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BCHL Today: Two more leave Chilliwack for USHL, Silverbacks bring in local player, Bucks, Wild and Spruce Kings add recruits for 2021-22, and more

Written by Brian Wiebe on

 

Chiefs lose more players to USHL

An article by Eric Welsh of The Chilliwack Progress on Tuesday unveiled that 2000-born forward Tommy Lyons and 2002-born forward Frankie Carogioiello are set to bolt from the Chiefs to join unnamed US Hockey League teams.

This comes in addition to the previously known losses of 2002-born forwards Ayrton Martino and Kienan Draper, 2003-born defenseman Hudson Thornton, and 2000-born Luke Krys to the USHL.

In the article, Chiefs general manager and head coach Brian Maloney takes direct aim at what he feels are unscrupulous recruiting methods.

“We can’t stop our players from going down to the States, but the respectful thing for those USHL teams to do would be to call us and ask us where we’re at… It’s easy for these (USHL) teams to call our players or their parents and tell them we’re not having a season up here, when they don’t have a clue if we are or not.”

“One of our kids just got a text message today telling him we’re 100 per cent not having a season, and it’s foolish for him to ruin his development by not playing games.”

Silverbacks add forward Lindblad for 2020-21

The Salmon Arm Silverbacks have signed 2004-born forward Aidan Lindblad for the 2020-21 season.

The native of Salmon Arm has played four games this season with the Thompson Blazers U18 AAA of the BC U18 AAA League and had three goals.

In 2019-20, he posted two goals in 22 games with the U18 Blazers and 21 points in 16 games with the U16 Blazers.

Clippers lose Rose to Youngstown

2002-born defenseman Carter Rose is gone from the Nanaimo Clippers and joins the Youngstown Phantoms of the USHL.

Rose, who’s committed to Clarkson University for Sept. 2022, had three assists in 11 games with the Clippers during the 2020-21 BCHL training season.

The Brasher Falls, New York product was selected by Youngstown in the 17th round, 248th overall in the 2020 USHL Entry Draft.

Bucks bring in Gelbard for 2021-22

The Cranbrook Bucks announced the commitment of 2005-born forward Walker Gelbard for the 2021-22 season.

Gelbard is a native of North Vancouver, BC playing with the Vancouver NW Hawks U18 AAA of the BC U18 AAA League this season.

He had 36 points in 24 games with West Van Academy U15 AAA of the Canadian Sport School Hockey League U15 AAA in 2019-20.

His older brother Hayden is a rookie on the Bucks this season.

Wild recruit Williams for next season

The Wenatchee Wild added another new recruit for the 2021-22 season on Tuesday with the commitment of 2004-born defenseman Brodrick Williams.

The Huntingdon Beach, California product has four goals and seven assists in 28 games with the Anaheim 16U AAA Ducks this season.

He was selected by Seattle in the 2019 WHL Bantam Draft and Fargo in the 2020 USHL Futures Draft.

Spruce Kings nab Fedele for 2021-22 season

The Prince George Spruce Kings have received a commitment from 2004-born Burnaby Winter Club forward Evan Fedele for next season.

The Coquitlam product played two games for Burnaby Winter Club Prep in the U18 CSSHL so far this season and posted a goal and an assist.

He had 28 points in 33 games for the BWC Elite 15s in the U16 CSSHL during the 2019-20 season.

Herbst released by Lone Star of the NAHL

Goaltender Reilly Herbst (20-10-3, 2.91 GAA, .901 SV%, 1 SO in 34 games with Vernon in 2019-20) has been released by Lone Star of the North American Hockey Legaue.

The Niwot, Colorado native didn’t get into any games with the Brahmas this season.

Newhook and Canada come up short at World Juniors

Forward Alex Newhook (60 goals, 108 assists in 98 games with Victoria from 2017-19) and the rest of Canada’s national men’s junior hockey team were stifled by the United States in a 2-0 loss in the gold medal game at the 2021 World Junior Hockey Championship.

Newhook, a first round pick of the Colorado Avalanche in 2019 and a freshman at Boston College this season, finishes the tournament with three goals and three assists in six games.

Willcox joins Florida Everblades of the ECHL

Defenseman Reece Willcox (10 goals, 27 assists in 105 games with Merritt from 2010-12) has signed with the Florida Everblades of the ECHL for the 2020-21 season.

The 26-year-old from Surrey spent the last four seasons with the American Hockey League’s Lehigh Valley Phantoms, posting 55 points in 226 games.

Willcox was a fifth round draft pick of the Philadelphia Flyers in the 2012 NHL Draft.

McIlmurray inks ECHL deal in Fort Wayne

Forward Austin McIlmurray (27 goals, 34 assists in 57 games with Coquitlam in 2015-16) has signed with the ECHL’s Fort Wayne Komets for this season.

McIlmurray, 24, wrapped up his four year college career at Sacred Heart University at the end of 2019-20 with 86 points in 137 games.

Card released by EC Bad Nauheim

Defenseman Mike Card (four goals, 17 assists in 50 games with Penticton in 2001-02) has been released by EC Bad Nauheim of DEL2, which is the second tier of pro hockey in Germany.

The 34-year-old from Kitchener, Ontario signed with the Red Devils at the beginning of December when they were short blueliners.

Card, who lives in nearby Frankfurt and played with ECN in 2019-20, was willing to help out on a short-term contract.