AND THE WINNERS ARE...: July 14, 2018 by HockeyNow

AND THE

MEET THE 2018 HOCKEYNOW PLAYERS OF THE YEAR

July 14, 2018

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2 | HOCKEYNOW â&#x20AC;&#x201C; July 14, 2018

EDITOR'S NOTE

A GALLERY OF WINNERS I

F YOU’RE A FREQUENT READER OF

HockeyNow, I’m sure you’ve seen one version or another of our description of the Minor Hockey Player of the Year award, namely that it is given to players who “best exemplify sportsmanship, leadership, hockey ability and performance, and school and community participation.” But what exactly does that mean? Well, the most important takeaway is that first and foremost, the HockeyNow Player of the Year (POY) award is a hockey award. When we start looking for our finalists, which hopefully you’ve been watching this past year, we’re looking for the best of the best in hockey ability. With the likes of Karl Alzner and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins having proudly received the award in years past, our winners are hardly underdogs. This year, we once again got to witness some of our former players of the year continue to fulfil their potential by taking huge next steps in their careers. 2015 Alberta winner Ty Smith capped off an incredible season with the WHL’s Spokane Chiefs by getting drafted in the first round (17th overall) by the New Jersey Devils in June’s NHL Entry Draft. The smooth-skating defenceman put up 14 goals and 59 assists in his second full WHL season in Spokane. Jack Hughes, the 2015 Ontario POY, just wrapped up his second season with the U.S. U18s. The 5-foot-10, 157-pound centre poured in 18 goals and added 21 assists in 18 USHL games. B.C. 2017 POY Justin Sourdif, meanwhile, also had a huge season, racking up 23 goals and 50 assists in 35 BCMML games with the Valley West Hawks. With so many incredible Player of the Year alum, and a country so rich in hockey talent, the pressure is always on to zero in on the best – and this year was no different. Although we once again had some stellar contenders – make sure to check out hockeynow.ca to see who was in the running – our 2017 winners stood out for being complete players, leaders and all-around mature and focused individuals on and off the ice. The 2018 winner for B.C., Jake Chiasson, edged out the competition after wrapping up a productive season with the Yale Hockey Academy Bantam Prep team, scoring 20 goals and adding 48 assists in 30 CSSBHL games – all while maintaining a solid leadership role and team-first mentality. Chiasson went 15th overall to the Brandon Wheat Kings at the 2018 WHL Bantam Draft, and there’s no question he’s going to do big things in the coming years. As for the Alberta Player of the Year, Sean Tschigerl, he’s just been getting better and better all season. And for his part, the 15-year-old forward who models his game after Chicago Blackhawks’ Johnathan Towes, clinched the #4 spot at the WHL Draft (to the Calgary Hitmen) after producing 31 goals and 39 assists in 30 CSSBHL tilts with the Okanagan Hockey Academy’s Edmonton squad this past season. The Whitecourt, AB, product plays with an edge and maturity beyond his years and is always one step ahead of the competition. Finally, our POY for Ontario, Jamie Drysdale, has been known to join the rush – while skating backwards. Actually. He went fourth to Erie in the 2018 OHL Priority Selection following a championship season with the Toronto Marlboros in the GTMMHL. We’re so proud to be able to give this award to these three deserving young men. You can find out more in this issue about the award and why Jake, Sean and Jamie were our top selections this year. Make sure to follow us at hockeynow.ca, on Twitter and Facebook, and in our newsletter as we keep bringing you the latest in the promising hockey careers of these and all of our players of the year.

BRENDAN NAGLE, editor On Twitter: @HockeyNow

NEXT EDITION: August 31, 2018 CONTACT THE EDIOTR: brendan@hockeynow.ca

NATIONAL EDITION Vol. 20, No. 7, Issue 690 - July 14, 2018

PUBLISHER Larry Feist larry@hockeynow.ca

Celebrate the 2017/18 MINOR HOCKEY CHAMPIONSHIP WINNERS with our annual PARADE OF CHAMPIONS! Find it online at: hockeynow.ca/issues

EDITOR Brendan Nagle brendan@hockeynow.ca

ART + PRODUCTION Stacey Rourke stacey@hockeynow.ca

DISTRIBUTION office@hockeynow.ca

Find the next tournament for you or your team in our TOURNAMENT GUIDE! Available in print at online at hockeynow.ca/tournaments

ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Larry Feist larry@hockeynow.ca

WRITERS Iain Colpitts Astra Groskaufmanis Neil Hilts Brendan Nagle

COVER PHOTO Jamie Drysdale Aaron Bell/OHL Images SERIES

Start improving your game today! Find your next hockey school or program in the 20th EDITION of our HOCKEY SCHOOLS SERIES. Available online at: hockeynow.ca/hockey-schools

With NEW CONTESTS every month and GREAT HOCKEY PRIZES on the line, why wouldn’t you enter? Entry is EASY, and FUN, so drop by our website for your chance to win apparel, equipment, training devices and so much more: hockeynow.ca/contests

Jake Chiasson stinkylockers.com Sean Tschigerl Two Point Photography

HockeyNow Box 714 Lethbridge, AB, T1J 3Z4 Telephone: 1-877-990-0520 Contents copyright 2018 by HockeyNow. No part of this magazine may be reproduced or duplicated in print or online without the written permission of HockeyNow. The opinions conveyed by contributors to HockeyNow may not be indicative of the views of HockeyNow. While every effort is made to ensure accuracy, HockeyNow does not assume any responsibility or liability for errors or omissions.

July 14, 2018 – HOCKEYNOW | 3

NEW SEASON. FRESH CONTENT. It’s puck drop time at HockeyNow and we’re gearing up for a huge year online and in print, with tons of new weekly features and special pieces in the works. Look out on our website for our series on bantam draft and NHL draft eligible prospects, kicking off early next month with video exclusives of some of the top WHL draft prospects and HockeyNow Player of the Year candidates for 2018. We’ll also be bringing our readers more than ever from the CSSHL and U SPORTS this year. All that on top of our regular coverage of minor, junior, major junior, college and female news, plus tournament features, weekly blogs and performance pieces.

VISIT OUR [WEBSITE] Check out www.hockeynow.ca for new daily content

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READ US IN [PRINT] Look out for our monthly print editions at your local rink 4 | HOCKEYNOW – July 14, 2018

HockeyNow.ca

CONTENTS

JULY 14, 2018

11 | ON THE COVER

MEET OUR PLAYERS OF THE YEAR HOCKEYNOW'S TOP PLAYERS FOR 2018 ARE READY FOR ELITE COMPETITION

19 POWERED BY

in this issue... 6 CHL PLAYERS DRAFTED

OF THE 217 PLAYERS TAKEN AT JUNE'S NHL DRAFT, 78 WERE FROM THE CHL

10 MOMS CORNER

YOU CAN'T COUNT THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE YOU MEET IN MINOR HOCKEY

18 WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

2016 ALBERTA POY BOWEN BYRAM IS MAKING GIANT STRIDES

19 CJHL'S BEST

TWELVE CJHL PLAYERS SELECTED AT THE NHL DRAFT

20 HALL FOR HEFFORD

WOMEN'S HOCKEY STAR JAYNA HEFFORD IS JOINING THE HOCKEY HALL OF FAME

“IT'S SUCH AN HONOUR. GETTING THE CALL WAS MUCH MORE EMOTIONAL THAN EXPECTED” – JAYNA HEFFORD ON GETTING THE HALL CALL

FALL TOURNAMENT CALENDAR  22 July 14, 2018 – HOCKEYNOW | 5

OHL DRAFT

CHL’S BEST SHINE AT 2018 NHL DRAFT Andrei Svechnikov was the first CHL player taken in the 2018 NHL Draft, landing with the Carolina Hurricanes second overall. HE CANADIAN HOCKEY LEAGUE HAS A REPUTATION for developing the best and brightest players up for grabs each year in the NHL Entry Draft, and this year was no exception. Out of the 217 total players, 78 came from the CHL, including 35 from the OHL, 23 from the QMJHL and 20 from the WHL. Leading the way, of course, was Andrei Svechnikov, the dynamic Russian forward who went second overall to the Carolina Hurricanes. Between all three Major-Junior leagues under the CHL umbrella, there was no shortage of players taken in the first round, as you’ll see below.

Colts, and his presence will likely be felt throughout the NHL next year.

ANDREI SVECHNIKOV, BARRIE COLTS (SECOND OVERALL, CAROLINA HURRICANES)

FILIP ZADINA, HALIFAX MOOSEHEADS (SIXTH OVERALL, DETROIT RED WINGS)

One of the NHL’s younger teams that could break through at any moment, the Hurricanes gained huge ground at the NHL Entry Draft Lottery in April, moving up nine spots to second overall. Their prize was the uber-talented Svechnikov, who has a well-rounded game in terms of his speed, power and finesse. He scored nearly a goal a game last season with the

The Red Wings got away with the first steal of the draft. Considered one of – if not the – purest goal scorers eligible for the draft, many felt Zadina would have been a top-three pick. While he had a great season with the Mooseheads, he was also dominant for the Czech Republic as a World Junior tournament all-star.

