The chase for the regular-season championship Andy Hebenton Trophy, named after the former NHL Ironman record holder with the New York Rangers and Victoria pro-hockey great, begins tonight in the Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League.
On an individual level, the top players will be vying for the 2023-24 Jamie Benn MVP Award, named after the Dallas Stars captain, Olympic gold medallist and VIJHL alumnus, and the Clayton Stoner Award as best defenceman, named after the former NHL blue-liner from Port McNeill.
But Benn and Stoner skated under the Junior B designation when they played in the VIJHL. That’s in the past now as the VIJHL has moved to the Junior A Tier II classification this season.
“You are not going to notice a difference because the decision came too late in the summer to have much of an impact for this season, because recruiting was almost done, but it will have an impact in future seasons,” said Panthers owner Pete Zubersky.
It is all part of the ripple effect caused by the former Junior A B.C. Hockey League leaving Hockey Canada to go independent beginning this season.
“It’s no big deal, yet,” said VIJHL Victoria Cougars GM and head coach Chris Lynn, agreeing that the biggest changes could be felt in future seasons.
The Junior A designation will allow the VIJHL to chase a more diverse player pool from across the country. That holds true also for the Pacific Junior Hockey League and Kootenay International Junior Hockey League, which are also moving up from Junior B to Junior A. The three B.C. leagues are starting out in Junior A Tier II this season with the option expected in future seasons for the top VIJHL, PJHL and KIJHL clubs to move to Junior A Tier I status.
The Oceanside Generals begin defence of the Andy Hebenton Trophy tonight at Juan de Fuca Arena against the host Westshore Wolves. The Saanich Predators open against the host Cougars on Thursday night at Archie Browning Centre while the Port Alberni Bombers are at the Nanaimo Ice Centre to meet the Buccaneers.
Opening week concludes with a busy slate Friday with the Kerry Park Islanders at Pearkes Arena to face the Predators, the Comox Valley Glacier Kings visiting Rod Brind’Amour Arena to play the Campbell River Storm, the Wolves at Panorama Recreation Centre to play Peninsula, and Port Alberni at Lake Cowichan to meet the Kraken.
Saanich took Oceanside to six games in the league final last spring and will be looking to take that next step this season. The Saanich franchise has featured the likes of future NHLers Adam Cracknell and Matt Irwin when known as the Braves. Saanich ended a 22-year drought in 2018 by making the VIJHL final for the first time since 1996 but lost in seven games to Campbell River. Head coach Cody Carlson brought Saanich to within hailing distance last season against Oceanside in his first full year with the Predators.
“Losing in Game 6 of a final is never fun. But it’s something we will not forget,” said Carlson.
“We saw what it takes to win a championship.”
Carlson has been around and brings a wealth of experience to the Predators bench following a WHL playing career with the Medicine Hat Tigers, Regina Pats and Prince George Cougars and nine seasons of pro hockey in the ECHL with the Gwinnett/Atlanta Gladiators, San Francisco Bulls, Utah Grizzlies, Cincinnati Cyclones, Peiting EC of the German Oberliga, Strasbourg in France and the Braehead Clan and Dundee Stars of the British Premiership EIHL.
“We are building a winning culture. Saanich does not want to be the underdog anymore,” said Carlson. “It’s all about the details and our system and our team-first approach,” added Carlson, who has named forward Jack Westhaver as his captain.
The Predators will open Thursday at Archie Browning against a Cougars team looking to recapture its glory days.
“The South Division is going to be really competitive. There are no soft spots in the division,” said Cougars bench-boss and GM Lynn, who has named Ethan Roworth as returning captain.
Oceanside, coached by former Cowichan Valley Capitals BCHL defenceman Dan Lemmon, had the winningest regular-season Junior B record in the province last year in winning the Andy Hebenton Trophy at a franchise-record 41-3-4 before also capturing the playoff crown for its first VIJHL championship since 2009.
The Generals, who placed third at the 2023 Fred Cyclone Taylor Cup B.C. Junior B championship tournament, return a decent core of veterans from the VIJHL championship team, but 2022-23 VIJHL goaltending MVP Matthew Hutchison is moving up to the major-junior WHL with the Vancouver Giants.
The Generals’ 2022-23 rookie star Dante Paziuk will be looking to continue his career trajectory as a sophomore and as one of the players to watch this VIJHL season.
