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BCHL Today: WHL allows players to join junior A leagues, Rockets help out the Warriors, Bucks add a goalie and more

Written by Brian Wiebe on

 

Western Hockey League announces loan agreement

The Western Hockey League came out with a statement on Friday announcing that players on its teams are allowed to play with junior A, junior B, and under-18 levels until mid-December.

“We felt it was very important to accommodate the requests of WHL roster players to play competitive hockey on a temporary basis in anticipation of WHL Training Camps beginning after Christmas,” said WHL commissioner Ron Robison in a news release.

Clippers add Montreal Canadiens draft pick

Ahead of the WHL’s statement, the Nanaimo Clippers announced the addition of 2000-born defenseman Gianni Fairbrother to their roster on loan from the Everett Silvertips.

Fairbrother, who’s from North Vancouver, BC, was selected by the Montreal Canadiens in the 3rd round, 77th overall at the 2019 NHL Draft.

He has 17 goals and 49 assists in 134 games with the Silvertips over the last three seasons. Fairbrother has also appeared in 35 career WHL playoff games.

The blueliner is expected to join the Silvertips in time for the start of the WHL season in January.

Warriors helped out by WHL’s Kelowna Rockets

The West Kelowna Warriors added both goaltenders from the WHL’s Kelowna Rockets to their roster on an emergency basis.

2001-born Roman Basran and 2001-born Cole Schwebius dressed for the Warriors during their exhibition game on Friday in Vernon, which West Kelowna won 4-3 in a shootout. Basran made 25 saves in the victory.

The Warriors were in need of goaltenders due to injuries to 2001-born netminders Johnny Derrick and Jay Thomson along with 2000-born Zach Bennett.

Basran, who’s from Kelowna, is a veteran of 111 WHL games with the Rockets while Schwebius has played 38 games in the league over the last two seasons.

Silvertips loan Anderson to Cowichan Valley

Everett has also loaned 2002-born defenseman Dylan Anderson to the Cowichan Valley Capitals from now until the start of WHL training camps.

Anderson hails from Langley and was a rookie with the Silvertips in 2019-20. He posted a goal and three assists in 55 games.

He actually played three BCHL games with Vernon as an affiliate player in 2018-19 and notched one assist.

Bucks sign goaltender Airey

The Cranbrook Bucks announced the addition of 2003-born goaltender Nathan Airey of Cochrane, Alberta for the 2020-21 season.

Airey spent the 2019-20 season with the International Hockey Academy midget prep team of the Canadian Sport School Hockey League and posted a 6-18 record with a 5.50 goals-against-average and a .879 save percentage in 29 CSSHL U18 games.

He also had a 3-1 record with a 3.44 GAA and a .895 SV% in four North American Prospects Hockey League U18 games.

Mullin named captain at Cornell

Forward Tristan Mullin (63 goals, 63 assists in 114 games with Powell River from 2015-17) has been named the captain for the Cornell University men’s hockey team for the 2020-21 season.

Mullin, 24, has 49 points in 89 career NCAA with Cornell over the last three seasons.

O’Connor joins Omaha Lancers

2001-born defenseman Kennedy O’Connor, who committed to the Chilliwack Chiefs earlier this spring, has instead joined the Omaha Lancers of the United States Hockey League.

O’Connor is committed to the University of Massachusetts (Amherst) to start in September 2021. He had three goals and 14 assists in 32 games as captain for The Loomis Chaffee School in 2019-20.