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BCHL Today: Caps make Grimwood hiring official, Cents nab defenseman Erichuk, Three Stars Rewinds to 2016 and more

Brian Wiebe

Caps make Grimwood hiring official

The Cowichan Valley Capitals made the hiring of general manager and head coach Geoff Grimwood official on Monday. Grimwood joins the Caps after spending the second half of the 2019-20 season as an assistant coach for the Winkler Flyers of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League.

Cowichan also announced that assistant coach Dan Whiteford, goalie coach Chris Carter, and athletic therapist Jordan Brucks would return to the Capitals in 2020-21.

Cents sign defenseman Erichuk

The Merritt Centennials have signed defenseman Alek Erichuk for the upcoming 2020-21 season. The 19-year-old from Kamloops, BC spent the past two seasons with the Nelson Leafs of the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League.

In 29 games with the Leafs in 2019-20, Erichuk posted seven goals and 18 assists in 29 games. He added a goal and three assists in six playoff games.

Knight hired as general manager and head coach of Nanaimo Buccanneers

https://twitter.com/NBuccaneers/status/1257390036670197760

Brad Knight (25 goals, 84 assists in 158 games with Nanaimo from 1988-91) is the new general manager and head coach of the Nanaimo Buccaneers of the Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League. Knight also coached in the BCHL as an assistant in Cowichan Valley (1993-94) and Langley (1997-98). Most recently, he was GM and head coach of the Victoria Grizzlies in 2014-15 before stepping down at the end of November that season.

Minardi joins Okanagan Rockets U16 AAA as assistant coach

Colin Minardi, who was an associate coach with Prince George this past season, has joined the Okanagan U16 AAA Rockets as an assistant coach. Minardi was hired in PG last October and stepped down from the Spruce Kings on March 18.

Three Stars of the Night ⏪ May 5, 2016

First Star: West Kelowna forward Brett Mennear had a goal and two assists as the Warriors beat Melfort 4-1 in game nine of the round robin at the 2016 Western Canada Cup.

Second Star: Warriors forward Jonathan Desbiens had a goal and an assist in the win.

Third Star: West Kelowna defenseman Tyler Anderson posted two assists.

Honourable Mentions: Warriors forward Kylar Hope popped in a goal in the win. Mustangs goaltender Even Plotnik stopped 39 shots in the loss.

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.