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BCHL Today: Kings lose three to the NAHL, Clippers captain leaves to the USHL, Scarfone commits to RIT, and more

Written by Brian Wiebe on

 

BCHL alumni make their mark on NHL opening night rosters

With the 2020-21 National Hockey League season opening Wednesday night, each of the circuit’s 31 teams submitted their rosters and tax squads.

BCHLNetwork took a closer look at the 29 players with BCHL experience included on the rosters and the six featured on the taxi squads.

The BCHL compiled its own list of alumni featured on NHL rosters but didn’t include players who were affiliates in the league and didn’t separate opening night rosters from taxi squads.

Former Kings recruit Teply moves from NAHL to NCDC

2002-born forward Jakub Teply has signed with the South Shore Kings of the National Collegiate Development Conference after starting the season with Amarillo Bulls of the North American Hockey League.

The Stamford, Connecticut product committed to the Powell River Kings in April 2020, but Teply and the team didn’t play any games during the BCHL’s training season due to various delays and restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Eagles netminder Scarfone commits to RIT

Surrey Eagles goaltender Tommy Scarfone is off to the Rochester Institute of Technology following his BCHL career.

The 2000-born netminder from L’Île-Bizard, Quebec had a 4-1 record with a 2.17 goals-against-average, a .935 save percentage, and two shutouts in five games during the extended training camp season last fall.

Kings trade for UMass-Lowell commit Brunette

The Powell River Kings made a trade on Wednesday to bring in 2002-born defenseman Ben Brunette from the Carleton Place Canadians of the Central Canada Hockey League for future considerations.

The native of North Bay, Ontario was a member of the CCHL all-rookie team in 2019-20 after putting up seven goals and 18 assists in 58 games with the Canadians.

He is committed to play NCAA hockey and go to school at the University of Massachusetts-Lowell starting this September.

Woodside leaves Spruce Kings, awaits trade from PG

According to an article by Kyle Balzer on Prince George Matters, 2001-born goaltender Carter Woodside has left the Prince George Spruce Kings and is awaiting a trade.

News of Woodside’s departure comes after the Spruce Kings signed 2002-born netminder Kobe Grant earlier this week.

Woodside, who’s from Asquith, Saskatchewan, was 5-11-2 with a 3.08 GAA and a .900 SV% in 22 games last season after signing with PG in late November 2019. He didn’t appear in any games with the Spruce Kings during the BCHL’s exhibition season.

Prince George also has rookie goaltenders Aaron Trotter and Jordan Fairlie on its roster, along with Grant.

Express brings in McEvay as education advisor

The Coquitlam Express added to its off-ice staff on Wednesday by hiring Tom McEvay as the team’s education advisor.

McEvay is a retired school principal from Port Alberni and has worked with the Alberni Valley Bulldogs as an education advisor since 2004 and the Nanaimo Clippers since 2018.

He takes over from Ross Beebe as Coquitlam’s education advisor.

Clippers lose captain Kovich to Tri-City of the USHL

The Nanaimo Clippers saw a huge part of their team leave on Wednesday with news that captain Kyler Kovich has joined the Tri-City Storm of the US Hockey League.

The 2002-born left winger had a goal and 11 assists in 15 games as part of the BCHL’s training season from September to November.

The Cornell University commit from Coquitlam was ranked 168th by NHL Central Scouting for last year’s draft but wasn’t selected.

Cents hire Pimboltt as head scout

The Merritt Centennials have brought in Scott Pimblott to serve as their head scout.

He has scouted in the Superior International Junior Hockey League with the Red Lake Miners since 2015 and most recently also served as their director of player personnel.

Powell River loses three players to Minot of the NAHL

The Powell River Kings will be without three more players if, and when, the BCHL season starts up. In a story in the Minot Daily News, 2000-born forwards Brett Roloson and Ethan Schmunk along with 2003-born defenseman Ross Roloson have all signed with the Minot Minotauros of the NAHL.

The elder Roloson brother, Brett, is committed to Lake Superior State University for this fall. He had 52 points in 104 games with Powell River and Merritt over the last two seasons.

The younger Roloson brother is entering his first season of junior hockey after scoring 34 points in 35 games with Northern Alberta X-Treme Prep of the Canadian Sport School Hockey League in 2019-20.

Schmunk, who’s from Powell River, played 116 career BCHL games with the Kings over the last two-plus seasons and put up 25 goals and 29 assists.

Johnson named Big Ten Conference first star of the week

University of Michigan forward Kent Johnson (61 goals and 86 assists in 112 games with Trail from 2018-20) was named the Big Ten Conference first star of the week on Wednesday.

The 2002-born freshman had a goal and four assists in the Wolverines topped Michigan State 9-0.

Tanev is the first BCHL alum to score a goal in the 2020-21 NHL season

Pittsburgh Penguins forward Brandon Tanev (11 goals, 22 assists in 58 games with Surrey in 2011-12) is the first BCHL alumnus to score a goal in the 2020-21 NHL season.

The 29-year-old from Toronto finished with a goal and an assist in the Pens 6-3 loss to Philadelphia on Wednesday.

Hutchison leaves University of Vermont

After one assist in six games, 2000-born defenseman Conner Hutchison (eight goals, 44 assists in 80 games with Penticton from 2018-20) is leaving the University of Vermont.

The Hicksville, New York product committed to the Catamounts back in 2016 and is still age-eligible to play junior hockey during the 2020-21 season.

Priskie assigned to Syracuse of the AHL

Defenseman Chase Priskie (six goals, 14 assists in 57 games with Salmon Arm in 2014-15) was assigned to the Syracuse Crunch of the American Hockey League by the Florida Panthers on Wednesday.

Florida acquired the 24-year-old from Carolina at last year’s trade deadline. He had 35 points in 57 AHL games split between Charlotte and Springfield in 2019-20.

Hill traded in the NAHL from Maryland to Kenai River

2001-born defenseman Brendan Hill (two goals, five assists in 42 games with Prince George in 2019-20) was acquired by the Kenai River Brown Bears from the Maryland Black Bears in an NAHL trade on Wednesday.

Hill, a Lake Superior State University commit from South Lyon, Michigan, had three points in 14 games with Maryland so far this season.

Indy inks McNicholas to ECHL deal

Forward Michael McNicholas (33 goals, 68 assists with Nanaimo and Vernon from 2012-14) has signed an ECHL contract for the 2020-21 season with the Indy Fuel.

McNicholas, 26, had a goal in two games with the ECHL’s Utah Grizzlies before being released in late December. He notched 38 points in 60 games with the Maine Mariners in 2019-20.