giants make changes 31 May 2023

Story by Steve Erickson

While some are focusing on the movement of pro players you first have to play in various leagues prior to making the jump to pro.

The off-season has various teams making changes, even during the current Memorial Cup Championship hosted by the Kamloops Blazers.

We are hearing that the Vancouver Giants have made changes in the broadcast department that has some asking why, but in today’s world it’s strictly a business move.

We have received the following from the Giants and want to pass it on and from Sportswave thanks to both Eddie Gregory as well as Jamison Derksen for being professional in working with us.

Enjoy the read from the Vancouver Giants:

The Vancouver Giants officially hired Nathan Kanter to the organization as Director of Media Relations and Broadcasting who will also be the voice of the Giants starting in the 2023-24 season.

The past two seasons he was Manager of Digital Media, Fan & Community Engagement with the WHL Regina Pats Hockey Club in which he managed/produced multimedia content on all digital platforms including social media, in-venue and at reginapats.com. 

He was the Play-by-Play Broadcaster and Communications Coordinator for the BCHL Silverbacks (2019-21) after two seasons as the voice of the SJHL Battleford North Stars. 

He mentioned “First off, I’d like to thank the Toigo family, Dale Saip, as well as the Giants management and coaching staff for this amazing opportunity. I’d also like to thank the Regina Pats organization for two exciting seasons where I learned a lot and had the fortune of working with great people.”

Prior to moving to the Battlefords in 2016, Toronto, Ont. native graduated from Western University in London, Ont. with a master’s in journalism and then served as the Digital Managing Editor at the Western Gazette, the school’s campus newspaper, for one year.

“I’m truly ecstatic to sink my teeth back into play-by-play this coming fall, especially when I look at the abundance of young talent on the Giants roster. I can’t think of a better place to hone my craft than the great city of Vancouver,” Kanter added.

Kanter takes over from Play-by-Play Broadcaster Eddie Gregory’s in which Giants Vice President Peter Toigo stated “It was great having Eddie as the voice of the Vancouver Giants organization this past season and we wish him the very best in his future endeavors,” 

In addition we were notified that Director of Media Relations/Video coach Jamison Derksen has decided to pursue other opportunities.

He first joined the Giants Game Crew Volunteer (17-18) he was an intern as the Gameday Operations Coordinator. 

After completing his Leadership and Management Bachelor of Business Administration Degree at the TWU he continued with the Giants organization as the Office Administrator, and Events coordinator. 

Sportswave wishes both Jamison and Eddie all the best moving forward and look forward to working with Nathan Kanter.

Story by Rockey Rhode

The championship was an upset for the US, but for Latvia it was not only a success it was a milestone marking strides they are taking in the growth of the sport in their country.

Canada again pulled off the championship with not much “to do” about it other than on various stations that have broadcasters taking more between themselves than the sport or matters that actually matter.

No major “block parties” on  crowded streets or plaza’s like they saw when they arrived back in Riga early  Monday being greeted by thousands of fans.

Now we are hearing from various sources that the team is being questioned by the for something that seems simple “to us” that makes one question who conjures up these rules?

The team enjoyed their success which they never expected but managed to pull out the O/T win over the US but the win was outdone by the way in which they celebrated after the game.

Winning Bronze was a first win for the Latvian Men’s National Team and their country’s first-ever medal at a IIHF event, but hearing that the Latvian Ice Hockey Federation is being questioned for a jersey sponsor they wore throughout the tournament.

One has to ask or question why was this not noticed either prior or after the first game that could have possibly seen them make the necessary changes to the jersey?

Being reported on Twitter to the HockeyNewsHub the Latvian National Team could face issues for wearing and displaying a gambling sponsor on the jersey sleeves.  

I am hearing that this is due to the fact that the Finnish Lotteries Act prohibits any gambling organizations in other countries to promote their services in Finland.

So while this had made news earlier, now we are hearing that more information has come out mentioning that Latvia did not break any Finnish rules because the sponsor on their uniform was “OlyBet Sports Bar” and not “OlyBet”. 

Reportedly these are two completely separate entities and OlyBet Sports Bar is exactly what it says, a sports bar, but it also offers gambling.

While they (the Latvian National Team) were not breaking Finnish laws,there was a criminal complaint filed against them. 

General Matti Nurminen the IIHF Secretary mentioned the news regarding the criminal complaint that there was indeed a criminal complaint launched against the team.

