BCHL Today: Spruce Kings trade Zloty to Manitoba, numerous BCHL alumni become NHL free agents, and more

 

The Prince George Spruce Kings have traded 2000-born forward Jackson Zloty to the Swan Valley Stampeders of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League in exchange for future considerations.

Zloty, who’s from Calgary, Alberta, had two assists in 17 games with PG after being acquired from the Alberta Junior Hockey League’s Calgary Canucks at the January 10th trade deadline.

Lipinski joins Wenatchee

The Wenatchee Wild has added 2004-born forward Jaden Lipinski of Scottsdale, Arizona for the 2020-21 BCHL season.

Lipinski, who doesn’t turn 16 until December 2nd, had eight goals and 11 assists in 19 games with the Phoenix Jr. Coyotes U15 AAA team in the Tier 1 Elite Hockey League U15 this past season.

Stecher and Pope not qualified by the Canucks

Defenseman Troy Stecher (18 goals, 91 assists in 159 games with Penticton from 2010-13) and forward David Pope (52 goals, 62 assists in 131 games with Cowichan Valley and West Kelowna from 2011-14) weren’t offered contracts by the Vancouver Canucks before Wednesday’s 2 pm deadline, and both become unrestricted free agents.

Stecher, 26, spent the last four seasons with the Canucks and put up 75 points in 286 games for his hometown team.

Pope, also 26, split the 2019-20 season between the Utica Comets of the American Hockey League and the Kalamazoo Wings of the ECHL. He had one goal in 11 AHL games and eight points in nine ECHL games.

Hirose signs extension with Detroit

Forward Taro Hirose (33 goals, 88 assists in 116 games with Salmon Arm from 2014-16) signed a one-year extension with the Detroit Red Wings for the 2020-21 season.

The 24-year-old Hirose split last season between the Red Wings and their AHL affiliate in Grand Rapids. He posted seven points in 26 games with Detroit and 27 points in 35 games in the minors.

Turris set to become an unrestricted free agent

New Westminster, BC product Kyle Turris (102 goals, 91 assists in 110 games with Burnaby from 2005-07) is an unrestricted free agent after he cleared waivers Thursday morning and will see his contract bought out by the Nashville Predators.

The 31-year-old Turris is a veteran of 726 career NHL games with the Predators, Ottawa Senators, and Arizona Coyotes, compiling 165 goals and 250 assists.

Wild don’t extend qualifying offer to Robson

The Minnesota Wild parted ways with goaltender Mat Robson (35-13-0, 1.94 GAA, .930 SV%, six shutouts in 49 games with Penticton in 2016-17) on Wednesday by not extending a qualifying offer to the 24-year-old restricted free agent.

The Toronto native was 11-10-8 with a 2.97 goals-against-average, a .901 save percentage and one shutout in 26 games with the Wild’s AHL affiliate in Iowa during the 2019-20 season.

Redmond to be an unrestricted free agent

Angus Redmond (59-61-0, 2.94 GAA, .906 SV%, eight shutouts in 132 games with Salmon Arm from 2013-16) is an unrestricted free agent after the 25-year-old from Langley wasn’t offered a new contract by the Edmonton Oilers.

Redmond played 20 games for the Newfoundland Growlers of the ECHL in 2019-20 and finished with a 16-2-0 record along with a 2.55 GAA and a .907 SV%.

Shortridge will head to UFA market

Netminder Andrew Shortridge (19-25-0, 3.15 GAA, .915 SV%, two shutouts with Vernon in 2015-16) didn’t get a qualifying offer from the San Jose Sharks and will become an unrestricted free agent.

The 25-year-old from Anchorage, Alaska spent time in the ECHL with the Allen Americans and the San Jose Barracuda of the AHL during the 2019-20 season.

He had a 4-4-1 record with a 2.81 GAA, a .915 SV%, and two shutouts in 10 ECHL games and a 3-7-0 record with a 3.71 GAA and a .862 SV% in 14 AHL games.

Hunt becomes an unrestricted free agent on Friday

Forward Dryden Hunt (no points in four games with the Trail Smoke Eaters in 2010-11) was another restricted free agent who didn’t receive a qualifying offer and becomes a UFA on Friday.

The 24-year-old from Cranbrook had four assists in 21 games with the Florida Panthers this past season. He also added 29 points in 35 AHL games in Springfield.

Mitchell signs extension in Cincinnati

The Cincinnati Cyclones of the ECHL have brought back forward Mason Mitchell (23 goals, 16 assists in 82 games with Nanaimo from 2012-14) for the 2020-21 season.

The 26-year-old from Edmonton, Alberta had 18 goals and 13 assists in 57 games with the Cyclones in 2019-20.

Riley calls it quits

Forward Blair Riley (113 goals, 110 assists in 199 games with Merritt and Nanaimo from 2002-06) announced his retirement on Wednesday.

The Kamloops, BC product had 31 points in 40 games for the Cardiff Devils of the Elite Ice Hockey League in the UK last season, his fourth straight playing overseas.