finland, was second in scoring with 29 goals and 51 points as a second-year player at the 18U AAA level.
Linnavuori signs in Powell River for the upcoming BCHL season
After playing 24 games in Finland’s U20 SM-sarja in 2022-23, 2003-born forward Joonas Linnavuori has signed with the Powell River Kings to play in the BCHL this season. U20 SM-sarja is the top level of junior hockey in Finland.
The product of Helsinki, Finland posted seven goals and 11 points split between Kiekko-Espoo U20 and Jukurit U20 last season. Linnavuori won a U20 Mestis championship with Kiekko-Vantaa U20 in 2022. U20 Mestis is the second tier of Finnish junior hockey.
Chong is the new trainer in Surrey
The Surrey Eagles unveiled 24-year-old Mason Chong as their team trainer for the 2023-24 season. Chong, who’s from Burnaby, B.C., will help fill the void after Eagles head trainer and equipment manager Stefan Pinto left to return to the Pacific Junior Hockey League’s Delta Ice Hawks.
Chong spent the 2022-23 season in the PJHL as one of the trainers for the Port Moody Panthers. He was also the athletic trainer in the British Columbia Elite Hockey League’s U18 and U15 divisions for the Valley West Giants.
BCHL signs extension with HEADCHECK Health
The B.C. Hockey League announced on Monday that it has extended its partnership with HEADCHECK Health, which is a concussion management and data collection system.
“Player safety has always been a top priority for the BCHL, and our partnership with HEADCHECK Health has been instrumental in advancing our concussion care initiatives,” said BCHL Commissioner Steven Cocker in a news release. “By extending this partnership, we are reinforcing our commitment to providing the highest level of care and support to our athletes.”
“We want to ensure our teams’ medical personnel are using a concussion-management platform that provides access to gold-standard tests and analysis tools, such as comparison with a player’s historical test performance.”
The 2023-24 season is the seventh in which the BCHL has partnered with HEADCHECK Health.
Esposito takes his game to Augsburger
The Augsburger Panther of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga has signed forward Luke Esposito (17 goals, 54 assists in 55 games with Chilliwack in 2012-13) to a one-year contract for the 2023-24 season on Monday.
Esposito, who hails from Greenwich, Connecticut, notched five goals and 22 points in 68 games with Bakersfield of the American Hockey League in 2022-23. It was the 29-year-old’s fifth season with the Condors and sixth overall in the AHL.
