TWO MORE EXPRESS COMMITMENTS

Engbar (Left) Love (Right)

In addition to securing a commitment with Alex Kerfoot, the Express have also added Coda Engbar and Taylor Love for next season.

Coda Engbar comes to the Express from Boulder Colorado. The 19 year old scored 30 goals and 37 assists for 67 points in 74 games with the U18 Colorado Thunderbirds last season.

Head Coach Jon Calvano is pleased with what Engbar can bring to the Express, “Coda is an offensive winger with explosive speed and good grit on the wall. He brings leadership to the Express family.”

Taylor Love comes to the Express after spending part last season with Beaver Valley of the KIJHL. The 6'3 2l5lb defenceman scored 2 goals and 5 assists in just 8 games with Beaver Valley. Before coming north Love played with the Dallas Stars U18 team.

“We are excited to have Taylor join the Express as a big solid D-man that we are looking for with a lot of character” said Head Coach Jon Calvano of the 19-year-old.

The additions of Engbar and Love fills two of the eight import roster spots the Express are allowed to have.

EXPRESS SIGN KERFOOT

Very special news today for the Express as they have announced the commitment of Alex Kerfoot for next season. This gives the Express one of, if not the top recruit that every BCHL team would love to have on their team for next season.

Click to here to listen to Express Head Coach Jon Calvano.

Click to here to listen to Alex Kerfoot.

Kerfoot (94) had a fantastic season last year with the Vancouver Northwest Giants of the BC Major Midget League leading the league in scoring with 36 goals and 108 points in 38 games. His dominance last year saw Kerfoot finish 30 points clear of his nearest competitor in the scoring race which happened to be teammate Sam Reinhart. And Kerfoot finished 48 points clear of Luke Gordon of the Cariboo Cougars who finished third in BCMML scoring.

In the playoffs Kerfoot continued to pile up the points with 12 points in 5 games as the Giants went on the win the league championship that eventually carried the Giants all the way to the Telus Cup National Championships. On the National stage, Kerfoot may have been at his best. He opened the tournament with a 7 point (2G, 5A) performance in a 12-5 Northwest Giants win over the Winnipeg Thrashers. Kerfoot finished the tournament leading all skaters in scoring with 22 points in 7 games. Those numbers would earn Kerfoot Telus Cup MVP honours.

The West Vancouver native comes to the Express with some familiarity with the Express organization having played in 5 regular season games last season and dressing in game 4 of last years playoff series with the Surrey Eagles. Kerfoot is just the latest former Northwest Giant that will reconnect with former NWG Head Coach and current Express bench boss Jon Calvano.

Welcome to the Express Alex.

EXPRESS JUNIOR "A" EVALUATION CAMP

This weekend at the Burnaby Winter Club the Coquitlam Express hosted their first ever Junior "A" evaluation camp. This first time event is something different from the rookie prospect camp that the Express host at the BWC every single year.

This camp was a little different and a little more competitive with fewer bodies taking part. This weekend the Express had most of their players from their roster that are eligible to return for next year consist of one team take on some players who were invited by the Hockey Operations staff to measure how the invitees compare against some BCHL calibre talent. Players in this camp have come from all parts of North America as the Express look to not leave a stone unturned in their recruiting effrots. The team consisting of Express players also had some invitees on the team to fill the squad.

Head Coach Jon Calvano came up with the idea for the camp this weekend as he continues to work towards rebuilding the Express back to a level where they will challenge for a Fred Page Cup and hopefully back to the RBC.

This weekend was an opportunity to catch up with a few members of the Express organization and get caught up on how the off-season is progressing.

Click to here to listen to Express Head Coach Jon Calvano.

Express President and GM Darcy Rota is very supportive of this initiative. He is very much focused on his Express duties. But his attention is also very much focused on what the Vancouver Canucks are up to. The member of the 82 Canucks is hoping that the 2011 edition of can win the first cup in franchise history. But there is a little emotional confilict for Darcy with former Express Milan Lucic and the Bruins looking to take the Cup to Beantown.

I spoke with Darcy about a number of topics including this weekends camp, some of the players the Express have brought in, the changes the BCHL has made this off-season and of course the Canucks quest for the Cup.

Click to here to listen to Express GM Darcy Rota.

Clinton Atkinson and Cody Michelle were present at camp this weekend. They were acquired by the Express earlier this off-season from Salmon Arm to complete the Brad Reid trade last December. I had a chance to catch up with both of them and get their thoughts on coming to the Express for next season.

Click to here to listen to Clinton Atkinson.

Click to here to listen to Cody Michelle.

The Express have made another trade bringing in Mitch Nardi from Burlington of the OJHL in exchange for future considerations. The 1993 born forward from Hamilton Ontario put up a very respectable 16 goals and 39 points in 44 games.

Click to here to listen to Mitch Nardi.