BARRETT HAYTON, SAULT STE. MARIE GREYHOUNDS (FIFTH OVERALL, ARIZONA COYOTES) After a run to the OHL finals with the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds, Hayton was a surprise pick by the Coyotes at fifth overall. He was one of the top three centres eligible in the draft, but was ranked 12th by ISS. Next season, we could see him grow into one of the most effective two-way forwards in the OHL.

EVAN BOUCHARD, LONDON KNIGHTS (10TH OVERALL, EDMONTON OILERS) The Oilers grabbed a cerebral defender with a booming shot with their first-round pick. When the London Knights decided to build more for the future, they traded away many of their stars, but made sure to hold on to Bouchard and make him team captain. Bouchard had a dominant season, leading all CHL defencemen with 87 points.

NOAH DOBSON, ACADIE-BATHURST TITAN (12TH OVERALL, NEW YORK ISLANDERS) They may have lost John Tavares on the opening day of NHL free agency, but the Islanders were one of the most active teams at the draft, with four picks in the top-50. One of those selections was Dobson, a highly sought after defenceman who helped the Titan win their first ever Memorial Cup in May. For his efforts, Dobson was also named a Memorial Cup all-star.

TY DELLANDREA, FLINT FIREBIRDS (13TH OVERALL, DALLAS STARS) Another early surprise pick from the OHL, Dellandrea wasn’t ranked in ISS final top 31 list, but was off the draft board when the Stars took him 13th overall. Dellandrea was a bright spot on a poor Flint Firebirds

Andrei Svechnikov was the first CHL player taken in the 2018 NHL Draft, landing with the Carolina Hurricanes second overall.

6 | HOCKEYNOW – July 14, 2018

TY SMITH, SPOKANE CHIEFS (17TH OVERALL, NEW JERSEY DEVILS) The Devils looked out west in an effort to boost their defensive core. Although still on the smaller side of the scale, Smith is known best for his skating ability and put up a remarkable 73 points in 69 games with the Spokane Chiefs. He is also a former HockeyNow Hockey Player of the Year for Alberta.

LIAM FOUDY, LONDON KNIGHTS (18TH OVERALL, COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS)

STORY Iain Colpitts

team that finished second-last in the OHL. His 59 points were two back of the team lead.

Arguably the best natural athlete in the draft, Foudy skyrocketed up the NHL Draft rankings this year, and although he wasn’t ranked within ISS’s top 31, the Blue Jackets had no concerns drafting him 18th overall. He was a last-minute addition to the CHL/NHL Top Prospects and was called upon by Team Canada for the World U18 Championships as well.

RYAN MERKLEY, GUELPH STORM (21ST OVERALL, SAN JOSE SHARKS) The Sharks are taking a chance on Merkley, the highly skilled defenceman who probably could have gone in the top 10 if teams weren’t concerned about his defensive flaws and reported off-ice issues. Still, there’s no denying his talent, and the Sharks will work with him to iron out his flaws. He could be a steal if that happens.

NICOLAS BEAUDIN, DRUMMONDVILLE VOLTIGEURS (27TH OVERALL, CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS) The Blackhawks boosted their prospect pool on the defensive side in the draft, first by taking highly touted Swede Adam Boqvist eighth overall before selecting Beaudin with the 27th pick. Beaudin can push the pace in a game with his speed, vision and playmaking abilities. Last season, he led the Drummondville Voltigeurs with 69 points.

RASMUS SANDIN, SAULT STE. MARIE GREYHOUNDS (29TH OVERALL, TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS) Heading into the draft, there was a lot of chatter about the Leafs using their pick to take Sandin. The Swedish defenceman spent last season with the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds, a club Leafs GM Kyle Dubas is very familiar with. Sandin brings a strong two-way game that will eventually allow him to fit in nicely in the NHL.

JOSEPH VELENO, DRUMMONDVILLE VOLTIGEURS (30TH OVERALL, DETROIT RED WINGS) The first overall pick in the 2015 QMJHL Draft was expected to be a mid-first-round selection in the NHL Entry Draft, but slid all the way down to 30th. However, the Red Wings may have gotten another steal in the draft as Veleno’s quickness and size could help him contribute in the NHL sooner rather than later.

ALEXANDER ALEXEYEV, RED DEER REBELS (31ST OVERALL, WASHINGTON CAPITALS) There were a lot of small, offensive-minded defencemen chosen in the first round, but Alexeyev isn’t one of them. The Washington Capitals took the big Russian who is known as more of a physical defender, but is also effective at distributing the puck out of his zone.

TERRY WILSON/OHL IMAGES

MINOR

SHOT ACCURACY – OFF-ICE SKILLS SERIES

BY: HOCKEYSHOT BENCH BOSS, JEREMY RUPKE

OME PLAYERS IN THE NHL SCORE GOALS OFF THE PURE STRENGTH AND power of their shot. However, some NHL’ers score goals on pure finesse and shot location. There are many factors involved, however, all-natural goal scorers have one thing in common, they know where to shoot and how to get it there. One thing that may be a surprise to many but has proven to be an effective technique on scoring, is the ability to visualize where you want the puck to go. Many goal scorers have the innate ability to visualize themselves scoring before they even take the shot. So, when you are out practicing, picture yourself shooting the puck short-side or going bar-down. You will be surprised that a simple mental trick of visualization will lead you to filling that net. However, there is still more to consider when working on your shooting accuracy. You must be looking at your target, have proper stick movement and keep a fluid motion across your body. Lastly, continuously practicing your shot is the best way to improve. There is no such thing as too many practice shots. Next time you are practicing your shot, become familiar of the movements and techniques required to get your shot at the desired location. Even the best hockey players in the world miss the net from time to time, so don’t be discouraged. Adjust your mechanics to make that next shot! HockeyShot has a variety of products that can help with your training. For this tip the following HockeyShot products will help, the HS Extreme Shooter Tutor, the Extreme Goal Targets, the HS Goal and 2D backstop. Be sure to visit Hockeyshot.com for more tips and tricks and all your hockey training needs.

WATCH VIDEO:

WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/HOCKEYSHOT1

July 14, 2018 – HOCKEYNOW | 7

PACIFIC JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE

OVERAGE DEPARTURES LEAVE HOLES TO FILL FOR PJHL’S TOP TEAMS The 2017-18 PJHL season featured great performances from teams such as the Richmond Sockeyes and Delta Ice Hawks. It was a season in which the Ice Hawks lost only seven games (four in regulation) and captured the PJHL championship, while the Sockeyes won the Cyclone Taylor Cup as tournament hosts, coming off a 29-day layoff after they were eliminated by Delta in the Shaw Conference final. Unsurprisingly, both teams had huge contributions from the veterans, most notably their overagers that will be moving on. While the status of many teams is always up in the air each summer as they’re not sure whether or not star players will move up a level in the fall, one thing for sure is the previous year’s overagers will be gone, leaving holes in the lineup to fill. Here’s who we know for sure is moving on. RICHMOND SOCKEYES (33-8-1-2, CYCLONE TAYLOR CUP CHAMPIONS) They went all in to win B.C.’s Jr. B crown, and

Tyler Andrews is moving on after his overage season with the Cyclone Taylor Cup champion Richmond Sockeyes. (Doug Abbott photo)

PACIFIC JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE

now the Sockeyes will be looking to their younger players to lead the charge next year. Five out of Richmond’s top six scorers were OAs, including captain Tyler Andrews, the PJHL’s third-leading scorer, league MVP and Cyclone Taylor Cup MVP. Jordan Funk, who scored two points per game in a 13-game stint with Richmond after being sent down from Jr. A, won’t be back, either. Also graduating are goalies Jacob Latrace and Hardarshan Hoonjan. DELTA ICE HAWKS (37-4-0-3, PJHL CHAMPIONS) The Ice Hawks are fortunate that they won’t be feeling the OA pinch all that badly. They weren’t so dependent on the 1997 age group, dressing only two OAs regularly throughout the season. Still, they were two very important OAs.

their OA season. Most notable among them are captain Matt Oliver, the PJHL’s second leading scorer, and Kyle Bosko, who finished fifth in league scoring. Also moving on are defencemen Arjan Cheema, Cole Pisiak and Evan Cusmano, and forward David Stickney, all of whom played in at least 32 games. GRANDVIEW STEELERS (25-16-1-2, ELIMINATED IN SHAW CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS) A large contingent of Grandview’s top players from 2017-18 won’t be back next year. Nico Bruno is graduating after spending all 176 games of his career with the Steelers. Last season, he was the team’s captain, leading scorer and the PJHL’s most inspirational player.

Captain Gary Dhaliwal spent the last three seasons in Delta and was their second-leading scorer with 53 points. As well, Daniel Szpakowski was relied upon as a top-six forward who put up 41 points.

Other notable players joining Bruno in the outgoing class for 2018 are Brodie Crawford, Ian Prevost, Kristogor Ziomislic and Jeffrey Wong, all among Grandview’s top eight scorers.

