The Victoria Grizzlies have been busy. Aside from several roster moves, the Grizzlies introduced a new alternate jersey. On Nov. 29, the Grizzlies debuted their new Victoria Salsa alternate jerseys to celebrate the team’s 30th anniversary.
This article recaps the changes that occurred in November and early December in Victoria.
Roster changes
2007-born forward Jordan Ramsay was reassigned to the Pacific Coast Hockey Academy U18 Prep team in the Canadian Sport School Hockey League. According to Grizzlies head coach and general manager Rylan Ferster, he wanted Ramsay to play meaningful games down the stretch. In 10 games with Victoria as a rookie, Ramsay had two assists.
Meanwhile, 2006-born defender Carter Hynes left the Grizzlies to play for the Québec Remparts of the Québec Maritimes Junior Hockey League. Before departing, Hynes was pointless in 11 games.
In net, 2005-born goaltender Tyler Hodges left Victoria to sign with the Ontario Junior Hockey League’s Haliburton County Huskies. Replacing Hodges is 2004-born netminder Kyle Kelsey, who returns to the Grizzlies after starting the season with the Estevan Bruins of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League. The Maple Ridge, B.C. product spent the last two seasons in the Western Hockey League.
During the 2021-22 BCHL season, Kelsey split Victoria’s goaltending duties with Cole Schwebius and Carter Woodside. In 28 games that year, Kelsey had a record of 14-12-0. Before signing with Haliburton County in early December, Hodges had a record of 5-5-2 this season.
In early December, the Grizzlies acquired 2006-born defender Evan Stastny from the Alberni Valley Bulldogs for future considerations. Stastny is a 6’3″ defender from Glen Ellyn, Illinois who had one assist in 14 games with the Bulldogs before the trade. Before coming to the BCHL, Stastny played four seasons at Lake Forest Academy.
Also in December, the Grizzlies signed 2006-born defender Garrett Frazer. Frazer spent the first part of this season with the Janesville Jets of the North American Hockey League. In 10 games with the Jets, he notched five assists.
2005-born defender Drew Hockley has departed the Grizzlies’ roster to start his NCAA Division I career early. He has joined the Quinnipiac University Bobcats men’s team. In 23 games for the Grizz this season, Hockley put up eight goals and 16 assists.
Victoria’s blueline lost another player when 2007-born defender Tyson Moss signed with the WHL’s Medicine Hat Tigers. As a rookie this season, Moss posted six assists in 23 games with the Grizzlies before leaving for Medicine Hat.
The Salsa logo returns
As they did during their 25th anniversary season, the Grizzlies have released a special Victoria Salsa-themed jersey. It debuted during their Nov. 29 game against the Chilliwack Chiefs, which was the Grizzlies 30th anniversary celebration Game.
This iteration of the Salsa jersey is different from the jersey the team wore five years ago. That one used the Salsa’s angry jalapeno pepper logo while this year’s used the muscular jalapeno pepper logo.
This logo was worn by Salsa legends like Jordan Sigalet, Kyle Greentree, Jordie Benn, his brother Jamie Benn, and Tyler Bozak, and was used when Victoria won the Fred Page Cup in 2001. It has history and meaning.
While this logo and jersey may return for one season only, given the historical significance, it’s nice to see it back.
During the 30th anniversary game, former Salsa defender Trevor McCall performed the ceremonial puck drop. He was part of that 2001 Fred Page Cup-winning team. As a 20-year-old closing out his junior career with his hometown team, McCall had six goals and 43 assists in the 2000-01 regular season.
Back in The Q Centre for the anniversary game, McCall saw an entertaining contest as Victoria defeated the Chilliwack Chiefs 5-2.
