Stefanek signs with the Smoke Eaters
After posting 32 goals and 77 points in 70 games with Mount St. Charles Academy’s Under-16 AAA squad in 2022-23, 2006-born forward Chase Stefanek has signed with the Trail Smoke Eaters for the 2023-24 B.C. Hockey League season.
The product of Yorba Linda, California is committed to Harvard University to play NCAA Division I hockey starting in the 2025-26 season. Stefanek notched three goals in five games for Team USA’s U18 team at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup earlier this month.
Boatter commits to Colorado College
Salmon Arm Silverbacks defender Adam Boatter has committed to Colorado College, starting in the 2025-26 NCAA season. The Tigers play out of Colorado Springs, Colorado. The 2007-born resident of Maple Ridge, B.C. will play his first full BCHL season with the Silverbacks in 2023-24.
Boatter spent this past season at the Burnaby Winter Club, playing in the U18 Prep division of the Canadian Sport School Hockey League. He finished with four goals and 27 points in 29 games. Boatter also got into three games with Salmon Arm as an affiliate player.
Wall turns pro with AHL Milwaukee
23-year-old Kevin Wall (31 goals, 33 assists in 49 games with Chilliwack in 2018-19) has signed his first professional contract with the Milwaukee Admirals of the American Hockey League for 2023-24. He was selected in the sixth round, 181st overall, by the Carolina Hurricanes in the 2019 NHL Draft.
Wall, who’s from Rochester, New York, got into 125 NCAA games at Penn State University over the last four seasons, compiling 43 goals and 43 assists. He was an alternate captain for the Nittany Lions in 2022-23.
Cairns returns to Cincinnati for a third season
Defender Matthew Cairns (two goals, 14 assists in 18 games with Powell River in 2016-17) inked an extension with the Cincinnati Cyclones for the 2023-24 ECHL season on Friday.
Cairns, who’s from Mississauga, Ont., played 45 games with the Cyclones in 2022-23, where he registered a goal and five assists. He also skated in seven games on loan to the AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals.
He was chosen by the Edmonton Oilers in the third round, 84th overall, at the 2016 NHL Draft but Cairns didn’t sign a contract with the club.
Cuglietta stays in Italy for 2023-24
Forward Diego Cuglietta (40 goals, 88 assists in 149 games for Merritt from 2012-15) has signed a contract extension for 2022-23 with Cortina of the Alps Hockey League.
The 28-year-old from Kamloops, B.C. played 33 games with Cortina this past season and put up 16 goals and 42 points. He tallied nine goals and 21 points in 18 AlpsHL playoff games and three points in a pair of Italian Hockey League Serie A games.
Williams makes it three seasons in Romania
22-year-old Owen Williams (one goal in three games with Surrey in 2016-17) has agreed to a contract with CSM Corona Brasov for 2023-24 which sees the defender play his third season in the Romanian city located in the Transylvanian region.
The native of Delta, B.C. has 33 goals and 83 points in 111 games with Brasov split between Hungary’s Erste Liga and Romania’s Campionatul National de Seniori since 2021.