ABBOTSFORD PILOTS (25-15-1-3, ELIMINATED IN BRITTAIN CONFERENCE FINALS) Only three OAs suited up for the Pilots last season, but they all played significant roles.

LANGLEY TRAPPERS (18-22-2-2, ELIMINATED IN BRITTAIN CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS) This season could be a good opportunity for the Trappers to strike. As an expansion team last year, they didn’t dress any overagers and relied heavily on players born in 1999 and 2000 instead.

Alexander Methorst was second in team scoring with 57 points, and Jeremy Zomar was fourth on the team with 35 points. Finally, Gunnar Neilsen was a staple in goal for Abbotsford, playing in 33 games and posting 18 wins. ALDERGROVE KODIAKS (17-24-1-2, ELIMINATED IN BRITTAIN CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS) Several players were part of the Kodiaks for

MISSION CITY OUTLAWS (17-26-0-1, DIDN’T MAKE PLAYOFFS) There were only two players who completed their overage season with the Outlaws. However, Justin Bowerman and Brayden Durante were both important cogs in Mission’s attack. Although it was a difficult year for the Outlaws,

Bowerman finished third in team scoring with 26 points and Durante was sixth with 23. NORTH VAN WOLF PACK (27-14-0-3, ELIMINATED IN SHAW CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS) Two of North Van’s four OAs were among the team’s top three scorers. Mitchell Ledyard finished with a team-high 47 points, and Caleb Holonko was two spots back in third with 39. Goalie Alex Foster and defenceman Geoffrey So are moving on as well. PORT MOODY PANTHERS (12-29-0-3, DIDN’T MAKE PLAYOFFS) Eight OAs suited up for Port Moody at one point or another last season, but the Panthers won’t be losing anyone of major significance. Their top OA, Daniel Szpakowski, was dealt to the Ice Hawks midway through the season. Alexander Kong, who shared goaltending duties with Jack Stradiotti, is moving on, as are defencemen Alexander McGovern, Lucas Allard and Christian Bettiol. RIDGE MEADOWS FLAMES (26-14-2-2, PJHL FINALISTS) The PJHL runners-up will be without their top three scorers when they start the 2018-19 season. Andrew Strelezki, Halen Cordoni and Cameron Kovesdi have all graduated after recording 52, 47 and 42 points, respectively. Also leaving for sure are forward Quenton Magnuson and defenceman Brendan Murphy. SURREY KNIGHTS (1-42-0-1, DIDN’T MAKE PLAYOFFS) The Knights are known for icing young teams, and this year was no different. After another difficult season in which the Knights only won one game, forward Samuel Witter is the only OA moving on.

Familiar Faces (or You Met Them In Hockey) How often have you run into someone in a store or in a restaurant, politely say “Hi” and then wonder, “Where do I know them from?” They look familiar but you can’t quite place them. It drives you crazy and you wrack your brain the rest of the day trying to figure out where you’ve met them before. I’ll tell you where you met them before – you met them at hockey! Plain. And. Simple. When I put two and two together and figure out how I know that this or that person, nine times out of ten I realize I know them through hockey. This should surprise no one since hockey has been the fabric of my social life for seventeen seasons! The other day I was paying for my purchases at the cash of our local hardware store and thought the cashier looked very familiar. As I took out my wallet she asked, “So, is Emily still playing hockey?” Of course! This cashier was on Emily’s team some years ago. In fact, it was many years ago. They played on the same team their first year Peewee, and my daughter just finished her last midget year. Clearly I haven’t changed a bit! She, on the other hand, had certainly grown up quite a bit since her size 4 hockey skates. I had a long chat with someone at the gym a while back and I just assumed I knew them through the classes we took at GoodLife. Then she starts reminiscing about a tournament in Kingston where both our boys went missing for a couple of hours. Oh, right! Our shared history goes way farther back than Pump class! My husband and I were at a restaurant recently and we kept exchanging glances and imaginary thought bubbles with another couple: “I know I know you, but how …?” By the time we’d finished our meal, I’d figured out which hockey team, which season, and which of my kids had played with their kid. We went over to their table and reminisced briefly about our boys before leaving, and heading off to the next hockey mom déjà vu. Since becoming a hockey mom, these scenarios have played themselves over and over in my life. There are plenty of years where my kids were on teams and I shared the hockey mom role with moms I’ve known for several years – my repeat hockey moms – the ones that have become part of my family for life. For other years though, there are hockey with whom I share only a single hockey season. These are my one-timers and whose names and connections I might briefly forget … but not for long. So the next time you come across someone out of context and you wonder where you know them from, remember this: the context is probably hockey; you know them from hockey. Once a hockey family, always a hockey family! Three cheers for the people that you meet – especially those met through hockey.

ASTRA GROSKAUFMANIS

Ottawa mom of three poking fun at motherhood, middle age and minor hockey! Author of Offside by a Mile – Confessions of a Hockey Mom WEBSITE: astragroskaufmanis.com TWITTER: @mydustbunnies 10 | HOCKEYNOW – July 14, 2018

hockeynow player of the year | 11

MEET THE WINNERS OF THE 2018 HOCKEYNOW MINOR HOCKEY PLAYER OF THE YEAR AWARD FOR B.C., ALBERTA AND ONTARIO STORY Brendan Nagle

STINKYLOCKERS.COM, TWO POINT PHOTOGRAPHY, AARON BELL/OHL IMAGES

THE NEXT LEVEL.

A hockey player’s evolution, to a degree, takes place on a ladder. It involves a long, at times daunting, climb up the rungs to the player’s ultimate goal. A league or provincial championship. A spot on the national team. A pro career. A Stanley Cup. With huge assists coming from their parents, coaches and teammates, they go as far as their skates and sticks will take them. Along the climb, there are rungs marking great achievements in a young player’s development. It is here, then, that three budding stars can call themselves HockeyNow Players Of The Year (POY). B.C.’s Jake Chiasson, Alberta’s Sean Tschigerl and Ontario’s Jamie Drysdale are HockeyNow’s POYs for 2018. They join a growing number of players who, after being named HockeyNow POYs, have made careers out of achieving the next level, climbing to the very top of the ladder. Karl Alzner, Mathew Barzal, Curtis Lazar, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Morgan Rielly are a few of the more notable HockeyNow POY alumni. All are established NHLers at the top of the hockey ladder. It may look to be a long way up, but this year’s POYs realistically don’t have far to go from here to get there. And they are well on their way. Chiasson, 15, is making huge strides playing for the Yale Hockey Academy in Abbotsford, B.C. The 6-foot-1, 165-pound forward counted 20 goals and 48 assists in 30 CSSBHL games with Yale this past season, and added a goal and two assists in four games with Yale’s Prep squad.

Tschigerl, meanwhile, scored 31 goals and added 39 assists for the Okanagan Hockey Academy’s Edmonton team in the CSSBHL this past season. The 15-year-old forward also saw some Prep action for OHA Edmonton, scoring twice in two games. Sixteen-year-old Drysdale lit up the Greater Toronto Minor Midget Hockey League this past season with eight goals and 42 assists in 57 games. The 5-foot-11, 154-pound defenceman is showing great puck-handling skills that complement his innate hockey sense. How do we know all this? It starts with International Scouting Services (ISS) founder and Director of Scouting, Dennis MacInnis, who plays a significant role in determining the HockeyNow POYs. Winners of the award show "leadership, hockey ability and school and community participation.” “I would like to congratulate all three young men on being selected regional HN Players of the Year. This year’s candidates overall were exceptional; what separated Jamie, Jake and Sean besides their obvious on-ice skill was their tremendous character and leadership abilities both on the ice and in their communities. All the best as you start your young hockey careers.” A final nomination list of players is tabulated and a trio of players from three provinces are then selected as the ultimate winners. So here’s to the parents and coaches who’ve put these players in a position to continue their upward trajectory. While winning HockeyNow’s POY award is a step in the right direction, there are more rungs on the climb ahead. No telling where their climb will end. But, the sky’s the limit.

12 | hockeynow player of the year

WALKING THE TALK STORY Brendan Nagle PHOTOGRAPHY stinkylockers.com

SURE, 2018 HOCKEYNOW B.C. PLAYER OF THE YEAR JAKE CHIASSON CAN TALK A GOOD GAME. BUT WHEN HE GETS TO THE RINK, IT’S ALL BUSINESS

SOMETHING TO TALK ABOUT.

