BCHL

BCHL Today: Grizzlies release Konroyd, Schreifels suspended two games, Bucks lend a helping hand and more

Written by Brian Wiebe on

Grizzlies release sophomore forward

The Victoria Grizzlies have released veteran forward Stephen Konroyd and the 19-year-old is now considered a free agent. The second year forward had four points in 26 games with the Grizzlies this season after putting up nine points in 37 games as a rookie last season. Konroyd’s dad Steve played 895 games in the NHL from 1981-95.

Schreifels to miss two games due to suspension

At 7:01 of the third period of Sunday’s 4-3 win over Alberni Valley, Victoria Grizzlies forward Henri Schreifels received a five minute major and a game misconduct for goaltender interference against Bulldogs netminder Luke Pearson.

As a result of the major penalty for goalie interference, Schreifels is automatically suspended for two games under the junior A supplement. He’ll miss the Grizzlies home games this Friday and Sunday against the Bulldogs and Surrey respectively and is eligible to return to Victoria’s lineup on Dec. 11 in Nanaimo against the Clippers.

Schreifels is second in scoring on the Grizzlies this season with 12 goals and 14 assists in 32 games.

Bucks’ rink to host junior B team

The Cranbrook Bucks haven’t played a BCHL game yet, but extended some goodwill to a nearby junior B team. The Golden Rockets of the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League were displaced from their arena due to an issue with the chiller system and needed a place to play their home games.

The Rockets will play a total of four games in Cranbrook this month. Golden is about 250 km northwest of Cranbrook and the two cities are roughly a 2.5 hour drive apart.

Avs first rounder gets invite to Hockey Canada WJC camp

2018-19 BCHL MVP and leading scorer Alex Newhook will look to crack Canada’s roster for the World Junior Hockey Championship later this month in the Czech Republic. The former Victoria Grizzlies sniper, who is currently playing at Boston College, was chosen in the first round, 16th overall by the Colorado Avalanche this past June.

Newhook represented Canada at the Under-18 World Championships last year and also skated for Team Canada West at the 2018 World Junior A Challenge.

Former Cents boss joins 100 Mile House

Barry Wolff, who was fired by the Merritt Centennials as head coach and GM last month, has resurfaced as an assistant coach with the junior B 100 Mile House Wranglers of the KIJHL. Wolff was last involved in the KI in 2012-13 as head coach and GM of the Fernie Ghostriders before leaving to join the Coquitlam Express. He led the Ghostriders to first place in their division and advanced to the second round of the KIJHL playoffs that year.

The Wranglers host the BC provincial junior B championships this season.

Iacobellis takes his game to Finland

Steven Iacobellis (35 goals, 65 assists in 149 BCHL games with Penticton, Cowichan Valley and Salmon Arm from 2010-13) signed with Tappara of the Finish Elite League for the remainder of the 2019-20 season. The Port Coquitlam, BC product had five points in six games with Witchita in the ECHL this season. He also played eight games in the AHL with Bakersfield, registering one assist.

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.