Matti Nurminen, Secretary General of the International Ice Hockey Federation IIHF, commented on the incident via text message to Iltalehti.

 Let the authorities do their job.

2023 WHL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES OFFICIAL GUIDE AND RECORD BOOK AVAILABLE NOW

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE / FRIDAY, MAY 12, 2023

Winnipeg, Man. – The Western Hockey League released today the 2023 WHL Championship Series Official Guide & Record Book, available exclusively online at WHL.ca.
 

The Official Guide & Record Book includes key information on the two Clubs competing in the 2023 WHL Championship Series presented by Nutrien – the Seattle Thunderbirds and Winnipeg ICE. It also includes statistics from the 2022-23 WHL Regular Season and 2023 WHL Playoffs, through the conclusion of the WHL Conference Championship Series.
 

Fans will also find the latest information on the winners recognized during the 2023 WHL Awards.
 

The 2023 WHL Championship Series Official Guide & Record Book features a bevy of star talent on the front cover, including Dylan Guenther, Brad Lambert, and Lucas Ciona of the Seattle Thunderbirds, along with Zach Benson, Connor McClennon, and Matthew Savoie of the Winnipeg ICE.
 

Download a copy of the 2023 WHL Championship Series Official Guide & Record Book HERE.
----------
 

The 2023 WHL Championship Series presented by Nutrien will begin Friday, May 12 at 7 p.m. CT as the Winnipeg ICE host the Seattle Thunderbirds. The winner of the best-of-seven series will advance to the 2023 Memorial Cup presented by Kia in Kamloops, B.C., which is scheduled for Friday, May 26 through Sunday, June 4. 
 

Games 1 and 2 of the WHL Championship Series are available exclusively on WHL Live on CHL TV. Games 3 through 7 of the WHL Championship Series will be broadcast nationally by TSN. Check local listings for up-to-date television schedules.

About the Western Hockey League
Regarded as the world’s finest development league for junior hockey players, the Western Hockey League (WHL) head office is based in Calgary, Alberta. The WHL consists of 22 member Clubs with 17 located in Western Canada and five in the U.S. Pacific Northwest. A member of the Canadian Hockey League, the WHL has been a leading supplier of talent for the National Hockey League for over 50 years. The WHL is also the leading provider of hockey scholarships with over 375 graduates each year receiving WHL Scholarships to pursue a post-secondary education of their choice. Each season, WHL players also form the nucleus of Canada’s National Junior Hockey Team.  

For further information, please contact: 

Taylor Rocca
Director, Communications
Western Hockey League
roccat@whl.ca

Chris Wahl
Senior Manager, Communications
Western Hockey League
wahlc@whl.ca

Story by Rockey Rhodes

With the recent NHL Draft selection wrapped up many are pondering if it’s rigged by the way it all unfolds having some wanting a change, but that’s out of our paygrade.

Speculation is that he’ll be the first overall selection went to the Chicago Blackhawks who are elated by the chance to get the young upcoming star from North Vancouver.

Records are meant to be broken as each decade we see players elevate their status to new heights  going back to Rocket Richard, Gordie Howe, Bobby Hull, Merio Lemiuux and Wayne Gretzky.

Regina Pats Captain Bedard will make his mark in the record books and to no surprise he was just awarded the Four Broncos Memorial Trophy as the WHL Player of the Year for the 2022-23 season presented by Kia.

The following is the press release we just received from the Western Hockey League is made up of 22 member Clubs having 17 located in Western Canada and the additional five (5) in the Pacific Northwest of the United States.

 Enjoy the read and Congratulations to Connor

The 2023 NHL Draft prospect, ranked first-overall among North American Skaters by NHL Central Scouting, led the League in goals (71) and points (143) during the 2022-23 WHL Regular Season, while also finishing tied for the League lead in assists (72) and game-winning goals (11).

This season, Bedard became the first WHL skater to record 140 or more points in a single regular season in 27 years; the product of North Vancouver, B.C. also enjoyed a 35-game point streak from September 24, 2022 through February 1, 2023, recording a total of 90 points during that span.

“It is such an honour to win this award, and I am so proud to play in the WHL with all the amazing players, and the players that have won this award before me,” said Bedard.

“I would not have been able to do this without my teammates, coaches, training staff and of course, the amazing Regina Pats fans. I would like to give a huge thank you to my family for the sacrifices they have made in helping me get to this point.”

