Silverbacks pick up Joynt from Wellington for futures
The Salmon Arm Silverbacks have acquired 2003-born forward Barret Joynt from the Wellington Dukes of the Ontario Junior Hockey League for future considerations.
Joynt, who’s from Kingston, ON, has spent the last three seasons with the Dukes, compiling 26 goals and 52 points in 102 games. He had 41 points in 54 games in 2021-22.
He was selected by New Mexico in the second round of this year’s North American Hockey League Entry Draft. Joynt was also chosen by Kingston in the 15th round of the 2019 Ontario Hockey League Priority Selection.
Shaw leaves the Express to join Niagara as an assistant coach
The Coquitlam Express is looking for a new head coach following the resignation of Brandon Shaw to join the OHL’s Niagara IceDogs as an assistant coach. Shaw will stay on with Coquitlam to help with the transition to a new hire.
Shaw, a 27-year-old from Barrie, ON, was head coach and assistant general manager for the Express this past season. It was his first as a head coach after spending the previous four seasons split between Alberni Valley and Merritt as an assistant.
Quinnipiac commit Silich heads to Cranbrook for 2022-23
Quinnipiac University commit Jack Silich has signed with the Cranbrook Bucks for the 2022-23 BC Hockey League season.
Silich, who hails from Long Grove, IL, spent the last two seasons in the US Hockey League, ending up with 12 goals and 26 points in 106 games with Sioux Falls, Lincoln, and Youngstown.
The 2003-born forward will head to Quinnipiac in September 2023.
Brar takes his game to Surrey for 2022-23
2004-born forward Savek Brar has signed to play for the Surrey Eagles during the 2022-23 season.
Brar, who’s from Surrey, BC, split 2021-22 between Delta Hockey Academy U18 Prep of the Canadian Sport School Hockey League and the Abbotsford Pilots of the Pacific Junior Hockey League.
He was scoreless in 13 games with the Delta Hockey Academy and had a goal and one assist in 19 games with the Pilots.
Fechko to play junior hockey with the Trail Smoke Eaters
The Trail Smoke Eaters announced the commitment of 2003-born right wing Trey Fechko for the upcoming BCHL season.
Fechko committed to the Coquitlam Express in January 2021 but ended up staying with Team SIT Financial Services in the Upper Midwest High School Elite Hockey League in 2021-22 and posted 16 goals and 35 points in 21 games.
The Arizona State University commit also played 28 high school games with Edina High and totaled 21 goals and 42 points in 28 games. Fechko heads to play NCAA hockey at ASU next September.
The Express gives the captain’s ‘C’ to Devlin
The Coquitlam Express has unveiled 2002-born defender Ian Devlin as its captain for the 2022-23 season.
The native of Memphis, TN had four goals and 22 points in 54 games as an alternate captain for the Express this past season. Devlin is committed to playing NCAA hockey at Princeton University in September 2023.
He takes over from Ryan Tattle, who heads to the University of Connecticut this September after aging out of junior hockey.
Finlay commits to the University of Alaska-Anchorage
Powell River Kings defender Dylan Finlay has committed to the University of Alaska-Anchorage to play NCAA hockey starting this September. The 2001-born blueliner was formerly committed to the University of Vermont.
Finlay, from L’Île-Bizard, QC, had six goals and 22 points in 49 games for the Kings this past season, his final one of junior eligibility.
Dunn commits to Lindenwood University
Trail Smoke Eaters defender Kabore Dunn has committed to Lindenwood University to play NCAA hockey this September.
Dunn, who started 2021-22 at the University of Maine before joining the Smokies in January, had a goal and 10 assists in 29 games for Trail.
The 2001-born blueliner is a native of Mill Bay, BC, and was scoreless in five playoff games with the Smoke Eaters earlier this spring.
Silverbacks add Redmond as their goaltender coach
Newfoundland Growlers goaltender Angus Redmond (59-61-0, 2.94 goals-against average, .906 save percentage, and eight shutouts with Salmon Arm from 2012-16) has retired as a player and joined the Salmon Arm Silverbacks as their goaltender coach for the upcoming 2022-23 BCHL season.
Redmond, a 26-year-old from Langley, BC, played 17 ECHL games with Kansas City and Cincinnati in 2021-22, securing a 7-8-0 record to go with a 3.38 GAA, a .885 SV%, and one shutout.
He was also 4-2-0 with a 2.63 GAA, an .893 SV%, and one shutout in seven games with Newfoundland since being acquired by the Growlers from the Cyclones in March. Redmond was also loaned to the American Hockey League’s Charlotte Checkers but didn’t play any games.