Jake Chiasson and mom Rachael would talk about hockey and anything else that crossed their minds on the hour-long drives from Abbotsford to any of the countless road games they attended over his minor-hockey career. Now that the HockeyNow 2018 Player of the Year (POY) for B.C. has been busing with the Yale Academy Bantam Prep squad, mom admits she misses the road trips from their Fraser Valley home 70 kilometres east of Vancouver to rival rinks across the Lower Mainland of B.C. “I remember thinking that at the very beginning, this is a lot of driving, being in Abbotsford. After about a year, I realized how lucky I was. Because we wouldn’t put the music on. He’d sit up front and we’d just talk the whole time. I can’t believe how much we talked, to and from the hockey games,” Rachael Chiasson says. “I’m kind of sad in the last year that he goes to every game on the bus. The thing I miss most about that is the conversations we used to have to and from the rink.” And they had plenty to talk about. The 15-year-old forward’s progress – from Abbotsford Rec’s Tot and Pond Hockey programs, through the ranks of Abbotsford Minor Hockey, to Yale – has been quite the journey. “We could see he was getting ahead when he was eight or nine,” Rachael recalls. “He just lives and breathes hockey. He loves other sports as well. That’s one nice thing, we’ve never once had to wake him up for hockey or talk him into going.” The 6-foot-1, 165-pound power forward completed his second CSSBHL campaign with Yale this past season, scoring 20 goals and adding 48 assists in 30 games. Chiasson added a goal and four assists in four games at the John Reid Memorial Bantam tournament. He moves up to Yale’s Midget Prep squad this fall after being drafted in the first round (15th overall) by the Brandon Wheat

AS FAR AS CHARACTER, INTEGRITY AND WORK ETHIC, I THINK JAKE HAS TO BE AT THE TOP OF THE LIST. PLAYERS WHO HAVE THOSE ATTRIBUTES ALWAYS FIND A WAY TO MAKE IT. – BRAD RIHELA, YALE HOCKEY ACADEMY BANTAM PREP HEAD COACH

Kings in the 2018 WHL Bantam Draft. “Jake’s a character kid. He’s the best leader I’ve ever coached,” says Brad Rihela, Chiasson’s head coach for his past two seasons with Yale Bantam Prep. “He takes care of his teammates. He cares about winning. He does things the right way. He practises extremely hard. He trains extremely hard. He really wants to be a hockey player.” The strong skater with a high hockey IQ brings a complete game to the rink, and isn’t shy about imposing his size and skill at both ends of the ice. “He’s a very cerebral player. Very smart and responsible defensively,” Rihela says. “He’s the type of guy who’s not going to score 40 goals, but he’s going to keep 40 out of his net. Having said that, he does have an elite-level skill set. I see him on every team all the way up being a power-play guy who can kill penalties. “You can put him out on the ice in any situation.” The moment that stands out for coach Rihela came at the Pat Quinn Classic tournament this past winter in Burnaby, B.C. Without giving it a second thought, Chiasson laid out to block a shot at a pivotal moment in the final game against the Burnaby Winter Club Academy Bruins, who eventually won 2-1 in overtime. “He took a shot, more or less, off the chest,” Rihela recalls. “It epitomized what he does for his team and what he’s willing to do to win a hockey game. He’s the type of kid who takes pride in his leadership. He takes pride in doing things the right way. “It was a huge play that really stood out for me.” For the player, it’s about leaving it all out on the ice. Every game. “This year, I worked on point production and offensive shifts. This past season, I really upped my foot speed. Obviously, I just want to keep improving so that hopefully one day you can play junior and then pro.” The Major-Junior puzzle piece has already been placed in Brandon. “It’s a pretty big step in getting into that organization,” Chiasson says. “To be a piece of that organization really means a lot. It’s an honour to have a chance to hopefully play there as a 16-year-old and bring some success to the team.” In the meantime, he gets a Midget Prep season at Yale starting in the fall, where the 2018 HockeyNow Player of the Year for B.C. should give everyone plenty to talk about. His current coach says he’s good to go. “I think Jake Chiasson is a professional hockey player, without question,” Rihela surmises. “As far as character, integrity and work ethic, I think Jake has to be at the top of the list. Players who have those attributes always find a way to make it.” Brent Parker, Western Canada Head Scout for International Scouting Services, concurs. ”He’s a Mr. Everything type-of-player who is very intelligent and makes the players around him better. He plays the game the right way and is the type of player you win with.”

JAKE CHIASSON

YALE HOCKEY ACADEMY BANTAM PREP BORN: 2003 – ABBOTSFORD, B.C. POSITION: FORWARD HEIGHT: 6’1" WEIGHTT: 165 LBS.

REGULAR SEASON

2018 U16 B.C. CUP

GAMES PLAYED

TOTAL POINTS

GAMES PLAYED

TOTAL POINTS

GOALS

ASSISTS

GOALS

ASSISTS

DRAFTED

15 OVERALL TH

BY THE BRANDON WHEAT KINGS IN THE 2018 WHL BANTAM DRAFT

July 14, 2018 – HOCKEYNOW | 13

SEAN TSCHIGERL

REGULAR SEASON

2018 U16 ALBERTA CUP

OHA EDMONTON BANTAM PREP

GAMES PLAYED

TOTAL POINTS

GAMES PLAYED

TOTAL POINTS

BORN: 2003 – WHITECOURT, AB POSITION: FORWARD HEIGHT: 5’11" WEIGHTT: 1 LBS.

GOALS

ASSISTS

GOALS

ASSISTS

DRAFTED

4 OVERALL TH

BY THE CALGARY HITMEN IN THE 2018 WHL BANTAM DRAFT

hockeynow player of the year | 15

ON THE MOVE STORY Brendan Nagle PHOTOGRAPHY Two Point Photography

SEAN TSCHIGERL AND HIS PARENTS LOGGED A LOT OF MILES TO GET HIM TO THE POINT WHERE HE COULD BE CONSIDERED HOCKEYNOW’S 2018 PLAYER OF THE YEAR FOR ALBERTA

IT’S A PROCESS.

If anyone is ready for the trials, tribulations and relocations hockey’s next level brings, it’s Sean Tschigerl. The Okanagan Hockey Academy (OHA) Edmonton forward’s folks have logged countless miles en route to his winning the 2018 HockeyNews Alberta Player of the Year (POY) Award. The Whitecourt product began skating at age three in the town located 180 kilometers west of Edmonton. Following his first couple of years in organized hockey, the 5-foot-11, 170-pound forward wanted to move up to a level the town of 10,000 wasn’t yet offering in its community hockey program. “Sean wanted to play Pee Wee at the highest level, which meant we would have to move. So Sean, his brother, sister (who was entering first year university in Edmonton) and I moved to Edmonton where Sean played two years of Pee Wee AA for Edmonton North West Zone before joining OHA Edmonton for his first year of Bantam,” mom Tanya Tschigerl recalls. “My husband, Mike, stayed back in Whitecourt to work, and we have commuted back and forth on weekends since then. “It has been a busy four years, but we have made it work.” No kidding. Tschigerl’s steady upward trajectory – from Novice and Atom in Whitecourt to playing Bantam Prep in the CSSBHL for the OHA’s Edmonton team this past season – has caught the attention of the hockey world. He was taken fourth overall by the Calgary Hitmen in the 2018 WHL Bantam Draft following a 2017-18 CSSBHL season in which he scored 31 goals and added 39 assists in 30 regular-season games. To cap the season, his OHA Edmonton side won the CSSBHL Bantam Prep title. Tschigerl kicked it up a gear in the spring, scoring four goals and adding four assists in five tilts at the John Reid Memorial Bantam AAA Hockey Tournament. He also contributed

HE’S AN OUTSTANDING LEADER. HIS PEERS ALL LOOK UP TO HIM AND ADMIRE HIM. HIS COMPETE LEVEL IS THROUGH THE ROOF. – SEAN BEISSEL, HEAD COACH, OHA EDMONTON BANTAM PREP

three goals and three assists in five games for Team Edmonton Yellow at the Alberta Cup. “The season was amazing,” 15-year-old forward recalls. “I had a great time with a lot of great friends. It’s something I’ll remember for a long time.” His strong skating, cerebral hockey sense and commitment to two-way play placed him high on the WHL Bantam Draft list, with Calgary nabbing him early in the first round. Being selected by Calgary is also something he’ll remember for a long time. “It was a super-exciting moment. I was really just proud to be drafted. It was a super-humbling experience,” Tschigerl says. “I’m just really excited. I’m just looking for an opportunity to play there some day. I’m super looking forward to it.” None of Tschigerl’s success comes as any surprise to OHA Edmonton Bantam Prep head coach Sean Beissel. “Sean is a very complete player. He’s strong, fast and is really hard-working,” Beissel says. “He’s got a great shot. Great speed.” But it’s the skills you can’t coach – the intangibles – that set Tschigerl apart from other elite players his age. “All of that skill is second to the type of kid he is,” Beissel says. “He’s an outstanding leader. His peers all look up to him and admire him. His compete level is through the roof.” Beissel has coached for 25 years, watching his players such as Scotty Upshall, Jordin Tootoo, Joffrey Lupul and Brendan Guhle skate through the NHL portal. He’s coached Tschigerl for the past two seasons at OHA Edmonton. “I’ve never seen a kid so professional in his preparation – the way he prepares himself,” Beissel says. “The standards he has for himself are through the roof. I don’t see him being happy until he plays in the National Hockey League. He’s capable of that.” Brent Parker, International Scouting Services Head Scout for Western Canada feels Tschigerl brings a complete set of skills to the rink every game. “Sean plays a very mature game and is very consistent and reliable,” Parker says. “He has a nice mix of size and skill, and always seems to be around the puck. A really smart player who does everything well.” Skating since he was three, Tschigerl is clear about the positive influence of the key people who put him in a position to be selected as a HockeyNow POY. “Parents are huge. They’re there for me every day. They’re getting me to practices, taking me for extra skill sessions. They’re there for my games. After the games, they’re helping me. “The coaches are great. They give you that confidence. They help you. They teach you. That’s just big.” Big enough to be the Hockey Now 2018 Player of the Year for Alberta.

