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BCHL Today: Vees ink NHL draft prospect Costantini, Warriors rookie defenseman Jugnauth commits to Wisconsin, and more

Brian Wiebe

 

Vees add 2020 NHL Draft prospect Costantini

The Penticton Vees have added another piece to their offensive arsenal for 2020-21 with the signing of 2002-born forward Matteo Costantini.

Costantini led the Buffalo Jr. Sabres of the Ontario Junior Hockey League in scoring in 2019-20 with 36 goals and 32 assists in 50 games. As a result, he was named OJHL rookie of the year, OJHL top prospect, and to the OJHL second all-star team.

He was a free agent able to sign with any junior A team in Canada after the Jr. Sabres announced they were taking a leave of absence for the 2020-21 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The St. Catharines, Ontario product is ranked 96th among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting for the 2020 NHL Draft. TSN has him ranked 77th overall for the draft, which is slated to take place in October.

Incoming Warriors defenseman Jugnauth commits to Wisconsin

2004-born defenseman Tyson Jugnauth has committed to play NCAA Division 1 hockey at the University of Wisconsin in the fall of 2022.

The Toronto product had five goals and 23 assists in 34 games with the Okanagan Rockets U18 in 2019-20. He also got into three games with the Warriors as an affiliate player.

Jugnauth also played two playoff games in West Kelowna’s first round series against Penticton. He was selected in the first round, 21st overall by Swift Current in the 2019 Western Hockey League bantam draft.

Kaufman transfers from Vermont to Boston University

Forward Max Kaufman (51 goals, 55 assists in 105 games with Langley from 2015-17) has transferred from the University of Vermont to Boston University for the 2020-21 season.

The 24-year-old former Kent School captain from Pittsford, New York, had 35 points in 94 games over the last four NCAA seasons with the Catamounts.

Smith signs extension for 2020-21 with SC Lyss

https://twitter.com/lyss_sc/status/1295023712798900224

Forward Christopher Smith (no points in two games with Nanaimo in 2015-16) has signed a contract extension for 2020-21 with SC Lyss of the MySports League, which is the third highest level of pro hockey in Switzerland.

The 23-year-old from St-Bruno-de-Montarville, Quebec was one of two Canadian players in the league last season, where he had a goal and four assists in six games.

Brian Wiebe

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.