Express will play an exhibition game in neighboring Port Moody
The Coquitlam Express announced on Wednesday that the team will play an exhibition game in Port Moody, BC on Friday, Sept. 9 against the Surrey Eagles.
Port Moody is a city of approximately 35,000 that borders Coquitlam on the east. The Port Moody Arena, which is where the Express and Eagles will play, is home to the junior B Port Moody Panthers of the Pacific Junior Hockey League.
Marino signs a pact with AHL Henderson
Forward Kyle Marino (17 goals, 34 assists in 111 games with West Kelowna from 2014-16) has signed an AHL contract with the Henderson Silver Knights for 2022-23.
The 27-year-old product of Niagara Falls, ON has posted four goals and 10 points in 19 games with the ECHL’s Idaho Steelheads this season. He also played 24 AHL games with the Chicago Wolves and posted two assists.
Olischefski inks a deal with Rochester of the AHL
Right wing Kohen Olischefski (38 goals, 87 assists in 124 games with Chilliwack from 2014-17) has signed with the Rochester Americans of the AHL for the upcoming season. He played three games with the Amerks in 2021-22 after inking an amateur tryout in March.
The 24-year-old from Abbotsford, BC also had eight goals and 18 points in 38 games with Providence College this past season. Over the course of 172 NCAA games with the Friars and the University of Denver, he posted 30 goals and 41 assists.
Former Bulldogs boss Hiller joins the Kings’ coaching staff
Former Alberni Valley Bulldogs general manager and head coach Jim Hiller has signed with the Los Angeles Kings as an assistant coach.
Hiller, a 53-year-old from Port Alberni, BC, spent the last three seasons as an assistant coach with the New York Islanders. All told, he has 20 years of coaching experience in the BCHL, WHL, and NHL.
Franco agrees to a pact with Charlotte of the AHL
26-year-old forward Dominic Franco (13 goals, 15 assists in 47 games with Langley in 2015-16) was one of a pair of signings announced by the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers on Wednesday.
Franco, who’s from Scituate, RI, played 32 AHL games with the Rochester Americans last season, tallying four assists. He also notched 10 goals and 21 points in 26 ECHL games with Cincinnati.
Bunz turns pro with Wheeling of the ECHL
After a five-year NCAA career at Providence College, defender Davis Bunz (nine goals, 18 assists in 49 games with Chilliwack in 2016-17) signed his first pro contract with the Wheeling Nailers of the ECHL on Wednesday.
The 23-year-old product of Middleton, WI finished his college career with a goal and 16 assists in 144 games with the Friars over the last five seasons.
Harris returns to Jacksonville in 2022-23
Centre Brendan Harris (37 goals, 117 assists in 114 games with Wenatchee from 2015-17) has signed an extension with the ECHL’s Jacksonville Icemen for 2022-23.
Harris, 26, is from Port Jefferson, NY. In 39 games with the Icemen last season, he finished with 12 goals and 30 points. He added eight points in eight ECHL playoff games.
He also had an assist in six games with the Wheeling Nailers before being traded to Jacksonville in January.
Revel goes pro with Pioneers Vorarlberg in Austria
26-year-old centre Matt Revel (one goal, one assist in six games with Chilliwack from 2011-13) has inked his first pro contract with Austria club Pioneers Vorarlberg of the ICE Hockey League.
Revel, from Abbotsford, BC, had 24 goals and 56 points in 83 games over the last five seasons playing U SPORTS hockey at the University of British Columbia.
Hunt goes from Romania to England
The Nottingham Panthers of the UK’s Elite Ice Hockey League added some toughness to their lineup with the addition of forward Garet Hunt (seven goals, six assists in 62 games with Chilliwack from 2003-04), who is the ECHL’s all-time penalty minute king.
Hunt, 34, had 21 goals and 29 points in 39 games with ASC Corona Brasov of Erste Liga in 2021-22, his 14th pro season and first playing in Europe.
Vipers and Warriors affiliate Bourgeois signs in Melfort, SK
2004-born defender Adam Bourgeois has signed with the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League’s Melfort Mustangs for the 2022-23 season. He had no points in 19 games as an affiliate player split between Vernon and West Kelowna in 2021-22
The native of Kelowna, BC spent most of last season with Cariboo Cougars U18 AAA of the BC Elite Hockey League, posting a goal and six assists in 15 games. He added an assist in two BCEHL playoff games.
