EXPRESS ACQUIRE LIPPIS

Jack Lippis will wear #10 for Express - Photo courtesy of Damon James

The Coquitlam Express completed a trade with the Wenatchee Wild acquiring forward Jack Lippis (99) in exchange for future considerations.

Lippis fills the hole at centre created when captain Alex Ambrosio committed to Lake Superior State University over the Holiday break.

The Mission Viejo California native played 19 games this season in Wenatchee and had 2 goals and 5 assists for 7 points.

In 16-17, he had 5 goals and 5 assists for 10 points in 32 games with Gunnery Prep. He averaged over a point per game during the 15-16 season with the Anaheim Junior Ducks with 11 goals and 23 assists for 34 points in 32 games in the T1EHL U16 level.

Lippis will wear #10 in his debut tonight vs. Merritt.

Welcome to the Express Jack. 

EXPRESS ACQUIRE CENTS CAPTAIN KAILA

Photo courtesy of Garrett James

Head Coach and GM Barry Wolff continues the process of building the 2016-17 Express.

After adding Domenic Masellis from Penticton last week, Wednesday Wolff added more BCHL experience to the blueline by acquiring Malik Kaila (96) from the Merritt Centennials in exchange for future considerations.

The Squamish native will be a 20 year old next season and will be entering his fourth and final season in the BCHL. Kaila served as Centennials captain in 2015-16 and was also named the team’s Most Dedicated Player at the 2016 post-season awards.

He's dressed for 131 career BCHL goals with 1 goal and 19 assists for 20 career points. In 15-16 he dressed for 54 games with 8 assists. Kaila amassed 51 minutes in penalties last season and 170 in his BCHL career. He weighs in at 190lbs while standing at 6'1.

Now with the additions of Kaila and Masellis the Express have added 279 career games in BCHL experience to next years blueline in the span of just over a week.

Welcome to the Express Malik. 

EXPRESS ACQUIRE MASELLIS

Photo courtesy of Garrett James

The Coquitlam Express have added some size and experience for their blueline for next season.

They have acquired defenceman Domenic Masellis (97) from the Penticton Vees for future considerations.

The Burnaby native stands at 6'3 and weighs in 225 pounds. He will be entering his fourth BCHL season next year in 2016-17.

Masellis has 148 career BCHL games mostly played in the Lower Mainland with the Surrey Eagles and Langley Rivermen. The Vees acquired Masellis in November 2015 and in 47 games last season with Langley and Penticton he had 1 goal and 7 assists for 8 points.

In his career he has 3 goals and 13 assists for 18 points with 203 penalty minutes. He's also dressed in 20 career BCHL playoff games, making the post season in each of his first three years in the BCHL.

Welcome to the Express Domenic.

EXPRESS ACQUIRE VETERAN HELP FOR BLUELINE

The Coquitlam Express have acquired 20 year old defenseman Ryan Coghlan (95) from the Merritt Centennials in exchange for future considerations.

This season he has 2 goals and 7 assists for 9 points in 23 games with Merritt this season. The move instantly gives the Express a defenceman with 169 career games of junior hockey experience in the BCHL and WHL.

In 88 career games with the Cowichan Valley Capitals, Nanaimo Clippers and Merritt Centennials he has 5 goals and 13 assists for 18 points and 88 PIM's. He also appeared in 23 career playoff games last season with the Nanaimo Clippers where they advanced to the Fred Page Cup final.

Coghlan also has 81 career WHL games with the Saskatoon Blades and Prince Albert Raiders with 7 goals and 12 assists for 19 points and 48 PIM's.

The Nanaimo, BC native stands at 6'0 and weighs in at 215lbs.

"Coghlan will bring big game experience and a more calming influence to our defense group." - Express Head Coach and GM Barry Wolff

The Express return to action on New Years Eve when they will face Coghlan's old team the Merritt Centennials at 4pm in Merritt. They will kick off 2016 at home on Saturday night when the Express play host to the Prince George Spruce Kings. You can hear all the action on Tri City Radio CKPM FM 98.7. 

LANGE TRADED TO KINDERSLEY

The Coquitlam Express have traded Forward Daniell Lange (95) to the Kindersley Klippers (SJHL) In exchange for future considerations.

The Langley native, Lange played the last two seasons with the Express.  He dressed for 104 games with 19 goals and 15 assists for 34 points. He also dressed for 29 BCHL playoff and Western Canada cup games with two assists. He was a member of the Express 2014 Fred Page cup championship team.

The Express would like to thank Daniell for his hard work and dedication to the team over the last two seasons.  And wish him all the best in his final season of Junior hockey in Kindersley.

LUCIC TRADED TO KINGS

Prior to Friday's NHL draft in Florida the Boston Bruins traded Express alumni Milan Lucic to the Los Angeles Kings.

