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BCHL Today: West named head coach for Alabama-Huntsville, Defiel inks new ECHL contract, and more

Brian Wiebe

 

West hired as head coach for Alabama-Huntsville

University of Alabama-Huntsville unveiled Lance West (71 goals, 97 assists in 194 games with Penticton, Vernon, and Kelowna from 1987-90) as its new men’s hockey head coach on Wednesday.

An alumnus of UAH, West served as an assistant coach for the Chargers over the last two seasons and has 22 seasons of NCAA Div. I coaching experience since he retired in 1995.

Defiel re-ups in Rapid City

Goaltender Gordon Defiel (20-20, 3.64 goals-against-average, .888 save percentage in 44 games with Coquitlam in 2013-14) has signed a one-year contract extension with the Rapid City Rush of the ECHL.

The 27-year-old from Stillwater, Minnesota played 13 games with the Rush last season and posted a 2.58 GAA and a .925 SV% to go along with a 5-3-3 record. He also got into two games with the Indy Fuel of the ECHL, going 0-2 with a 5.00 GAA and a .861 SV%.

Dubielewicz drops head coach title in Columbia Valley

Wade Dubielewicz (96 games with Trail and Chilliwack from 1997-99) has stepped down from his role as head coach of the junior B Columbia Valley Rockies of the Kootenay International Junior Hockey but will remain as general manager.

The 41-year-old has served as head coach for the Rockies since the 2012-13 season. Former KIJHL veteran Briar McNaney, who was an assistant coach in Columbia Valley for the last three seasons, takes over as bench boss from Dubielewicz.

Hodder hosts official Western Hockey League podcast

The Western Hockey League released its official podcast on Wednesday and Zach Hodder (20 goals, 49 assists in 87 games for Coquitlam from 2011-14) is the host.

Hodder, 27, is the WHL’s Manager, Player Development, and a graduate of the BCIT Radio Arts & Entertainment Program. He also has a Bachelor of Arts in Professional Communication from Royal Roads University.

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.