Chiefs sign Czech defender Beran
The Chilliwack Chiefs announced on Wednesday that they have signed 2004-born defender Vit Beran out of Czechia.
Beran played 51 games with HC Litvinov U20 in DHL Extraliga junior, which is the Czech under-20 league. The club is located in Litvinov, Czechia, in the Most district in the Ústí nad Labem region. He scored two goals and 10 points this past season. Beran also played four games internationally for the Czech U20 team, earning two assists.
2003-born Swede commits to Bucks
On Wednesday afternoon the Cranbrook Bucks announced they had received a commitment from 2003-born defender Loke Södergren of Sweden.
Sodergren played 50 regular season games with the Malmo Redhawks J20 team in Sweden’s highest level of junior hockey, the J20 Nationell League. He had 10 goals and 20 assists and also saw action in three playoff games. Malmo is in the southwestern Swedish province of Scania.
Express sign forward Colwell
2006-born forward Cale Colwell has signed with the Coquitlam Express for the 2023-24 B.C. Hockey League season. Colwell, who is from Langley, B.C., split the 2022-23 season between the Fraser Valley Thunderbirds U18 team in the B.C. Elite Hockey League and the Trail Smoke Eaters.
With the Thunderbirds, Colwell scored 19 goals and 30 points in 30 regular season games, while adding three points in three BCEHL playoff games. As an affiliate player with Trail, he had one assist in 10 regular season games and also got into three playoff contests.
Hull heads to the Harbour City
2007-born forward Chase Hull has made the leap to the BCHL, signing with the Nanaimo Clippers on Wednesday.
Hull, who hails from Ottawa, was a member of the Renfrew Wolves U18 AAA club that plays in the Hockey Eastern Ontario U18 league. He scored 33 goals and had 30 assists in 35 regular season games.
He then added eight goals and 13 points in eight HEO U18 playoff games. Hull played two regular season games with the Central Canada Hockey League’s Renfrew Wolves as an affiliate player and four CCHL playoff games, earning one assist.
Buttazzoni takes his game to Brooks
2004-born Coquitlam Express forward Mirko Buttazzoni has signed with the Alberta Junior Hockey League’s Brooks Bandits for the 2023-24 season. He is committed to Clarkson University to begin his NCAA Division I career in September 2024.
Buttazzoni, who is from Langley, B.C., earned 20 goals and 47 points in 53 regular season games for the Express this past season. He also had two points in four Fred Page Cup playoff contests.
Howarth re-signs with IceHogs
25-year-old forward Kale Howarth (66 goals, 80 assists in 148 games with Trail from 2015-18) has re-signed for a third season with the American Hockey League’s Rockford IceHogs.
Howarth, who is from Red Deer, Alta., split the 2022-23 season between the IceHogs and their ECHL affiliate, the Indy Fuel. In 31 regular season games with the IceHogs, Howarth had two assists. He also played in two playoff games. With the Fuel, he had eight goals and five assists in 26 games.
Shea transfers to Brown University
21-year-old goaltender Tyler Shea (17-17-4, 2.98 goals-against average, .904 save percentage in 40 games with Wenatchee in 2021-22) has transferred to Brown University from the University of Michigan. Brown University is located in Providence, Rhode Island.
Shea is from Stevenson Ranch, California, and didn’t play in any games during the 2022-23 season while at the University of Michigan.
Bohn commits to NCAA Div. III school
2002-born defender James Bohn (six goals, 29 assists in 124 games with Coquitlam, Prince George, Cowichan Valley, and Langley from 2018-23) has committed to Salve Regina University, which is an NCAA Division III school. Salve Regina University is located in Newport, Rhode Island.
Bohn, who hails from Coquitlam, B.C., played for three different junior A teams in 2022-23. With the AJHL’s Spruce Grove Saints, he scored one goal and two points in 13 games. With the BCHL’s Langley Rivermen, he earned one point in six games. Finishing up his season with the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League’s Nipawin Hawks, Bohn had one point in 21 regular season games and played in three playoff games.
Queen’s Gaels get commitment from Shepard
2002-born forward Cole Shepard (seven goals, 18 assists in 55 games with Penticton from 2017-19) has committed to Queen’s University to play U SPORTS hockey for the 2023-24 season. Queen’s University is located in Kingston, Ont.
Shepard, who hails from Toronto, finished his junior hockey career as a member of the Western Hockey League’s Lethbridge Hurricanes. In 65 regular season games, he scored 20 goals and added 35 assists, and then scored one goal and two points in four playoff matches.