“As a proud partner of the CHL and presenting sponsor of the Memorial Cup, Kia Canada is honored to congratulate Connor Bedard of the Regina Pats, winner of the Four Broncos Memorial Trophy as the WHL Player of the Year,” said Michael Kopke, Director of Marketing for Kia Canada. “Connor’s accomplishments this season were truly inspiring and we look forward to seeing his bright future in hockey continue for years to come.”

Four Broncos Memorial Trophy Finalists

B.C. Division – Logan Stankoven, Kamloops Blazers

Central Division – Kai Uchacz, Red Deer Rebels

U.S. Division – Jackson Berezowski, Everett Silvertips

Bedard becomes the sixth Regina Pat to have been named WHL Player of the Year. In addition to Bedard, the Pats have previously been recognized in 2016-17 (Sam Steel), 2009-10 (Jordan Eberle), 2002-03 (Josh Harding), 1979-80 (Doug Wickenheiser) and 1972-73 (Dennis Sobchuk).

He is the first NHL Draft-eligible player to be named WHL Player of the Year since Sam Reinhart of the Kootenay ICE won the Four Broncos Memorial Trophy during the 2013-14 season.

The Four Broncos Memorial Trophy is the most prestigious award of the WHL and recognizes the player whose performance is deemed to be the most outstanding during the WHL Regular Season.

On December 30, 1986, the Swift Current Broncos were involved in a tragic bus crash while traveling to a game in Regina. Trent Kresse, Scott Kruger, Chris Mantyka and Brent Ruff lost their lives as a result of the crash. The Broncos have posthumously retired the numbers of all four players.

The Four Broncos Memorial Trophy serves as a constant memory in honour of the four players to this day.

The 2023 WHL Awards were voted upon by WHL General Managers and members of the media.Winners of the Four Broncos Memorial Trophy (since 2003)

2022-23           Connor Bedard, Regina Pats

2021-22           Logan Stankoven, Kamloops Blazers*

2020-21           Peyton Krebs, Winnipeg ICE

2019-20           Adam Beckman, Spokane Chiefs

2018-19           Joachim Blichfeld, Portland Winterhawks

2017-18           Carter Hart, Everett Silvertips

2016-17           Sam Steel, Regina Pats

2015-16           Dryden Hunt, Moose Jaw Warriors

2014-15           Oliver Bjorkstrand, Portland Winterhawks

2013-14           Sam Reinhart, Kootenay ICE

2012-13           Adam Lowry, Swift Current Broncos

2011-12           Brendan Shinnimin, Tri-City Americans*

2010-11           Darcy Kuemper, Red Deer Rebels

2009-10           Jordan Eberle, Regina Pats*

2008-09           Brett Sonne, Calgary Hitmen

2007-08           Karl Alzner, Calgary Hitmen

2006-07           Kris Russell, Medicine Hat Tigers

2005-06           Justin Pogge, Calgary Hitmen

2004-05           Eric Fehr, Brandon Wheat Kings

2003-04           Cam Ward, Red Deer Rebels

2002-03           Josh Harding, Regina Pats

* – also selected as Canadian Hockey League Player of the Year

Story by Steve Erickson

Locally the Abbotsford Canucks forced a game four against the Calgary Wranglers with the game played in front of a sell-out crowd in what was a must win game for the Canucks.

The winning team would advance to the Division final on the road to the 2022-23 Calder Cup Playoff run.

Some were speculating that Abby would start Arturs Silovs but given the strong start two nights prior it was no real surprise that it was once again Spencer Martin between the pipes which makes this his first time with consecutive starts since early March. 

Calgary again went with Dustin Wolf who played solid in the previous game that saw him stop 27 of 30 he faced making this his fourth start of the series where he stopped 27 of 30 shorts he faced.

Despite the fact that the NHL Canucks were unable to advance this season you know that this group of players are clearly on the radar for upcoming seasons.

It wasn’t just the Canucks brass that was on hand but rather various other retired players and office staff who were there to promote the parent team with aspirations of selling season tickets for both teams for the upcoming season.

To the delight of the fans it was the hometown team that got off to an early jump with Rathbone sending one off the crossbar that saw Höglander jump on the loose puck at 2:18 sending one past Wolf giving Abby the early lead.

