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BCHL Bulletin: More COVID-19 disruptions, Merritt adds a pair to its blueline, and more!

Written by Brian Wiebe on

COVID-19 causes a pause for Merritt and Vernon

The BCHL announced on Friday that the Vernon Vipers have paused all team activities for the next five days in accordance with the league’s COVID-19 protocol and provincial health regulations.

The Vipers’ schedule had them hosting Merritt on Friday and Trail on Saturday before visiting the Centennials next Wednesday. All three of those games are postponed.

Vernon’s next game is now a home date against Merritt on Jan. 14.

The league also announced on Friday the pausing of all of the Centennials’ activities per the BCHL’s COVID-19 protocol and provincial health regulations. It caused the postponement of Saturday’s road game in West Kelowna while Friday’s game in Vernon and a home date against the Vipers next Wednesday were already shelved to another date.

Bulldogs bring in Rybinski from the WHL

The Alberni Valley Bulldogs announced the signing of 2003-born defenseman Luke Rybinski on Friday afternoon. The Vancouver, BC product spent the first half of 2021-22 with the Medicine Hat Tigers of the Western Hockey League.

Rybinski didn’t register any points in four games with the Tigers. He also played three games with them in 2020-21 and posted one assist.

Merritt picks up Boldt from Camrose

According to the transactions page on the BCHL website, the Merritt Centennials have acquired 2003-born defenseman Sam Boldt from the Camrose Kodiaks of the Alberta Junior Hockey League for future considerations.

Boldt hails from Regina, SK, and posted two goals and two assists in 12 games with the Kodiaks as a rookie this season. He was recruited from the vaunted Regina Pat Canadians U18 AAA program, where he played in 2020-21 and had nine points in seven games.

Darby commits to the University of Alaska-Anchorage

2001-born Surrey Eagles defenseman Jimmy Darby has committed to the University of Alaska-Anchorage to play NCAA Division I hockey starting in September 2022. He is the 12th member of Surrey’s roster to commit to a Division I school.

Darby, who’s the Eagles captain this season, has two goals and 12 points in 22 games. Over the course of his four-year BCHL career, the North Vancouver, BC product has six goals and 38 points in 129 games with Surrey and Trail.

Centennials trade for Bjarnason from Grande Prairie

The Merritt Centennials also traded future considerations on Friday to grab 2003-born defenseman Geoff Bjarnason from the Grande Prairie Storm of the AJHL.

The blueliner from Edmonton, AB, split this season between the Storm and Drayton Valley, posting two goals and nine points in 28 games. He also played five games with the Thunder in 2020-21 as an affiliate player.

Rivermen sign Messina for 2022-23

The Langley Rivermen announced on Friday that 2004-forward Nick Messina has agreed to join the team for the 2022-23 BCHL season.

Messina, a native of Woodbridge, ON, is playing US high school hockey with Holderness School in New Hampshire this season. He started 2021-22 with the Northern Cyclones 18U AAA and posted 11 goals and 17 points in 18 games.

Fogarty shuttled to the Bruins taxi squad

Forward Steven Fogarty (33 goals, 48 assists in 60 games for Penticton in 2011-12) was reassigned from Providence of the American Hockey League to the Boston Bruins taxi squad on Friday.

Fogarty, who’s from Chambersburg, PA, and in his sixth professional season, has six goals and 19 points in 23 games with the Baby Bruins this season.

Marino sent back to the ECHL’s Idaho Steelheads

Forward Kyle Marino (17 goals, 34 assists in 111 games with West Kelowna from 2014-16) was returned to the Idaho Steelheads of the ECHL by the AHL’s Chicago Wolves on Friday.

The 26-year-old product of Niagara Falls, ON has posted three goals and seven points in 11 games with the Steelheads this season. He has also played five games with the Wolves but hasn’t scored any points.

Coatta farmed back to Rapid City of the ECHL

Forward Max Coatta (15 goals, 17 assists in 50 games with Penticton in 2013-14) was sent back to the Rapid City Rush of the ECHL by the AHL’s Tucson Roadrunners on Friday.

Coatta, a 27-year-old from Minnetonka, MN, has 23 points in 31 games with Rapid City this season. He made his AHL debut with the Roadrunners in a game back on Oct. 16.

Claeys goes from Worcester to Wheeling

25-year-old goaltender Brody Claeys (24-40-0, 3.13 goals-against average, .904 save percentage, one shutout in 76 games with Alberni Valley from 2015-17) was claimed on ECHL waivers by the Wheeling Nailers from the Worcester Railers on Friday.

He went 1-1 with a 2.52 goals-against average and a .942 save percentage in two games with the Railers. The Dauphin, MB native is 1-1-2 with a 2.52 goals-against average, and an .891 save percentage in five games with the Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs of the Southern Professional Hockey League in 2021-22.

Brian's been involved in the BCHL in a variety of capacities for 17 years. From 2002 to 2012, he served in several roles around the Merritt Centennials organization, including as team president, board member, beat writer, colour commentator, webmaster, media and communications coordinator and marketing assistant. He's been writing about the BCHL since 2008 and served as colour commentator on the TSN 1040 broadcasts in 2012-13. BCHLNetwork is one of Brian's many passion projects that he balances around his full-time job as an instructor in the Radio Arts and Entertainment Program at BCIT in Burnaby.