The 100 Mile House Wranglers of the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League (KIJHL) have announced five new members of the 2019-20 season after their tryout and showcase camp (held from July 19 to 21) on July 29.
“Our hockey club hopes to sign at least seven players from this camp and perhaps more due to having a few more continue their tryouts with us at our main camp on Aug. 29 and 30,” said Dale Hladun, general manager and head coach.
The five players are Quinn Mulder, Carson Olson, Caelen Armstrong, Garrett Hunter and Raeyden Beauchamp.
Two of them are forwards, one is a goalie and the remaining two are defenceman.
Mulder, a forward from Terrace, was an affiliate player with the Wranglers last year. He only appeared in two games.
“He played very well during our games in our KIJHL showcase held in Kamloops last December,” said Hladun about the 18-year-old. “Quinn is a big forward with a very high skill set.”
Another kid from Terrace joining the team is Olson, a defenceman.
Hladun described him as a gritty, competitive player with strong skating skills and can confidently handle and move the puck.
Armstrong is a 6’5″ goalie from White City, Sask. Born in 2001, Armstrong played most of his young career for the Prairie Storm Midgets team but played one game for the Pilot Butte Storm in the Prairie Junior Hockey League (PJHL). The PJHL is a Junior ‘B’ league in Saskatchewan.
“Caelan will be an excellent prospect for Jr. A clubs after a season of development in our program,” said Hladun.
Hunter, another defenceman, and also 6’5″, comes from Parksville, B.C. Hladun said he has a good stick in the defending zone, strong skating skills and very competitive in battles. Hladun has already said Hunter will be a key player for the team. The 18-year-old defenceman has been developing his hockey skills at the Athol Murray College of Notre Dame in Wilcox, Sask. The school fields two male ‘AAA’ teams (Hounds and Argos) in the Saskatchewan Midget AAA League, in addition to the Notre Dame Hounds Junior A Club in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League. The school has had several alumni play in the NHL, including Sean Couturier, Jordan Eberle, Curtis Joseph, Rod Brind’Amour, and Wendal Clark.
Beauchamp should be a familiar face, hailing from Williams Lake and making some appearances for the Wranglers last season as an affiliate player. He appeared in three regular-season games last year, registering two penalty minutes and one playoff game, getting an assist and also two penalty minutes.
Hladun said he’s a big hitter who can score and described him as a “big winner.”
“We will be announcing some more commitments including new players as well as returning veterans,” said Hladun about the upcoming weeks.