This was his third goal of the playoffs and his first of the playoff series and if conversation with some fans indicate anything he could be around for a while in a Canucks uniform.

The Wranglers pressed knowing that they wanted to pull out a win and not head into a game five situation in a hostile arena.

Playing aggressive saw them continue to throw pressure toward Martin that saw him faced to make some remarkable stops while killing penalties.

Given the pressure it was a matter of time that the Wranglers would score and it was Kitchener’s Cole Schwindt who got the tying goal past Martin at 12:51 on the PP with helpers to Zary and Poirier.

The first ended with Abbotsford outshooting the Wranglers by a 12-8 margin that saw more pressure from the home side who were in need of a win.

The second saw fast, entertaining aggressive play with only one goal in the middle period that saw Abby take a 2-1 lead at 15:33 that saw Tristen Nielsen get the crowd hopping.

The Canucks continued to pepper Wolf in the second that saw them narrowly  outshot the Wranglers 7-6 and 19-14 through two periods. 

Entering the third and trailing by one you sense the urgency for the Wranglers to even the score at two that followed a fast face-off in the Canucks zone to the right of Martin.

One might say that prior to the goal there seemed to be a sense of confusion that took a while to like the players up for the draw that caught the Canucks off guard for the draw.

Following a win off the draw the puck went directly to Ilya Solvyov who peppered one on target beating Spencer Martin at 11:31 that would set up an exciting finish.

Try as they might, it was the Wranglers who picked up a loose puck in front of Martin at 12:41 who sent a slow rolling puck through a group of players giving the Wranglers their first lead of the game.

Abby continued to throw pressure at Wolf who played strong considering that Abby was looking for the tying goal, but it was Adam Klapka who managed to get the winning goal finishing off any hopes of advancing.

The Wranglers finished the season for the Canucks that saw Wolf stop 23 of 25 shots while Spencer Martin turned aside 21 of the 24 he faced..

The win see’s Calgary advance to the Pacific Division Final that will see them face Coachella Valley Firebirds. 

For only a second season for the Abbotsford Canuck a season with more highs than lows saw them set their sights on next season and beyond.

On behalf of the Sportswave crew we thank media relations for all their assistance for the past season and we look forward to seeing you in Abby this fall.

Three stars:

1st Dustin Wolf (Calgary)

2nd Adam Klapka (Calgary)

3rd Tristen Nielsen (Abbotsford)

Story by Steve Erickson

Controversy continues to surround the withdrawal of the BCHL from BC Hockey as they look at entering a “new era” for the league which has been in the making for a while.

Right or wrong, everyone has their own opinion and regardless of what you think it’ll be a topic for discussion over the summer as well as the fall.

Previously, I mentioned that with no other Junior A hockey in the province that it’s time for the Junior B leagues to gain recognition as Junior A hockey under the umbrella of BC Hockey.

It remains to be seen if all three of the current Junior B leagues will get recognition to Junior A, but if not three, possibly two.

This past season saw both the PJHL and  the KIJHL teamed up and hosted the BCHC Prospects game November 22nd in Chilliwack played in front of a sell-out crowd which was well received.

PJHL Commissioner Trevor Alto mentioned on the league website “The PJHL is thrilled to be welcoming the KIJHL’s Top Prospects to Chilliwack for this inaugural BCHC event and this game marks a tremendous opportunity for top young BCHC players to be seen and recruited by Junior A clubs.”

With the leagues set to host their yearly meetings, it will be interesting to see how this plays out, so stay tuned and we’ll keep you posted.

The following is the most recent press release from BC Hockey on their stand which is posted on their site.

Enjoy the read and let me know your thoughts:

The withdrawal of the BCHL’s 18 teams from BC Hockey membership (and therefore Hockey Canada membership) may raise questions or concerns for hockey participants and families. We hope to answer a few of those questions in this note.

For context, the BCHL had occupied the portion of our hockey ecosystem designated as Junior A. The league was comprised of approximately 360 players (although only about 45% from B.C. and Yukon) in 2022-23. This represents about 17% of Junior aged hockey players competing in sanctioned high performance hockey leagues* in B.C.

There will be a transition period while BC Hockey works with our members to clarify Junior pathways and league designations in the absence of the departing teams. 

The process is already underway, and it may take some time. We are committed to ensuring that all junior aged players in B.C. and Yukon that seek a high-performance environment for development will continue to have access to excellent sanctioned programs and leagues. 