NO LOVE FOR LUCIC

As we all know now the Vancouver Canucks will play the Boston Bruins for the Stanley Cup.

This series has plenty of great story lines entering it. You have the Canucks of course who are seeking their first holy grail since they entered the NHL in 1970. Their opponent has a drought that is almost as long as the Canucks as the Bruins are seeking their first cup since they defeated the Rangers in 1972.

One of those story lines that will get plenty of coverage throughout the series will be of Bruins star Milan Lucic who played with the Express in the 04-05 season and is a Vancouver native.

I can tell you from my perspective as someone who grew up a diehard Canuck fan that my allegiances without a doubt are pulling for the Canucks. As far as i'm concerned, Luuch is part of the enemy during this series. I personally don't care one bit about the fact that he is a former Express. It is a great story that he will get a chance to play for the cup. But when the Canucks are involved, that's where I draw the line.

I've been a Canucks supporter long before the Express were even a dream and that certainly doesn't change now that they will play for the cup up against someone I watched play as a 16 year old on Poirier Steet. And to me the Canuck colors bleed much deeper than Express colors.

Sorry Milan, I would certainly be pulling for you if you were playing for the cup against any other team.

GO CANUCKS GO!

3 EXPRESS PAST AND PRESENT TO REPRESENT CANADA

Jared Eng and Matt Hutchinson who played on the Express last season and former Express Max Grassi who had two stints with the Express from 2005-07 and 2008-09 will represent Canada at the upcoming IIHF World Inline Hockey Championships.

See more below...

The Coquitlam Express are pleased to announce that Matthew Hutchinson and Jared Eng will be representing Canada in this years IIHF World Inline Hockey Championships June 19 - 25th in Pardubice, Czech Republic.

Both Hutchinson and Eng were first year defencemen for the Express last season; Hutchinson will be returning to play for the 2011-12 season and Eng will be furthering his hockey and education at Sacred Heart University in the fall.

The Canadian Inline Hockey team is coming off a 4th place finish at the 2010 World Championships in Karlstad, Sweden, Team Canada is looking to make the step to the podium this year with several returning players and solid mix of new blood into the program.

Players are expected to cover their own travel expences which can be costly going to the Czech Republic; both Matt and Jared are looking for sponsorship to help offset the cost. A full sponsorship package may be found here.

2011 Team Canada Roster

G Brett Leggat Hamilton, Ontario
G Ewen MacPherson Sherwood Park, Alberta
D Kyle Henderson Edmonton, Alberta
D Kirk French Langley, BC
D Jared Eng North Vancouver, BC
D Matthew Hutchinson North Vancouver, BC
D/F Max Grassi North Vancouver, BC
F Dave Hammond Orange, CA
F Thomas Woods Vancouver, BC
F Kye Benjaminsen Vancouver, BC
F Jimmy Carter Victoria, BC
F Dylan Nowakowski Calgary, AB
F Josh Foote Sherwood Park, AB
F Adam Ross Red Deer, AB

You can follow Team Canada during the championships at www.niha.ca via video interviews, stories and live game updates.

BCHL BACK IN THE WACK

Most of the I's have been dotted and the T's have been crossed that will see Chilliwack return to the BCHL. The only obstacle remaining is to get approval from BC Hockey.

Something just seems right to have the city of Chilliwack in the BCHL. The ownership group that purchased the Quesnel Millionaires owns the right to the Chiefs name. It would be fitting to see the Chilliwack Chiefs name return to the BCHL. To me it wouldn't be the BCHL without the Chiefs name in the league.

At least in the short term, the team will remain in the Interior Conference for next season

See the full press release below.

May 24, 2011
For immediate release:
After going to a vote by the league board of governors, the proposed sale and relocation of the
Quesnel Millionaires Hockey Club has been unanimously accepted subject to formal approval
from BC Hockey.

Chiefs Development Group (CDG), formerly the owners of the Langley Chiefs and consisting mainly of Moray Keith and Jim Bond has purchased the franchise with the intent of moving it to Chilliwack. Longtime Chiefs head coach and general manager Harvey Smyl has agreed to an ownership position within the new group.

“I’m very happy to have the great support of the BCHL board of governors and that they’d vote unanimously to bring Chilliwack back into our league,” said board chairman Darcy Rota. “There are still some points that need to be cleared up before it’s official but we’re sure that will happen very soon.”

CDG recently sold the Langley franchise but retain the rights to the “Chiefs” nickname. Nothing has been made official yet as to a name for the relocating franchise though the last time the BCHL
had a team in Chilliwack, in the 2005-06 season, they were known as the Chiefs.

The Chilliwack team will play in the Interior Conference for the coming season and the league will be realigned after that.

Due to the late timing of the application, BC Hockey will be holding an exceptional conference call of its executive committee in order to formalize, review and approve the sale and relocation of the club.

