The Prince George Spruce Kings are smarting after a first-round playoff sweep at the hands of the Trail Smoke Eaters. After a season that saw no fewer than nine rookies play a regular role for general manager Mike Hawes and head coach Alex Evin, the future looks bright in PG as there is a solid core of players eligible to return for the 2020-21 season.
Up front, there are ten players available to come back and don the red, white, and blue of the Spruce Kings. Top returning scorer Corey Cunningham tries to build on his 26-goal and 44 point season while 17-year-old University of Michigan commit Finlay Williams put up a solid 11 goals and 20 assists in 40 games as a rookie in 2019-20.
Mason Waite is a big piece returning on the blueline for Prince George as he had seven goals and 22 assists in his first BCHL season after being acquired from the Lloydminster Bobcats of the AJHL in late September last year. Overall, the defense corps features five players eligible to return, including sophomores Colton Cameron, Brendan Hill, and Amran Bhabra.
19-year-old Carter Woodside is the incumbent in goal, with Jett Alexander aging out after playing his 20-year-old season in 2019-20. Since joining the Spruce Kings in late November, Woodside posted a 5-11 record with a 3.08 goals-against-average and a .900 save percentage.
The depth chart is based on coaches going with a 23-man roster of 13 forwards, eight defencemen and two goaltenders.
*All college commitment years are collated from each player’s profile on the Spruce Kings roster on the BCHL website.
Graduating Players
Nicholas Poisson (Providence College)
Nick Bochen (Quinnipiac University)
Chong Min Lee (University of Alaska-Anchorage)
Nolan Welsh (aged out)
Preston Brodziak (aged out)
Jarin Sutton (aged out)
Jett Alexander (aged out)
Eligible Returnees
(* indicates an open spot – assuming the team goes with 13 forwards and eight defencemen)
Forwards
Jackson Zloty (00)
Thomas Richter (00)
Haydn Delorme (00)
Will Kushniryk (00)
Andrew Seaman (00)
Corey Cunningham (01)
Kolton Cousins (01)
Mason Reeves (01)
Carter Cochrane (02)
Finlay Williams (03)
*
*
*
Defensemen
Mason Waite (00)
Brendan Hill (01)
Evan Orr (01)
Colton Cameron (02)
Amran Bhabra (03)
*
*
*
Goaltenders
Carter Woodside (01)
*
