The Penticton Vees finished first in the B.C. Hockey League’s Interior Conference and the entire BCHL this season with a 50-3-0-1 record and faced the Trail Smoke Eaters in the first round of the Fred Page Cup playoffs. The Vees knocked out the Smokies in four games. Penticton faced Wenatchee in the second round and pushed the Wild away too, also in a four-game sweep.
The Vees locked horns with the Salmon Arm Silverbacks in the Interior Conference final and won in five games in a series that saw Penticton’s win-loss record suffer its only blemish. The Vees took on the Alberni Valley Bulldogs in the Fred Page Cup final, sweeping the debutants in four games to claim back-to-back BCHL championship titles.
The Vees have 17 players committed to NCAA Division I schools for this September as of this writing, with no players aging out. All college commitment data is taken from each team’s individual roster page on the BCHL and College Hockey News websites.
Penticton general manager and head coach Fred Harbinson has four forwards, one defender, and one goalie eligible to return in 2023-24.
These numbers could change as players move to other leagues like the Western Hockey League, U.S. Hockey League, or North American Hockey League. They may drop to junior B, be sent away in trades, retire, or commit to college before September, and don’t return to their BCHL clubs.
The depth chart is based on the league going with a 24-player roster next season and coaches going with 14 forwards, eight defenders, and two goaltenders.
Graduating players
Ben Brunette (University of Massachusetts-Lowell)
Luca Di Pasquo (Michigan State University)
Frank Djurasevic (Merrimack College)
Ryan Hopkins (University of Maine)
Henry Levy (Arizona State University)
Brett Moravec (Minnesota State University)
Bradly Nadeau (University of Maine)
Josh Nadeau (University of Maine)
Joshua Neidermayer (Arizona State University)
Jackson Nieuwendyk (Canisius College)
Billy Norcross (Northeastern University)
Mason Poolman (University of St. Thomas)
Beanie Richter (Yale University)
Owen Simpson (University of Connecticut)
Spencer Smith (Mercyhurst University)
Aydar Suniev (University of Massachusetts)
Dovar Tinling (Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute)
Eligible returnees (* indicates an open spot – assuming the team goes with 14 forwards and eight defenders)
Forwards
Thomas Pichette (03)
Nicholas Degraves (03)
Callum Arnott (04)
Hiroki Gojsic (06)
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
Defenders
Gabriel Guilbault (06)
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
Goalies
Derek Sparks (05)
*