16 | hockeynow player of the year

THE WOW FACTOR STORY Brendan Nagle PHOTOGRAPHY Aaron Bell/OHL Images

IT WAS AROUND THE TIME 2018 HOCKEYNOW ONTARIO PLAYER OF THE YEAR JAMIE DRYSDALE JOINED THE RUSH, SKATING BACKWARDS, THAT DAD GARY FIGURED HIS KID COULD PLAY

DID THAT JUST HAPPEN?

You can excuse fans and parents for asking that question, because it’s not something you see at the rink every day. With his team breaking up the ice, 2018 Ontario HockeyNow Player Of The Year Jamie Drysdale decided to join the rush... while skating backwards. “I even remember when we were in Learn to Play. It was the first game they played,” recalls dad Gary Drysdale. “Jamie was playing forward. They were rushing up the ice and he decided to skate backwards up the ice beside the guy going ‘Pass it to me. Pass it to me,’ with a big smile on his face, loving it.” He was five. Fast-forward to today, and the 16-year-old defenceman who played seven seasons in the Toronto Marlboros Minor Hockey program is heading to the Ontario Hockey League’s Erie Otters in the fall, taking the next stride in his progression. He was taken in the first round (fourth overall) by the Otters in the 2018 OHL Priority Selection, and was the first defenceman taken in the Selection. He enters the Team Canada development stream later this month, joining 110 other young prospects at Hockey Canada’s Under-17 camp at WinSport’s Markin MacPhail Centre in Calgary. “The biggest thing that separates Jamie from the pack is his skating,” answers Drysdale’s longtime Marlboros head coach Richard Power when asked about the skills placing the blueliner in elite territory. “He’s a one-of-a-kind skater. He makes it look effortless. He’s got that extra gear when he needs it.” Given that strong skating is the foundation of any hockey success, Drysdale’s upward trajectory is as evident as it is inevitable. Consider: skating for the Marlboros program over seven Greater Toronto Hockey League seasons, he helped his teams win six playoff championships, three regular-season championships – and back-toback provincial championships in his Pee Wee and Bantam seasons. “We’re not the same team without Jamie in the lineup, that’s for sure,” Power, who’s coached Drysdale for five years, insists. “He’s a leader on and off the ice for us.” It had to start somewhere for the prodigious rearguard – dad Gary had a backyard rink where Jamie would “chase his older brother around.”

WE’RE NOT THE SAME TEAM WITHOUT JAMIE IN THE LINEUP, THATS FOR SURE. – RICHARD POWER, TORONTO MARLBOROS MIDGET HEAD COACH

Crediting his teammates and coaches, Drysdale is coming off what he says was his best experience to date, his Midget season in the Marlies program. He sniped eight goals and added 42 assists in 57 league games this past season, culminating in a GTHL Minor Midget title for the Marlies. He added a goal and eight assists in six OHL Cup games. You get the feeling success follows Drysdale around like a lost puppy. Not a chance. It comes with hard work, dedication and a high level of commitment – from himself, his parents, coaches and teammates. “My team, obviously, has helped me so much,” Drysdale says. “They keep pushing me. At practice, like (coach Richard Power) would say to our team – he’d say your hardest competition is going to be in practices because you are playing against the best players. All of my teammates pushed me hard at practice, so I wouldn’t be here without them or my coaches.” Now Drysdale is bound for the heat and light of Major Junior with the Otters. “Obviously, I’m a little nervous. But really excited,” Drysdale admits. “I’m so grateful to be drafted to the Erie Otters. A great team. A great organization.” It’s a huge jump. Drysdale is going from playing with players his age, and several guys he’s been skating alongside since Tyke, to a new city in a new country in a league featuring players as many as four years older than he is. It all starts this autumn in the fourth-largest city in Pennsylvania. “There’s 100 per cent going to be a big learning curve. That goes for pretty much any player,” Power says of Drysdale’s transition to the pro-like atmosphere Major-Junior hockey brings. “And it will take some time. But he’ll adjust just fine. “They say that’s where you separate them, up at that level," Power observes, adding, "I haven’t seen someone skate like Jamie in forever. He’s just – wow.” International Scouting Services Director of Scouting, Dennis MacInnis, doesn’t mince words when he details why the ISS has the 16-year-old defenceman at the top of this year’s class. “Jamie is one of the elite defencemen in his age group. He’s able to control the game from the back end,” MacInnis says. “He has all the tools to be a No. 1 defender at the OHL level.” For Drysdale’s dad, Gary, it’s all about Jamie’s progression. It’s about the journey more than the destination. “We wanted to make sure that we were balanced, and that Jamie was balanced. It’s a long, long haul, so we didn’t want to get too far ahead. Have fun, and continue working on getting better. And if it happens, it happens.” Jamie, among other things, just happens to be this year’s HockeyNow Ontario Player of the Year for 2018.

JAMIE DRYSDALE TORONTO MARLBOROS MN MDGT AAA BORN: 2002 – TORONTO, ON POSITION: DEFENCE HEIGHT: 5’11" WEIGHTT: 154 LBS.

REGULAR SEASON

2018 OHL CUP

GAMES PLAYED

TOTAL POINTS

GAMES PLAYED

TOTAL POINTS

GOALS

ASSISTS

GOALS

ASSISTS

DRAFTED

4 OVERALL TH

BY THE ERIE OTTERS IN THE 2018 OHL PRIORITY SELECTION

SPECIAL FEATURE

PLAYER OF THE YEAR

 Playing under the heat and light of Major-Junior hockey with the WHL's Vancouver Giants clearly agrees with 2016 HockeyNow POY for Alberta Bowen Byram.

BOWEN BYRAM

D, VANCOUVER GIANTS (WHL) AGE: 17

HEIGHT: 6'

WEIGHT: 180 LBS.

2017-18 WHL:

6 G, 21 A in 60 games with Giants (3 G, 4 A in 7 playoff games)

2017-18 HOCKEY CANADA:

1 G, 4 A in 6 games with Team Canada Red at World U17 Hockey Challenge in Dawson Creek, B.C., last November; an assist in five games at the International Ice Hockey Federation U18 Championship in Russia in April.

PRIOR:

Yale Hockey Academy Midget Prep; Lethbridge Golden Hawks AAA Bantam (AMBHL); Cranbrook, B.C., Minor Hockey Association

HockeyNow’s 2016 Alberta Player of the Year has gone from bantam phenom to WHL stalwart STORY Brendan Nagle

T DOESN’T TAKE LONG. One season, to be exact. When selected as the HockeyNow 2016 Player of the Year (POY) for Alberta, Bowen Byram was coming off a productive Bantam season (22 goals, 37 assists in 34 AMBHL games) with the Lethbridge Golden Hawks. Since then he’s gotten bigger, stronger, faster and tacked on another level of hockey smarts. The six-foot, 180-pound defenceman who turned 17 in June is now doing it up with the Western Hockey League’s Vancouver Giants. The Cranbrook, B.C., Minor Hockey product and graduate of Yale Hockey Academy in Abbotsford, B.C., is definitely enjoying the ride. “After being selected as HockeyNow Player of the Year for Alberta, I played Midget Prep at the Yale Hockey Academy and had a good year, and played 11 games with the Vancouver Giants as an under-age player,” Byram recalls. “This year, I played my first full year with the Giants and had a pretty good year. And now, I’m just getting prepared for a pretty good year in my (NHL) draft year.” The progression has been rapid; the time frame

18 | HOCKEYNOW – July 14, 2018

condensed. He scored six goals and added 21 assists in 60 games during his first full WHL campaign with Vancouver this past season. He carded three goals and four assists in seven Giants post-season tilts. “It’s definitely different from Midget and Bantam,” Byram says of adjusting to elite hockey at the Major-Junior level with the Giants. “It’s a lot of hockey, you play a lot of games. It’s also a lot of fun. “It was a fun first year, and a great learning experience.” It’s clear he’s been soaking up as much as he can in his formative days at the next level. “Bowen is a smooth-skating defenceman who shows poise and confidence beyond his years,” says Brent Parker, Western Canada Head Scout for International Scouting Services (ISS), who got the drop on Byram early in the player’s development before providing the intel necessary for HockeyNow to name him its 2016 POY for Alberta. “He is not afraid of the moment, and he has a real presence when he is on the ice.” Still, Byram admits adjusting to playing in the spotlight of Major-Junior hockey can be intense. “It’s a crazy jump. You’re playing against some of the best players in the world that are under the age of 20 – guys like Dillon Dube, who was captain of Canada at the World Juniors,” Byram observes. “We played his team (Kelowna Rockets) eight times this year. You’re playing against men, and being a 16-year-old guy, it was a challenge. But it was also a lot of fun and very good for my development.” Byram, like Dube, is in the Hockey Canada stream, and has skated for both the U17 and U18 teams at tournaments in Canada and abroad.