The process of addressing any gap in our Junior pathways due to departing members will be carefully and thoughtfully navigated. Our goal is to ensure minimal disruption and uphold the integrity of the system as a whole. 

We expect that the departing BCHL teams will operate as a league next season. If so, they will operate next season as a Non-Sanctioned League (NSL). We have a Policy regarding NSL participation should there be interested participants (players, officials, coaches), and/or families who wish to explore NSL options. You can find it HERE.

The departure of these members is a reminder of some of the challenges in our sport, and the complex nature of a national hockey system that must try to accommodate members with sometimes disparate goals as they deliver hockey. 

For more than a century BC Hockey has accepted this ongoing, but very worthwhile, challenge to deliver excellent hockey experiences in a safe, fair, sustainable and rewarding way, to all those who wish to join our game. 

Organizations like BC Hockey (and Hockey Canada) are built around a set of ideas, with a clear mission and a set of important values. 

Membership provides vast benefits, and asks its members to accept certain obligations in exchange for those benefits. 

This type of commitment isn’t for everyone, and so we have a policy in place to address any disruptive effect that Non-Sanctioned League participation can have on sanctioned programming and our member participants.  

We hope that this helps to clarify the situation with the departure of these members. Members of BC Hockey, and our participants and families, can expect clear communication, efficient resolution, and to be updated as we continue to navigate these changes.  

* Approximately 2200 Junior aged players were rostered on 105 teams in sanctioned high-performance programs in 2023-24. 

This includes Junior Leagues (WHL, BCHL, KIJHL, VIJHL, PJHL), Hockey Canada Accredited Schools (U18 and U17), and elite zone programming (BCEHL U18AAA and U17AAA).

Story by Steve Erickson

The mid-week game switches to home ice for the Abbotsford Canucks as they are searching for a win to keep the series alive.

Currently they find themselves down with the Calgary Wranglers leading the series taking the first two games, outscoring the Canucks by 7-5 with both games requiring additional time.

Moving back to home ice hopefully gives the Canucks the advantage with the seventh player being a packed house.

Sportswave’s photographer Mark Steffens shares photo’s with The Hockey News with the article written by Carol Schram.

You knew that the Canucks were looking at roster changes and one saw Alex Kannok Leipert replaced by Noah Juulsen with Spencer Martin taking over from Arturs Silovs while the Wranglers started Dustin Wolf. 

Calgary Wranglers at Abbotsford Canucks, at Abbotsford Centre in Abbotsford, BC, April 12, 2023 Photo Credits: Wesley Shaw/ ShotBug Press www.wesleyallenshaw.com Instagram @wesleyallenshaw

Wranglers Jeremie Poirier opened the scoring. With what looked like a tennis ball bouncing in front of Martin at 4:37 giving the visitors the  early lead which silenced the crowd.

As we all know penalties can prove costly and in this case it was Linus Karlsson who got pulled by the Canucks even on a PP marker at 9:58 with Höglander and Wolanin getting assists.

The first ended with the teams tied at one that saw Abby outshoot the Wranglers by a narrow 12-11 margin with the Wranglers getting three minors while the Canucks managed one.

Speed is essential to any game and in this case it was Wolanin who gave Abby a 2-1 lead at 4:44 with helpers to Giuttari and Rau that saw the puck deflect over the shoulder of Wolf.

The Canucks had a two-man advantage that saw Jack Rathbone send one first off the post then after getting his own rebound he sent it off the crossbar and despite turning on the red light, it was ruled no goal after video review.

That was the only scoring in the second that saw shots on goal with Abby outshooting the Wranglers by a narrow 9-7 margin leading 21-18 after 40 minutes.

Abby continued the scoring at 1:10 of the third that saw Rau get set up by Nielsen after he grabbed a long cross-ice pass only that saw Nielsen dish it back to Rau for his first of the playoffs this season. 

The Wranglers pressed but they were turned aside by the strong play of the Canucks “D” who kept shots to a minimum on Martin in the last twenty minutes.

The pressure continued and with 9:15 remaining in the third it was Nick DeSimone who got the visitors within one.

To the delight of the fans that would be the only goal in the third that saw Abby get back in the series taking a 3-2 win on home ice.

Abby’s Spencer Martin stopped 25 of 27while Wrangler’s Dustin Wolf stopped 27 of the 30 he faced through sixty minutes.