With the 2017-18 regular season just days away, we have a quick refresher on the new coaches and broadcasters just hired this offseason.
Alberni Valley Bulldogs:
Head coach Matt Hughes – Formerly an assistant and head coach with the Salmon Arm Silverbacks, the Kamloops native also had coaching stops in Dawson Creek, Grande Prairie and the Pursuit of Excellence Academy.
Assistant coach Jeff Dubois – Once upon a time, Jeff was the BCHL’s first-ever communications director but the multitalented Burnaby native moved on to hockey operations work with SFU hockey before taking the head coaching job at Selkirk College. Most recently, Dubois was bench boss with the Creston Valley Thunder Cats of the Junior B Kootenay International Junior Hockey League.
Cowichan Valley Capitals:
Head coach Brian Passmore – Selected by the Minnesota Wild in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft, Passmore is now adding lines to his coaching resume. Spent his playing days in the OHL and went on to University hockey at the University of Prince Edward Island. Played pro hockey in the ECHL and Europe.
Merritt Centennials:
Broadcaster Jared Thomas – Vancouver native and BCIT broadcast journalism grad Thomas takes over the airwaves in Merritt this season after Mantar Bhandal held the post last season.
Penticton Vees:
Broadcaster Craig Beauchemin – Not exactly new to the league, Beauchemin is the new voice of Vees hockey after calling games in Powell River last season. Takes over for Fraser Rodgers, who also joined the Vees from Powell River in 2011 but has moved on to a new opportunity in the Western Hockey League.
Powell River Kings:
Broacaster Alex Rawnsley – Longtime fans of the BCHL will remember Rawnsley from his previous play-by-play work for the Kings before he took a season away from the mic last year. Aussie native will also be busy on Kings social media and video features.
Prince George Spruce Kings:
Head coach Adam Maglio – An assistant with the Spruce Kings last season, Maglio is the main man this season. The native of Nelson, B.C. played U.S. college hockey as well as at UBC for the Thunderbirds. Transitioned to coaching as an assistant with UBC for a season before taking the assistant job in PG last season.
Assistant coach Alex Evin – One of the winningest goalies in BCHL history, Evin played for Powell River, Williams Lake and Penticton before going on to a successful NCAA career at Colgate. Kootenay native worked with several Junior and minor hockey teams as a goalie coach before taking an assistant’s post in Alberni Valley last season.
Broadcasters Kyle Balzer and Brendan Pawliw – Once the voice of Surrey Eagles hockey, Balzer finds himself in Prince George these days and will return to calling BCHL games this season with partner Pawliw, who is getting his first taste of BCHL hockey.
Salmon Arm Silverbacks:
Head coach Scott Atkinson – Previous coaching stops have seen Atkinson at the University of Calgary and with that city’s Edge School academy program.
Surrey Eagles:
Head coach Brandon West – For the first time, West will work in the BCHL’s Mainland Division after working as an assistant in West Kelowna and as bench boss in Salmon Arm.
Trail Smoke Eaters:
Assistant coach Jessie Leung – With three seasons under his belt as head coach of the BC Major Midget League’s Valley West Hawks, and three years prior to that as the team’s assistant coach, this is Leung’s first post in Junior hockey.