He racked up a goal and four assists in six games with Team Canada Red at the World U17 Hockey Challenge in Dawson Creek, B.C., last November before putting up an assist in five games at the International Ice Hockey Federation U18 Championship in Russia in April. He returns to Hockey Canada’s U18 selection camp at the end of July. “It’s pretty cool to represent your country and play for your country,” Byram says. “It’s an incredible feeling getting to skate in those colours.” Once summer hockey ends, it’s back to the Giants for his second full WHL season playing for a franchise located in a large hockey market. The upcoming year also happens to be Byram’s first season of NHL draft eligibility. “I have to keep working hard. I identify myself as a hard-working guy who comes to the rink every day and works hard. That’s a big part of my game. I just have to keep doing what I’ve been doing,” Byram says. “If I can build off last season, I can put myself in a good position to hopefully go in the draft to a team that likes me and wants me. As long as I keep working hard and believe in myself, I should have a good chance when the time comes around.” ISS scout Parker feels Byram’s trajectory, and timing, put him in a good spot in his NHL draft year. “Bowen really fits the new-age style of defencemen that are becoming so prominent in the NHL, and I have no doubt he will take that step in the near future.” He’s come a long way in a short time. But HockeyNow 2016 POY for Alberta Bowen Byram is embracing the challenge and forging ahead with his game which, at some point, could end up in the NHL. It really doesn’t take long. At all.

CHRIS RELKE/VANCOUVER GIANTS

GIANT PROGRESSION

NHL DRAFT

DANDY DOZEN Twelve CJHL players selected in 2018 NHL Entry Draft STORY Neil Hilts

BERNARD-DOCKER: CHAD GODDARD PHOTOGRAPHY, JONATHAN TYCHONICK: GARRETT JAMES PHOTOGRAPHY

OR THE THIRD YEAR IN A ROW, A JUNIOR A PLAYER from Canada has been selected in the first round of the NHL Draft, further cementing the strength of the Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL) talent. After Jacob Bernard-Docker was chosen 26th by the Ottawa Senators on the first night of the draft, the next CJHL player also went to the Senators on Day 2, as Jonathan Tychonick heard his name called. Two players were selected in the third round – big centre Jack McBain to Minnesota and defenceman Seth Barton to Detroit. The fourth round saw another two players chosen, this time teammates, as Wenatchee’s Stanislav Demin is now property of the Vegas Golden Knights and Oregon-native Jasper Weatherby stays on the West Coast with San Jose. The Senators dipped into the Junior A market once again, now in the fifth, getting Angus Crookshank from Langley. Four players were summoned in the final two rounds: Dustyn McFaul (sixth, Boston), Brett Stapley (seventh, Montreal), Matthew Thiessen (seventh, Vancouver), Ty Taylor (seventh, Tampa Bay) and Austin Wong (seventh, Winnipeg). The British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL) led the way with seven selections, followed by two each from the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL) and Ontario Junior Hockey League (OJHL). Manitoba’s junior circuit had one player selected.

THE LEAGUE’S NEW PROSPECTS Bernard-Docker was the top-ranked CJHL skater in the ISS rankings, coming in at No. 25, one spot higher than he was selected. After Ottawa initially traded down from 22 with the New York Rangers, they declined another offer or two and stuck with their guy.

After a high-scoring campaign with the AJHL’s Okotoks Oilers that saw him lead one of the league’s top teams and notch over 20 goals, Bernard-Docker watched his stock climb for most of the year. He’s also been named to Team Canada’s World Junior Development Camp roster. In Round 2, the Senators used their pick gained from trading down in Round 1 to nab Tychonick, who has a lot of familiarity with JDB – the two played together at the World Junior A Challenge (WJAC) for Team Canada West as D-partners, and both are incoming freshman to the University of North Dakota where they are expected to pair up once again. Tychonick came from the heralded Penticton Vees and resisted the Major Junior offers after being a first-round choice in the WHL in 2015. Last year, he captured a BCHL championship, and this year, he was named a First Team All-Star. Tychonick also has back-to-back appearances at the WJAC. A tall centreman with NHL pedigree following his father, Jack McBain is Minnesota-bound. Heading to Boston College next year, McBain has played with Team Canada at three different tournaments and was also named the OJHL’s top prospect after his 58-point season with the Toronto Jr. Canadiens. For the second year in a row, the Trail Smoke Eaters of the BCHL had a player selected, as Seth Barton heads to the Red Wings. The third-rounder turned heads in his first full Junior A campaign and expects to suit up on the East Coast with UMass-Lowell in the fall. The draft was special for a pair of teammates of the BCHL and Doyle Cup-champion Wenatchee Wild, as Stanislav Demin and Jasper Weatherby were chosen three picks apart in the fourth round. Demin is now part of the Sin City franchise, not far from his hometown in the Long Beach area. The smooth-skating defender upped his goals and points with the Wild from last year and is set to skate for the University of Denver in the fall. Entering his third year of eligibility, Weatherby tore up the BCHL to win the scoring race with 74 points in 58 games, plus a mind-boggling 38 points in 20 playoff

CJHL

 Okotoks Oilers Jacob Bernard-Docker (24) and Penticton Vees Jonathan Tychonick (20) were both selected by the Ottawa Senators in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft in June.

matches. He’ll be a freshman at the University of North Dakota with Bernard-Docker and Tychonick. The Ottawa Senators seemed to aim their scouting at the Junior A ranks, specifically in Western Canada, as they chose Angus Crookshank, a late-born 1999. He tied for the team lead in goals with 22 and was second in points. At the WJAC, Crookshank had five points enroute to the gold medal. He’s off to the University of New Hampshire this year. The OJHL’s next draftee went to the Boston Bruins via the Pickering Panthers as Dustyn McFaul went in the sixth. He’s still likely got another year in the OJHL before he joins Clarkson of the NCAA in 2019. At the beginning of the year, McFaul wasn’t able to crack the OHL’s Kingston Frontenacs, so he turned to Junior A – a decision that’s been great in hindsight. Stapley, a 1999-born skater, spent the last three years with the Vernon Vipers of the BCHL, totalling 121 points in 154 games. This year, he ranked 15th in league scoring and second on the Vipers. The Montreal draftee at the start of the seventh is taking his talents to the University of Denver next season. In the final round, teams started taking fliers on goalies, first Vancouver on Steinbach’s Matthew Thiessen. He won the MJHL title with the Pistons and had the league’s best GAA along with an All-Rookie Team honour, but has decided to join the United States Hockey League’s (USHL) Dubuque Fighting Saints, according to The Province. Ty Taylor of Vernon went to the Tampa Bay Lightning 22 picks after Thiessen, and the second-year starter could be a diamond in the rough. Last year, he had a sparkling 1.87 GAA and .931 save percentage. With another run on a strong Vernon team, Taylor will then head to the University of New Hampshire in the fall of 2019. Thanks to a disruptive CJHL Top Prospects game, Okotoks Oilers forward Austin Wong found himself a member of the Winnipeg Jets organization. He’s a skilled, rugged forward, as evidenced by his 25-goal, 235 PIM season (tops in the AJHL), but has plenty of both hockey and off-ice smarts – Wong is committed to Harvard for 2019. July 14, 2018 – HOCKEYNOW | 19

FEMALE

HOCKEY HALL OF FAME

HALL CALL FOR HEFFORD

“I think an honour like this encompasses so many people,” she said. “It makes you reflect back to where it all started and the many people who have played a part in my career. Obviously, it starts with family, but continues on with coaches, teammates, friends and communities.” She’s grateful to be able to let those around her soak up the heat and light of the moment. “It has been so great to share this with many people who have been a part of my career and been there during many of my best moments.” Making her World Championship debut for the Hockey Canada women’s squad in 1997, Hefford would go on to win seven World gold medals and five silver medals. She retired from Team Canada in 2015 with 157 goals and 134 assists in 267 international games. When not wearing a Team Canada sweater, Hefford stayed sharp playing for the Canadian Women’s Hockey League’s Brampton Thunder. From 2010-2013 she helped STORY Brendan Nagle the Thunder reach the Clarkson Cup. Over decades of playing the women’s game, Hefford ORMER TEAM CANADA WOMEN’S FORWARD JAYNA has watched female hockey grow. “The young players now Hefford is punching her ticket to the Hockey Hall have grown up with elite girls hockey, and have been of Fame. exposed to skill coaches, strength training and skating The 2018 induction class, announced June 26, includes instructors from the time they were young,” she said. the 41-year-old Ontario hockey mom who wore the Maple “This is all much different than my generation. The game Leaf in five Winter Olympiads, beis in a really good place now – with ginning in 1998. She won four the depth and skill – and I’m excited Olympic gold medals and one silver to see how far it can go.” in an elite women’s hockey career And, she admits, there is still spanning two decades. room for the female game to advance She’s the sixth female player inmore. Now a hockey-camp instrucducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame, tor, she’ll be able to pass on her deep joining Cammi Granato, Angela knowledge of the game to aspiring James, Geraldine Heaney, Angela young skaters looking to follow in Ruggiero and Danielle Goyette. her skate strides. TEAM CANADA, 1997-2015 She joins Martin Brodeur, Martin “The women’s game is really so St. Louis, Soviet Union great Alexyoung still – we have only been in ander Yakushev, Willie O’Ree six Olympic Games. Each quadrenINTERNATIONAL GAMES: (builder) and Gary Bettman (buildnial, the game is faster and more 267 er) in the 2018 induction class. skilled, which makes the growth GOALS: “I’m very proud to be inducted potential so exciting!” 157 into the HHOF this year with such She won the CWHL’s Angela James ASSISTS: an impressive group of men,” Hefford Bowl as the CWHL’s leading scorer In 134 said. “It’s such an honour, getting the 2008-09, a year after helping Brampton call was much more emotional than win the league championship. I had expected.” The CWHL now awards the JayOLYMPIC GAMES: 4 gold medals, 1 silver Her tireless preparation for elite na Hefford Trophy annually to the competition and dedication to the league’s most outstanding player as WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: game cannot be overstated. But she voted by the players. Seven gold medals, five silver insists she couldn’t have achieved The Hockey Hall of Fame 2018 CWHL: all her success without the support induction celebration and ceremony League championship and league of the people around her. goes November 9-12 in Toronto. MVP with Brampton Thunder in 2008