TURRIS SEASON RECAP

The Phoenix Coyotes just posted a season ending recap interview with former Express Kyle Turris.

Check it out...

BCHL BROADCASTER OF THE YEAR

First off I would like to thank the BCHL to recognize my work and feel i'm deserving of this award. This award may have only been out for a few years, but it has been handed to guys in the past whose work for their teams I highly admire.

Secondly, I would like to thank Darcy Rota and the rest Express organization for giving me the opportunity to call their games. I wouldn't have a chance to win an award like this if it wasn't for their belief in my ability.

My involvement with the Express has opened doors to experience things I could have only dreamed of and for that i'm forever grateful.

I would like to thank Gord Doerkson for being my color commentator for the last 6 years. He always brings his passion for the game and the Express to the booth every night. He is my broadcast partner, but I consider him a friend first.

And I would like to thank my fellow broadcasters in this league. There is plenty of talent out there with every team. It is one of my favorite parts of the job meeting up and chatting with you all when our teams get together over the course of a season.

The British Columbia Hockey League is pleased to announce Coquitlam Express play-by-play broadcaster Eddie Gregory has been named the TEAM 1040 Broadcaster of the Year.

Gregory has been the voice of the Express for the past seven seasons and has been with the club in various capacities from scorekeeper to DJ since the club’s inception in 2001. He also maintains a blog called Coquitlam Expressions (http://expressvoice.blogspot.com).

This past season, the 29-year-old Vancouver native covered a young Express squad that qualified for the playoffs with a mad scramble to the finish but couldn’t get past a strong Surrey Eagles team in the opening round. In April, Gregory was in charge of media relations for Team Canada, a group of BCHL players that went to Russia for an invitational tournament and came away with a silver medal. It was an experience Gregory puts up with the 2005-06 season when he called games for the RBC Cup-winning Express team led by Kyle Turris.

“I’ve been on a couple of hockey trips over the course of my time and hockey has given me some unreal experiences,” said Gregory, who created a blog specifically for the Russia trip (http://thebchlinrussia.blogspot.com). “Going to Russia and seeing the team win second place is right up there with the trip to the RBC Cup. It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and I’d like to thank the BCHL for the chance to do it.”

Though pleased with the personal recognition, Gregory said he couldn’t have done it alone. “I’d like to thank (broadcast partner) Gord Doerkson as well; we’ve worked together for six year and this is his award too.”

The BCHL believes Gregory’s unwavering dedication to the league and coverage of the Express through various forms of media made him an ideal choice.

“He’s long been a broadcaster in the BCHL and has gone above and beyond in promoting the league and Junior A hockey,” said league executive director Dave Sales. “The award is well-deserved for Eddie.”

BCHL CHANGES FOR 11-12

The British Columbia Hockey League has announced several significant changes with regards to its schedule, playoffs and team roster rules that are aimed at improving cost efficiency and player development for member clubs. The changes come about as a result of a recent meeting of the BCHL board of governors.

With respect to playoffs, the following changes are being made:

- There will be eight teams that qualify for playoffs, four from each conference. This will accommodate the conclusion of the season being later and ensure a team is available when the Doyle Cup begins.
- There will be just three rounds of playoffs as one round is being eliminated. This is meant to promote competitiveness in opening rounds though this change is on a trial basis and will be reviewed after the end of next season.

With respect to the schedule, the following changes are being made so BCHL games are more accessible for fans and teams can trim travel costs:

- The 2011-12 season will begin later. Games will commence Sept. 23 and will conclude March 11 to coincide with the more traditional hockey season. Teams will be given an option to hold training camp starting in August as usual or push it back to September.
- The league will be going back to a half-interlock schedule that will see each team play every other team but not necessarily visit all buildings. Regional rivalry games will be given more attention.
- The BCHL office will be producing the schedule for the coming season. This will allow weekend dates to be maximized and may see occasional earlier start times on Saturdays to promote attendance by families. It will also ensure reduced travel for clubs with double-headers (i.e. playing the same opponent in their building Friday and Saturday) being incorporated.

With respect to team rosters, the following changes will be implemented for the coming season:

- Roster will be reduced to 21 players from 23 as in past years. This will promote player development and ensure more players dress for more games.
- Each team must carry at least one 16-year-old and one 17-year-old player. This is an effort to develop homegrown B.C. players as with the reduced roster size, these younger players are guaranteed to dress for games.
- An October selection of affiliate players will be held. It is not a true draft and is meant to simply introduce 15-year-old players to the BCHL and keep them on affiliate rosters for the season. At the conclusion of the season, teams will not keep rights to these players.

“We’re confident these ideas will be embraced by our member clubs as we continue to work through our strategic plan,” said league commissioner John Grisdale. “The BCHL looks forward to implementing these changes and improving the product we put on the ice next season.”