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BCHL Today: Kings, Wild, and Rivermen add new recruits, Blumenschein turns pro in Scotland, and more!

Written by Brian Wiebe on

 

Kings add a pair of forward recruits

The Powell River Kings announced a pair of new forward recruits over the past couple of days. First, it was 2004-born forward Parker LaLonde from Saskatoon Blazers U18 AAA of the Saskatchewan Midget AAA Hockey League.

In four games during the abbreviated 2020-21 season, the product of Aberdeen, SK had two goals and an assist. He notched 33 points in 39 games with the Blazers in 2019-20.

LaLonde was selected by Red Deer in the sixth round of the 2019 Western Hockey League Bantam Draft before seeing his rights traded to Swift Current in Nov. 2019.

Second, the Kings announced the signing of 2003-born forward Maxim Potvin, whose grandfather is four-time Stanley Cup champion and Hockey Hall of Fame member Denis Potvin.

Potvin, who hails from Sudbury, ON, was with Victory Honda 18U AAA in 2020-21 and posted 19 goals and 37 points in 63 games. He spent the previous two seasons playing in Sweden, first with IF Mölndal Hockey U16, and then with Borås HC J18.

Wild add WMU commit Szydlowski for 2021-22

The Wenatchee Wild announced the commitment of 2002-born forward Garrett Szydlowski for the upcoming BC Hockey League season.

The Detroit, MI native spent the last two seasons with the Maryland Black Bears of the North American Hockey League, tallying 17 goals and 39 points in 99 games.

Szydlowski is committed to playing NCAA hockey at Western Michigan University starting in September 2022.

Rivermen nab Loo for their blueline

2005-born defenseman and Vancouver, BC native Matthew Loo has committed to the Langley Rivermen for the 2021-22 BCHL season.

Loo comes from the Burnaby Winter Club U16 team in the Canadian Sport School Hockey League. He posted two goals and eight points in five games during the shortened 2020-21 season.

Bodger, McDonald, and Renyard named part of the Royals staff for 2021-22

The Victoria Royals of the WHL announced their hockey operations staff for the 2021-22 season, and included are a handful with BCHL ties.

Former Cowichan Valley Capitals assistant coach Doug Bodger of Chemainus, BC is back with the Royals, continuing his role as a coaching consultant for Victoria.

Meanwhile, Coquitlam, BC product Kai McDonald (0-1-0, 7.13 goals-against-average, .797 save percentage in four games with Trail in 2013-14) is the Royals’ new goaltending consultant.

Victoria, BC native Nic Renyard (26-20-0, 2.67 goals-against-average, .912 save percentage, one shutout in 52 games with Cowichan Valley, Langley, Penticton, and Victoria from 2011-14) has joined the Royals as their quality control coach.

Brocklehurst retires to become a cop

36-year-old forward Aaron Brocklehurst (20 goals, 43 assists in 115 games with Alberni Valley, Powell River, and Victoria from 2002-04) has retired to become a police officer.

The Nanaimo, BC product didn’t play anywhere in 2020-21 due to the pandemic but had 34 points in 47 games with the Sheffield Steelers of the UK’s Elite Ice Hockey League in 2019-20.

Blumenschein turns pro in Scotland

Defenseman Kristian Blumenschein (15 goals, 48 assists in 93 games with West Kelowna from 2014-16) has signed with the EIHL’s Fife Flyers for 2021-22.

The 24-year-old from Kelowna, BC was idle in 2020-21 after spending the previous four seasons playing at Colorado College. He finished with 33 points in 124 career NCAA games.