Following a distinguished international and professional playing career, women’s hockey star being enshrined alongside game’s elite

Team Canada alumna Jayna Hefford is entering the Hockey Hall of Fame as a member of the Hall's 2018 induction class.

20 | HOCKEYNOW – July 14, 2018

MATTHEW MURNAGHAN/HOCKEY CANADA IMAGES

JAYNA HEFFORD

TOURNAMENT CALENDAR

JULY 2018 TORONTO, ON | JULY 6 - 8 YOUTH CLASSIC. Male. Levels: AAA, AA, A, B, AE, MD Contact: tournaments@icesports.com or ccthockey.com NIAGARA FALLS, ON | JULY 13 - 15 NIAGARA FALLS CHALLENGE 2. Male & Female. Levels: AAA, AA, A, B, AE, MD Contact: tournaments@icesports.com or ccthockey.com OSHAWA, ON | JULY 13 - 15 PUCK & BALL CHALLENGE 25+ - COED. Male & Female. Divisions: Adult Rec Levels: AAA, AA, A, B, AE, MD Contact: tournaments@icesports.com or ccthockey.com ALLISTON, ON | JULY 13 - 15 WHT SUMMER TOURNAMENT 1. Male. Divisions: Novice, Minor Atom, Atom, Minor Peewee, Peewee, Minor Bantam, Bantam, Minor Midget, Midget, Major Midget Levels: AAA, AA, A, B, Selects, AE, MD Contact: info@weekendhockey.com or weekendhockey.com MONTREAL, QC | JULY 20 - 22 MONTREAL SUMMER BREAKAWAY. Male. Levels: AAA, AA, A, B, AE, MD Contact: tournaments@icesports.com or ccthockey.com OSHAWA, ON | JULY 20 - 22 PUCK & BALL CHALLENGE 18+. Male & Female. Divisions: Adult Rec Levels: AAA, AA, A, B, AE, MD Contact: tournaments@icesports.com or ccthockey.com

AUGUST 2018 TORONTO, ON | AUG. 3 - 5 KING OF THE RINGS 1. Male. Levels: AAA, AA, A, B, AE, MD Contact: tournaments@icesports.com or ccthockey.com SALMON ARM, BC | AUG. 10 - 12 SHAW CENTRE CHALLENGE |||. Male & Female. Divisions: Adult and Female Rec Levels: Adult 40 & 50, Female Rec Contact: Gord@habs1.ca or salmonarmhockeytournaments.ca TORONTO, ON | AUG. 10 - 12 KING OF THE RINGS 2. Male. Levels: AAA, AA, A, B, AE, MD Contact: tournaments@icesports.com or ccthockey.com TORONTO, ON | AUG. 10 - 12 QUEEN OF THE RINGS. Female. Levels: AAA, AA, A, B, AE, MD Contact: tournaments@icesports.com or ccthockey.com ALLISTON, ON | AUG. 10 - 12 WHT SUMMER TOURNAMENT 2. Male. Divisions: Novice, Minor Atom, Atom, Minor Peewee, Peewee, Minor Bantam, Bantam, Minor Midget, Midget, Major Midget Levels: AAA, AA, A, B, Selects, AE, MD Contact: info@weekendhockey.com or weekendhockey.com MONTREAL, QC | AUG. 17 - 18 MONTREAL SUMMER GETAWAY. Male & Female. Divisions: Adult Rec Levels: AAA, AA, A, B, AE, MD Contact: tournaments@icesports.com or ccthockey.com

TORONTO, ON | AUG. 17 - 19 TORONTO PRE-SEASON BLAST. Male. Levels: AAA, AA, A, B, AE, MD Contact: tournaments@icesports.com or ccthockey.com SALMON ARM, BC | AUG. 21 - 23 SHAW CENTRE CHALLENGE IV. Male. Divisions: Adult Rec. Levels: Oldtimers 60, 65 & 70 Contact: Gord@habs1.ca or salmonarmhockeytournaments.ca WHISTLER, BC | AUG. 22 - 24 WHISTLER CUP. Male. Divisions: Adult Rec. Levels: All Levels. Contact: goals@chehockey.com or chehockey.com SALMON ARM, BC | AUG. 24 - 26 SHAW CENTRE CHALLENGE V. Divisions: Mens and Female Levels: Co-ed 19+ Contact: Gord@habs1.ca or salmonarmhockeytournaments.ca RALEIGH, NC | AUG. 31 - SEPT. 3 ONEHOCKEY RALEIGH, NC 2018 TOURNAMENT. Divisions: Atom, Peewee, Bantam, Midget, Squirt. Levels: AA, A Contact: info@onehockey.com or onehockey.com RIVERSIDE, CA | AUG. 31 - SEPT. 3 ONEHOCKEY CALIFORNIA SEPTEMBER 2018 TOURNAMENT. Divisions: Novice, Atom, Peewee, Bantam, Midget. Levels: AA, A, B, House. Contact: info@onehockey.com or onehockey.com

SEPTEMBER 2018 CHICAGO, IL | SEPT. 28 - 30 CHICAGO EARLY BIRD CHALLENGE. Male. Levels: AAA, AA, A, B, AE, MD Contact: tournaments@icesports.com or ccthockey.com

OCTOBER 2018 HALTON HILLS, ON | OCT. 5 - 7 BEST OF THE BEST HOCKEY TOURNAMENT. Male. Divisions: Novice, Minor Atom, Atom, Minor Peewee, Peewee, Minor Bantam, Bantam, Minor Midget, Midget, Major Midget, Squirt Levels: AA, A Contact: info@weekendhockey.com or weekendhockey.com LAKE PLACID, NY | OCT. 11 - 14 AMERICAN CUP. Male Divisions: Minor Atom, Atom, Minor Peewee, Peewee, Minor Bantam, Bantam, Minor Midget, Midget, Major Midget, Squirt. Level: AA, A, B, House, Selects, AE, MD. Contact: smcdougall@chehockey.com or chehockey.com OSHAWA, ON | OCT. 13 - 14 OCTOBER CLASSIC 1 - MENS. Male & Female. Divisions: Adult Rec Levels: AAA, AA, A, B, AE, MD Contact: tournaments@icesports.com or ccthockey.com LAS VEGAS, NV | OCT. 19 - 21 LAS VEGAS OLD-TIMERS CLASSIC. Male & Female. Divisions: Adult Rec Levels: AAA, AA, A, B, AE, MD Contact: tournaments@icesports.com or ccthockey.com

OSHAWA, ON | OCT. 20 - 21 OCTOBER CLASSIC 2 - WOMEN’S & COED. Female. Divisions: Adult Rec Levels: AAA, AA, A, B, AE, MD Contact: tournaments@icesports.com or ccthockey.com FORT WAYNE, IN | OCT. 26 - 28 ONEHOCKEY FORT WAYNE 2018 TOURNAMENT. Divisions: Novice, Tyke, Atom, Peewee, Bantam, Midget, Squirt. Levels: AA, A, B, House. Contact: info@onehockey.com or onehockey.com

