Welcome to the November 9, 2018 edition of Around the BCHL.
If you didn’t see earlier in the week, the league has finally posted some all-time stats at bchl.ca
The lack of historical stats has driven me nuts over the 15 years I’ve covered the BCHL, and this is a step in the right direction.
It might be as far as it can go. I’m guessing game sheets from years past have been lost or destroyed, making it impossible to accurately piece together every record that I would want to see.
Still, some of the records that can now be viewed are eye-popping, particularly the scoring stats from yesteryear.
Brett Hull scoring 105 goals in a single season in 1983-84 = absurd.
Especially considering that that’s 21 more than the second guy on that list, ex-Nanaimo Clipper John Newberry (84).
Pretty good foreshadowing on what was to come for Hull.
Further down the list is a real beauty.
Joe Murphy and Ken Stroud jointly hold the record for points in a game with 12. Murphy’s mark, set when he played with the Penticton Knights, included seven goals, which is nuts.
How about Craig Frankford’s 542 penalty minutes in 1986-87. I can’t even imagine.
Dave ‘The Hammer’ Schultz holds the NHL single-season mark of 472, and the guy behind him, Paul Baxter, had 409.
So what was Frankford doing to eclipse those guys in what was probably a much shorter junior A season? Must have been misconducts for days.
Anyhow, the page is well worth a scroll-through and can be found at bchl.ca/all-time-stats
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Fun news out of Vernon as 19 year old forward Sebastian Streu gets ready to play in the 2019 IIHF World Junior U-20 Championship.
While he’s spent much his life in Manitoba, Streu was born in Neuwied, Germany and has spent plenty of time playing hockey in Europe.
Prior to joining the Western Hockey League’s Kootenay Ice last season, the forward had spent four season with various Swiss teams and played for Germany’s U-18 team in 2016-17.
Streu has three goals and five points in seven games with the Vipers this season and will join the German juniors at a prep camp Nov. 29 in Fussen.
“This is a great honour for Sebastian and our organization,” Vernon head coach and general manager Mark Ferner said in a news release. “We’re extremely proud of him for this accomplishment and it is extremely well deserved.”
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It’s Movember, which means all sorts of creative efforts to help raise awareness about men’s health issues.
The Salmon Arm Silverbacks are getting involved with a special jersey.
Take a look.
BREAKING: @CanadianTire Salmon Arm has pledged to donate $50.00 for every goal the Silverbacks score this month! Great community supporters in @SalmonArmBC!
DONATE: https://t.co/hmHJeGPKeQ pic.twitter.com/BNKZULQavd
— Salmon Arm Silverbacks (@SASilverbacks) November 6, 2018
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Sticking with Movember, here’s Merritt Centennials broadcaster Jared Thomas being super committed to the cause.
You’re a better man than I.
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A loaded Merritt offence gets another weapon as the Centennials add Minnesota native Payton Matsui to the lineup.
The 18 year old Minnesota-born forward joins the Cents this weekend after starting the season with the USHL’s Central Illinois Flying Aces. He had two goals in 13 outings, but his prior production hints at huge offensive upside.
Skating at St. Thomas Academy last season, Matsui posted 26 goals and 54 points in 25 games.
Only the Victoria Grizzlies, with 87 goals, have scored more than the high-flying Centennials (87), so Matsui makes a storng group stroger. But Merritt has also coughed up 81 goals against, a total only topped (bottomed?) by the Surrey Eagles (100) and Trail (83).
“He’s another piece that makes us a bit deeper at two ends of the rink,” said Merritt head coach/general manager Joe Martin in a team news release. “I know that he’s a guy that will be able to add some offense, but he’s not coming just for that.”
Eric Welsh is the sports editor at the Chilliwack Progress and has been covering junior A hockey in B.C. and Alberta since 2003.
Email eric.welsh@theprogress.com
