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BCHL Today: BCHL announces 2021-22 schedule, Capitals trade for Gurski, and more!

Written by Brian Wiebe on

 

BCHL releases 2021-22 schedule

The BC Hockey League officially announced the schedule for the 2021-22 regular season, the 60th in league history.

The season runs from Friday, Oct. 8 to Sunday, Mar. 20 with 972 games scheduled. The start date is the latest in at least 20 years.

Each of the 18 participating teams will play 54 games. Training camp is set to open on Friday, Sept. 17.

Capitals acquire goaltender Gurski

The Cowichan Valley Capitals have acquired 2002-born goaltender Will Gurski from the Winnipeg Freeze of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League for future considerations.

Gurski, who’s from Duncan, BC, had an 0-3-0 record with a 4.16 goals-against-average and a .903 save percentage in four games with the Freeze this past season.

BCHLNetwork’s story on the trade is here.

Smoke Eaters add Lagerback for 2021-22

The Trail Smoke Eaters announced the addition of 2001-born forward Teddy Lagerback for the 2021-22 season on Monday.

The Chanhassen, MN product spent the 2020-21 season with the Waterloo Black Hawks of the US Hockey League and posted five goals and eight points in 41 games.

Lagerback is committed to attend Arizona State University to play NCAA hockey starting in September 2022.

Fairlie’s rights traded in the Western Hockey League

Prince George Spruce Kings goaltender Jordan Fairlie was traded in the Western Hockey League from the Swift Current Broncos to the Prince George Cougars on Monday.

The 2002-born product of Fort St. John, BC was solid as a rookie with the Spruce Kings during the 2020-21 pod season in the BCHL.

He went 5-2-0 with a 2.16 goals-against-average, a .907 save percentage, and two shutouts in seven games.

Price and the Canadiens move on to the Stanley Cup semifinals

Goaltender Carey Price (2.70 goals-against-average in 18 games with Quesnel in 2002-03) and the Montreal Canadiens advanced to the semifinals of the Stanley Cup playoffs with a 3-2 overtime win in game four of their second-round series against the Winnipeg Jets.

Price, a 33-year-old from Anahim Lake, BC, started all four games for Montreal in the series and finished with a 1.49 goals-against-average and a .942 save percentage.

Stecher and Canada win gold at the Worlds

Team Canada, which featured defenseman Troy Stecher (18 goals, 91 assists in 159 games with Penticton from 2010-13), claimed gold at the 2021 IIHF Men’s World Hockey Championship on Sunday with a 3-2 overtime win against Finland.

Stecher, who plays for the Detroit Red Wings, finished the tournament with a goal and an assist in 10 games to go along with a +5 plus-minus rating.

Klimek and Craighead cut loose by South Carolina

The South Carolina Stingrays of the ECHL released defenseman Jordan Klimek (six goals, 19 assists in 60 games with Surrey from 2011-13) and forward Darien Craighead (52 goals, 86 assists in 143 games with Langley, Cowichan Valley, and Chilliwack from 2013-16) on Monday.

Klimek, a 25-year-old from Langley, BC, had four goals and five points in 39 games with the Stingrays this past season, his third in the ECHL.

Craighead, 24, posted six goals and 10 points in 25 games as a rookie for South Carolina in 2020-21. The Surrey, BC product signed with the Stingrays last September.

Osadick heads to Poland for next season

Forward Matt Osadick (seven goals, 12 assists in 52 games with Merritt and Trail in 2019-20) has signed with Opole HK in Polish 1. Liga for the 2021-22 season. It is the second tier of pro hockey in Poland.

The 20-year-old, who hails from Grande Pointe, MB, notched six goals and 10 points in eight games with the Steinbach Pistons of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League in 2020-21.

Bardaro inks a deal with HC Pustertal

Forward Anthony Bardaro (four goals, 14 assists in 26 games with Surrey in 2008-09) will join HC Pustertal in the ICE Hockey League for next season.

Bardaro, 28, has spent the last four seasons playing in Italy, including the last two with HC Bolzano where he posted 32 goals and 67 points in 93 games.