NOVEMBER 2018 ROCHESTER, NY | NOV. 2 - 4 ONEHOCKEY ROCHESTER, MN 2018 TOURNAMENT. Divisions: Peewee, Bantam. Levels: AA, A, B. Contact: info@onehockey.com or onehockey.com HARRISBURG, PA | NOV. 2 - 4 ONEHOCKEY HERSHEY 2018 TOURNAMENT. Divisions: Novice, Minor Atom, Atom, Minor Peewee, Peewee, Minor Bantam, Bantam, Minor Midget, Midget, Major Midget. Levels: AA, A. Contact: info@onehockey.com or onehockey.com BARRIE, ON | NOV. 9 - 11 BARRIE AAA REMEMBRANCE DAY/ VETERANS DAY TOURNAMENT. Male. Divisions: Novice, Minor Atom, Atom, Major Midget, Squirt Levels: AAA Contact: info@weekendhockey.com or weekendhockey.com OSHAWA, ON | NOV. 10 - 11 NOVEMBER CLASSIC 1 - LADIES/CO-ED - NAQ. Female. Divisions: Adult Rec Levels: AAA, AA, A, B, AE, MD Contact: tournaments@icesports.com or ccthockey.com MONTREAL, QC | NOV. 16 - 18 MONTREAL FALL CLASSIC - NAQ M/W/ COED. Male & Female. Divisions: Adult Rec Levels: AAA, AA, A, B, AE, MD Contact: tournaments@icesports.com or ccthockey.com OSHAWA, ON | NOV. 16 - 18 NOVEMBER CLASSIC 2 - NAQ. Male & Female. Divisions: Adult Rec Levels: AAA, AA, A, B, AE, MD Contact: tournaments@icesports.com or ccthockey.com SYRACUSE, NY | NOV. 16 - 18 ONEHOCKEY SYRACUSE 2018 TOURNAMENT. Divisions: Atom, Peewee, Bantam, Minor Midget, Midget, Major Midget. Levels: AA, A. Contact: info@onehockey.com or onehockey.com MONTREAL, QC | NOV. 16 - 18 CANADIAN CUP. Male Divisions: Minor Atom, Atom, Minor Peewee, Peewee, Minor Bantam, Bantam, Minor Midget, Midget, Squirt Level: AA, A, B, House, Selects, Senior, Junior, AE, MD. Contact: smcdougall@chehockey.com or chehockey.com

CLEARWATER BEACH, FL | NOV. 22 - 25 THANKSGIVING ON THE BEACH. Male & Female. Divisions: Minor Atom, Atom, Minor Peewee, Peewee, Minor Bantam, Bantam, Minor Midget, Midget, Major Midget, Squirt Levels: AA, A, B, Selects, AE, MD Contact: info@weekendhockey.com or weekendhockey.com CHICAGO, IL | NOV. 23 - 25 CHICAGO THANKSGIVING CLASSIC. Male. Levels: AAA, AA, A, B, AE, MD Contact: tournaments@icesports.com or ccthockey.com RIVERSIDE, CA | NOV. 23 - 25 ONEHOCKEY CALIFORNIA THANKSGIVING 2018 TOURNAMENT. Divisions: Atom, Peewee, Bantam, Midget. Levels: AA, A, B, House. Contact: info@onehockey.com or onehockey.com BURLINGTON, VT | NOV. 23 - 25 GOBBLE GOBBLE CUP. Male Divisions: Minor Atom, Atom, Minor Peewee, Peewee, Minor Bantam, Bantam, Squirt. Level: AA, A, B, House, AE, MD. Contact: smcdougall@chehockey.com or chehockey.com MONTREAL, QC | NOV. 24 - 25 MONTREAL YOUTH FALL CLASSIC 1. Male. Levels: AAA, AA, A, B, AE, MD Contact: tournaments@icesports.com or ccthockey.com MONTREAL, QC | NOV. 30 - DEC. 2 MONTREAL YOUTH FALL CLASSIC 2. Male. Levels: AAA, AA, A, B, AE, MD Contact: tournaments@icesports.com or ccthockey.com MONTREAL, QC | NOV. 30 - DEC. 2 CANADIAN CUP. Male & Female Divisions: High School. Contact: smcdougall@chehockey.com or chehockey.com MONTREAL, QC | NOV. 30 - DEC. 2 CANADIAN CUP. Male & Female Divisions: High School. Contact: smcdougall@chehockey.com or chehockey.com

DECEMBER 2018 LAKE PLACID, NY | DEC. 6 - 9 AMERICAN CUP. Male Divisions: Minor Atom, Atom, Minor Peewee, Peewee, Minor Bantam, Bantam, Squirt. Level: AA, A, B, House, Selects, AE, MD. Contact: smcdougall@chehockey.com or chehockey.com LAKE PLACID, NY | DEC. 6 - 9 AMERICAN CUP. Female Divisions: Minor Peewee, Peewee, Minor Bantam, Bantam, Minor Midget, Midget. Level: AA, A, B. Contact: smcdougall@chehockey.com or chehockey.com GATINEAU, OTTAWA QC/ON | DEC. 7 - 9 OTTAWA RIVER CUP. Male Divisions: Minor Atom, Atom,Minor Peewee, Peewee, Minor Bantam, Bantam, Minor Midget, Midget, Major Midget, Squirt. Level:AA, A, B, House, Selects, Senior, Junior, AE, MD. Contact: smcdougall@chehockey.com or chehockey.com TBD, MI | DEC. 27 - 30 ONEHOCKEY GUINNESS RECORD ATTEMPT WORLD HOLIDAY INVITE. Male & Female. Divisions: Novice, Peewee, Bantam, Midget, High School, Squirt. Levels: AAA, AA, A, B, House. Contact: info@onehockey.com or onehockey.com

July 14, 2018 – HOCKEYNOW | 21

TOURNAMENT CALENDAR

HESPELER, ON | DEC. 27 - 30 52ND ANNUAL HESPELER OLYMPICS HOCKEY TOURNAMENT. Male. Divisions: Novice, Minor Atom, Atom, Minor Peewee, Peewee, Minor Bantam, Bantam, Midget, Major Midget, Squirt Levels: A, B, Selects, AE, MD Contact: info@weekendhockey.com or weekendhockey.com LAKE PLACID, NY | DEC. 27 - 30 AMERICAN CUP. Male Divisions: Minor Atom, Atom, Minor Peewee, Peewee, Bantam, Squirt. Level: AA, A, B, House, Selects, AE, MD. Contact: smcdougall@chehockey.com or chehockey.com

JANUARY 2019 LAKE PLACID, NY | JAN. 10 - 13 AMERICAN CUP. Male Divisions: Minor Atom, Atom, Minor Peewee, Peewee, Minor Bantam, Bantam, Squirt. Level: AA, A, B, House, Selects, AE, MD. Contact: smcdougall@chehockey.com or chehockey.com LAKE PLACID, NY | JAN. 17 - 20 AMERICAN CUP. Male Divisions: Minor Atom, Atom, Minor Peewee, Peewee, Minor Bantam, Bantam, Squirt. Level: AA, A, B, House, Selects, AE, MD. Contact: smcdougall@chehockey.com or chehockey.com MONTREAL, QC | JAN. 18 - 20 CANADIAN CUP. Male Divisions: Minor Atom, Atom, Minor Peewee, Peewee, Minor Bantam, Bantam, Minor Midget, Midget, Major Midget, Squirt. Level:AA, A, B, House, Selects, Senior, Junior, AE, MD. Contact: smcdougall@chehockey.com or chehockey.com CLEARWATER BEACH, FL | JAN. 18 - 21 CLEARWATER BEACH MLK INVITATIONAL HOCKEY TOURNAMENT. Male. Divisions: Minor Atom, Atom, Minor Peewee, Peewee, Minor Bantam, Bantam, Minor Midget, Midget, Major Midget, Squirt Levels: AA, A, B, Selects, AE, MD Contact: info@weekendhockey.com or weekendhockey.com BLAINE, MN | JAN. 18 - 21 ONEHOCKEY MINNEAPOLIS JANUARY 2019 TOURNAMENT 7TH MN GONE WILD. Divisions: Atom, Peewee, Bantam, Midget. Levels: AA. Contact: info@onehockey.com or onehockey.com QUEBEC CITY, QC | JAN. 25 - 27 QUEBEC CUP. Male Divisions: Minor Atom, Atom,Minor Peewee, Peewee, Minor Bantam, Bantam, Minor Midget, Midget, Major Midget, Squirt. Level:AA, A, B, House, Selects, Senior, Junior, AE, MD. Contact: smcdougall@chehockey.com or chehockey.com

FEBRUARY 2019 LAKE PLACID, NY | FEB. 7 - 10 AMERICAN CUP. Male Divisions: Novice, Minor Atom, Atom, Minor Peewee, Peewee, Minor Bantam, Bantam, Squirt. Level: AA, A, B, House, Selects, AE, MD. Contact: smcdougall@chehockey.com or chehockey.com MONTREAL, QC | FEB. 15 - 17 CANADIAN CUP. Male Divisions: Novice, Minor Atom, Atom, Minor Peewee, Peewee, Minor Bantam, Bantam, Minor Midget, Midget, Major Midget, Squirt. Level:AA, A, B, House, Selects, Senior, Junior, AE, MD. Contact: smcdougall@chehockey.com or chehockey.com RIVERSIDE, CA | FEB. 15 - 18 ONEHOCKEY CALIFORNIA FEBRUARY 2019 TOURNAMENT PRESIDENTS DAY WEEKEND. Divisions: Novice, Peewee, Bantam, Midget, High School. Levels: AA, A, B. Contact: info@onehockey.com or onehockey.com

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