Chiefs add Kinch to their forward group for 2022-23
The Chilliwack Chiefs have added 2004-born forward Dylan Kinch for the 2022-23 BC Hockey League season.
Kinch, who’s from Calgary, AB, was a regular with Edge School U18 Prep in the Canadian Sport School Hockey League in 2021-22 and posted 31 goals and 60 points in 36 games.
Nieuwendyk commits to Canisius College
2002-born Penticton Vees forward Jackson Nieuwendyk has committed to Canisius College to play NCAA hockey in September 2023.
The product of Dallas, TX posted nine goals and 22 points in 52 games with the Vees last season after coming over from Sioux City of the US Hockey League. He added 14 points in 17 playoff games in Penticton’s run to the Fred Page Cup.
Schwebius commits to the University of British Columbia
Victoria Grizzlies goaltender Cole Schwebius has committed to the University of British Columbia to play U SPORTS hockey starting this September.
The 2001-born netminder was 11-11-0 with one shutout, a 3.32 goals-against average, and a .904 save percentage in 22 games for the Grizzlies during the 2021-22 season.
He also played one game with the Western Hockey League’s Kelowna Rockets, making nine saves in a 6-3 loss to the Victoria Royals last October.
Benn goes from Minnesota to Toronto
Unrestricted free agent defender Jordie Benn (24 goals, 90 assists in 172 games with Victoria from 2005-08) has signed a one-year contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs worth $750,000.
Benn, a 34-year-old from Victoria, BC, spent the 2021-22 season with the Minnesota Wild, finishing with a goal and eight points in 39 games.
He’s a veteran of 595 NHL games with the Wild, Winnipeg, Vancouver, Montreal, and Dallas over the last 11 seasons.
Irwin re-ups with the Capitals for one more season
Defender Matt Irwin (41 goals, 70 assists in 178 games with Nanaimo from 2005-08) has re-signed with the Washington Capitals on a one-year, two-way contract as an unrestricted free agent.
The Victoria, BC product finished the 2021-22 season with a goal and three assists in 17 games with the Capitals. The 34-year-old veteran has played 400 career NHL games with San Jose, Boston, Nashville, Anaheim, Buffalo, and Washington.
Ramsay turns pro with KHL Sisak in Croatia
21-year-old forward Sean Ramsay (six goals, 18 assists in 67 games with Victoria, Surrey, and Cowichan Valley from 2018-21) has signed with Croatian club KHL Sisak of Slovenia’s International Hockey League.
The product of Victoria, BC got into 46 games with the Johnstown Tomahawks of the North American Hockey League in 2021-22, tallying 13 goals and 37 points.
Zalewski returns to the Graz99ers of the ICEHL
Forward Mike Zalewski (50 goals, 54 assists in 106 games with Vernon from 2010-12) has signed an extension for 2022-23 with the Graz 99ers of the ICE Hockey League, which is the highest level of pro hockey in Austria.
Zalewski, 29, had 10 goals and 21 points in 39 games with Graz this past season. The New Hartford, NY product played with the Deutsche Eishockey Liga’s Kölner Haie in 2020-21 and posted 12 points in 38 games.
Boivin heads back to Graz for 2022-23
Defender Michael Boivin (13 goals, 23 assists in 82 games with Penticton and Nanaimo from 2007-09) has also signed an extension with the Graz99ers for the 2022-23 season.
The 31-year-old, who hails from Delta, BC, notched 11 goals and 26 points in 43 games with Graz this past season. He added one assist in a pair of ICEHL playoff games for the 99ers as well.
Tinling transfers from Vermont to UNLV
Right wing Azzaro Tinling (12 goals, nine assists in 45 games with Cowichan Valley in 2017-18) has transferred from the University of Vermont to the University of Nevada-Las Vegas which plays in the American Collegiate Hockey Association.
Tinling, a 22-year-old product of Pointe-Claire, QC, was scoreless in 11 NCAA games with Vermont over the last two seasons.