In return the Bruins received LA's first round pick the 13th selection that the Bruins used to draft Jakob Zboril, goaltender Martin Jones and defenseman Colin Miller. As part of the deal the Bruins will retain $2.7 million of Lucic's $6 million dollar salary.

Lucic began his junior career with the Express during the 2004-05 season. He dressed for 50 games that season scoring 9 goals and 14 assists for 23 points while adding 100 PIM's.

He was drafted by the Boston Bruins in the 2nd round 50th overall by the Boston Bruins in 2006. In 566 NHL games all with the Bruins he has 139 goals and 203 points for 342 points. He won a Stanley Cup in 2011 with the Bruins defeating his hometown Vancouver Canucks.

During the Express 2014 run to the Western Canada Cup he took the time to record this special greeting for his former junior team.

EXPRESS ACQUIRE PINCHUK

Jarrell Pinchuk

The Coquitlam Express have acquired defenseman Jarrell Pinchuk (97) from the Drumheller Dragons of the AJHL in exchange for future considerations.

The 18 year old Fort Saskatchewan Alberta native already has two seasons of AJHL experience under his belt with 3 goals and 14 assists for 17 points in 91 games the last two seasons. The 5'10 180 lbs right shot defenceman had 1G, 8A, 9PTS in 45 games last season.

Welcome to the Express Jarrell. 

EXPRESS ACQUIRE GULKA

Forward Brendan Gulka acquired by the Express Friday from Cowichan Valley. 

The Coquitlam Express have acquired 20 year old forward Brendan Gulka (94) from the Cowichan Valley Capitals in exchange for future considerations.

The 6'1, 210lb Langley native gives the Express a little more of a sand paper element to the forward group with some scoring touch. He has 46 games of BCHL experience mostly with the Langley Rivermen scoring 6 goals and 12 points and 55 PIM's. This season he has 4 goals and 6 points in 11 games. Langley did trade Brendan to Cowichan Valley earlier this season but he never reported.

Gulka is one of those players that you want to have on your team and is not fun to play against as an opponent. He should be more than a little familiar with his new teammates in his battles with the Express in recent meetings in the last 12 months.

Head Coach and GM Barry Wolff expects Brendan to make his Express debut Friday when the Express open a home and home with Surrey in Coquitlam.

EXPESS ADD GOALTENDER TAI

Christopher Tai battles Fort McMurray during last year's AJHL playoffs.

It's no surprise with the start the Express have had that changes were coming to a team with a record of 2-9-0-2 riding a six game losing streak and having allowed the most goals of any team in the BCHL with 62 in the process.

The first change came with the addition of Jivan Sidhu earlier this season. Then a few more have come with the addition of 20 year old defenceman Dustin Cave from Sherwood Park (AJHL) for future considerations over the weekend. That move giving the Express their first blue liner that has the year (94) on his birth certificate.

Now the Express have acquired goaltender Christopher Tai (95) from the Lloydminster Bobcats of the AJHL in exchange for future considerations.

The soon to be 19 year old Delta native has split time with the WHL and AJHL. He has a 5-6 record in the WHL with Medicine Hat, Brandon and Lethbridge and posted a 4.54 GAA and .867 save percentage. Most recently his WHL rights belonged to Kelowna.

Last season in Lloydminster he posted a 4-3 record in 7 games with a 2.24 GAA and .911 save percentage with one shutout. He had a nice run in the playoffs last year positing a 6-4 mark in 10 games with a 2.29 GAA and .919 save percentage with 2 shutouts.

If you want to see some of Christopher Tai's work last year Click here to be taken to the Fort McMurray Oil Barons (AJHL) Youtube page and look for game highlights between Fort McMurray and Lloydminster in last years playoffs.

Welcome to the Express Christopher.

EXPRESS ACQUIRE LAMONT

The Coquitlam Express have acquired forward Brendan Lamont (94) from the Penticton Vees in exchange for the rights to forward Michael Rebry (93).

Lamont has split this season with the Vees and the Trail Smoke Eaters where he had 7 goals and 12 assists for 19 points in 41 games.

In 156 career BCHL games with Merritt, Trail and Penticton the Langley native has 19 goals and 37 assists for 56 points.

The Express acquired Rebry's rights from Penticton on January 10th, 2013 as part of the future considerations in the trade that saw John Siemer sent to Penticton. He was attending Western Michigan University this season where he dressed for only 8 games and didn't register a point. 

STEPHENS TRADED TO SMOKE EATERS

The Coquitlam Express have traded 20 year old forward Travis Stephens (93) to the Trail Smoke Eaters in exchange for future considerations.

The Victoria B.C. native played 28 games with the Express during the 2012-13 season scoring 4 goals and 12 points. He has 20 goals and 54 points in 107 career BCHL games with the Grizzlies, Capitals, Silverbacks, Clippers and Express.

The Express would like to thank Travis for his efforts with the Express and the best of luck in Trail.