Around the BCHL

July 22nd, 2009 · No Comments

* Shawn Mullin tees up the four-team pre-season exhibition tournament going down in the Kootenays with Smokies head coach and GM Jim Ingram. The Vees and Smokies will be joined by the Coastal Conference champs in the Powell River Kings, and the Brooks Bandits who had last season’s top record in the South Division of the AJHL.

* Former BCHLer Don Nachbaur has been hired as Head Coach of Bingingham Senators (Making Cents has the scoop). Fellow BCHL product Cory Clouston who was promoted to the big club during last season’s mess in the nation’s capital.

Nachbaur hard at work!

Nachbaur played his minor hockey in Prince George as Ron Gallo tells us.

* Former Vees Sniper Austin Smith has the quote of the week:

“British Columbia was like a tropical island compared to Upstate New York. Spring and fall are very nice, but the winter is a little cold.”

Smitty!

The Dallas born and Dallas drafted forward (he’s been playing centre at Colgate) tells Andrew’s Dallas Stars Page he is raising his goals for his Sophomore season. Smitty had 17 bingos and 31 points in 37 freshman appearances with the Raiders. The Texas kid had 67 points in his lone BCHL season and scored the first goal of each game of the BCHL Final in Nanaimo, raising his game in the second season.

* Teams for the BC Hockey Hall of Fame Charity Game will be announced tonight (stay tuned to the blog at around 9PM PST). Dennis Walker and Andre Martin will be selecting team Quinn while Sun FM/EZ Rock boys Randy Farmer, Allan Gee and Jon Ferebee will be joined by Crystal Nohr in selecting Team Renney. If the anticipation of the first pick is distracting you from work today, you aren’t alone. Agonizing over the top pick is common place.

* The Alberni Valley Bulldogs have pulled the trigger on a deal to acquire a 20-year-old tough guy from the AJHL. Alberni will most certainly be better this year, but are they a playoff team? Ask the magic eight ball!

* Curtis McKenzie was in town last weekend and I managed to get him in-studio for a quick chat. The power forward is off to Miami of Ohio this season and was selected by the Dallas Stars in the 6th round of the Entry Draft. I started off by congratulating C-Mac on being drafted…

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