Coquitlam announces expansion to the Junior Prospects Hockey League
The Coquitlam Express announced they have added an expansion franchise to the Junior Prospects Hockey League that will be located in Coquitlam, B.C. The team will operate as Coquitlam HC and participate in the JPHL’s U18 division.
Practices will be held at Poirier Sports Complex, which is the same facility where the Express play. The Express joins the Cranbrook Bucks as BCHL franchises who own expansion franchises in the JPHL.
Vees sign MacPherson twins
2005-born forwards Connor and Ryan MacPherson have committed to the Penticton Vees for the 2023-24 BCHL season. The twins are both committed to the University of New Hampshire to play NCAA Division I hockey. Hailing from Windsor, Ont., the MacPhersons spent the 2022-23 season with the Greater Ontario Hockey League’s Leamington Flyers.
Connor posted 28 goals and 63 points in 43 regular season games. He also added 20 goals and 14 assists in 22 playoff contests. Ryan played in 49 regular season games, earning 25 goals and 61 points. He then scored 14 more goals and 38 points in 24 playoff contests.
Peters heads to Winkler
2004-born defender Isaiah Peters (two games with Penticton and Coquitlam from 2021-22) has been traded from Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League’s Notre Dame Hounds to the Manitoba Junior Hockey League’s Winkler Flyers for future considerations.
Peters, who hails from Langley, B.C., played one game for the Express before heading to the Alberta Junior Hockey League’s Drumheller Dragons last fall. His short stay of 14 games produced two goals and four points. He then joined the Hounds for 28 games, where he earned four goals and nine assists.
Hutchison joins Vasteras IK
28-year-old forward Nick Hutchison (23 goals, 29 assists in 63 games with Salmon Arm from 2014-16) has signed with VÀsterÄs IK of HockeyAllsvenskan, the second professional tier of hockey in Sweden.
Hutchison, who is from Hicksville, New York, played 31 games with the American Hockey League’s Utica Comets, where he earned four goals and nine points. He also played three games with the ECHL’s Adirondack Thunder, scoring five points.
Bulldogs ink Gillam
30-year-old goaltender Mitch Gillam (50-34-0, a 2.80 goals-against average, a .921 save percentage, and four shutouts in 87 games with Chilliwack from 2011-13) has signed with the Odense Bulldogs of Metal Ligaen in Denmark. It is his second professional season in Europe.
Gillam, who hails from Peterborough, Ont., split the 2022-23 season between two teams in the Eliteserien in Norway. Through the first half of the season with Manglerud, he was 6-15-0, with a 3.17 goals-against average, and a .904 save percentage. He then joined Valerenga and was 8-4-0, with a 2.08 goals-against average, and a .923 save percentage. Through 10 playoff games, he was 6-3-0 with a 2.30 goals-against average and a .913 save percentage.
Calgary Canucks sign Garland
2006-born forward Gavin Garland (one game with Vernon in 2021-22) has signed with the AJHL’s Calgary Canucks. He has committed to the University of Nebraska-Omaha of NCAA Division I for the 2024-25 season.
Garland, who is from Clearwater, Florida, played nine games as an affiliate with the AJHL’s Okotoks Oilers where he earned three goals and five points. He also spent 32 games with International Hockey Academy U18 Prep of the Canadian Sport School Hockey League, earning 28 goals and 30 assists. IHA U18 Prep is located in Calgary.
Ward switches Oberliga teams
23-year-old forward, Tyler Ward (31 goals, 26 assists in 86 games with Merritt from 2015-17) has joined Blue Devils Weiden of Oberliga, which is the third tier of professional hockey in Germany.
Ward, who is from Kamloops, B.C., scored 33 goals and added 49 assists in 44 regular season games with Tolzen Lowen, also of Oberliga, in 2022-23. He also added two goals in two playoff games.
Campbell heads to Oberliga
22-year-old defender Colin Campbell (two goals, 18 assists in 33 games with Cowichan Valley in 2021-22) has signed with Oberliga’s EHF Passau Black Hawks. It is his first season of professional hockey.
Campbell, who is from Mississauga, Ont., spent the 2022-23 season at Wilfred Laurier University in Waterloo, Ont. He scored five goals and 13 points in 24 regular season games and also participated in three playoff games.
