Kootenay International Junior Hockey League – Page 4

Spokane Braves withdraw from 2022/23 KIJHL season

The Spokane Braves will not participate in the 2022/23 Kootenay International Junior Hockey League season, the league has announced.

The decision comes after the Braves alerted the KIJHL that they would not be able to commit to operating by an August 1st deadline that had previously been set to determine their status.

“The Braves have been working hard over the last number of months in preparation to rejoin the KIJHL this fall and celebrate their 50th season,” says Commissioner Jeff Dubois. “The Braves’ primary challenge has been recruiting players at a time when athletes and team staff must be fully vaccinated in order to enter into Canada. Despite their best efforts, the Braves look unlikely to be able to fill a roster of players who meet that requirement, and we reached a point where a decision needed to be made as to whether our season would proceed with or without Spokane. To be clear, we fully support those measures that have been taken to keep our communities safe from COVID, and we look forward to the Spokane Braves rejoining the KIJHL as soon as they are able to do so.”

“The Spokane Braves are very disappointed that we will not be hitting the ice in September as planned,” says Braves owner Bob Tobiason. “We thank all our volunteers, sponsors and prospective players for their continued understanding and patience, and we remain committed to competing as the KIJHL’s lone American team in 2023.”

As a result of Spokane’s withdrawal, the KIJHL has made a number of adjustments to its 2022/23 regular season schedule.

The five Bill Ohlhausen Division teams that were originally scheduled to visit Spokane this season will instead play an additional road game against a Doug Birks Division opponent. For Doug Birks Division teams, these additional games will replace home games previously scheduled against the Braves. These five games are as follows:

Friday, October 28th: Kelowna Chiefs at Revelstoke Grizzlies
Saturday, October 29th: Princeton Posse at Sicamous Eagles
Friday, December 9th: Osoyoos Coyotes at Chase Heat
Saturday, December 10th: North Okanagan Knights at 100 Mile House Wranglers
Saturday December 17th: Summerland Steam at Kamloops Storm

The five Eddie Mountain Division teams that were scheduled to play two games each against Spokane will instead make up those games against divisional opponents. These five games are as follows:

Tuesday, January 10th: Fernie Ghostriders at Creston Valley Thunder Cats
Tuesday, January 31st: Creston Valley Thunder Cats at Kimberley Dynamiters
Sunday, February 5th: Kimberley Dynamiters at Golden Rockets
To Be Announced: Columbia Valley Rockies at Fernie Ghostriders
To Be Announced: Golden Rockets at Columbia Valley Rockies

Two additional games between Eddie Mountain Division and Neil Murdoch Division opponents have been rescheduled:

Friday, November 4th: Golden Rockets at Beaver Valley Nitehawks (previously scheduled for Sunday, Nov. 6th)
Friday, November 18th: Columbia Valley Rockies at Castlegar Rebels (previously scheduled for Sunday, Nov. 20th)

The four remaining Neil Murdoch Division teams — the Beaver Valley Nitehawks, Castlegar Rebels, Grand Forks Border Bruins and Nelson Leafs — will make up their six cancelled games against Spokane by playing two additional games (one home and one away) against each divisional opponents. These games have been added to the KIJHL master schedule, which can be viewed here.

Adjustments to the Kootenay Conference playoff format will be announced at a later date.

*Dallas Calvin, middle, joined the the BCHL’s Trail Smoke Eaters as an Assistant Coach last season. Jennifer Small photo*

Dallas Calvin’s first season as an assistant coach with the BCHL’s Trail Smoke Eaters resulted in a lot of learning.

The Beaver Valley Nitehawks alum began coaching when his playing career ended in 2018-19, joining the BCIHL’s Selkirk Saints the following year as an assistant coach for a season. He has also coached in minor hockey, which he was already committed to last season when the opportunity to join the Smoke Eaters presented itself.

“It’s always been in the back of my mind to move up and coach at a higher level. I got the opportunity late in August and it’s kind of one I couldn’t turn down,” said Calvin, a Trail native, who put up 273 points in 165 KIJHL regular season games. “Just the opportunity to be at that level and learn from experienced coaches and around some higher-end players was an easy decision for me.”

It was a good first year that was “a lot of fun”, but he also admitted it was a big adjustment from playing as he just completed his third season as a coach. Calvin hoped for more success for the Smoke Eaters, who handed the Penticton Vees their lone loss during the BCHL playoffs en route to a Fred Page Cup championship. Injuries impacted the Smoke Eaters but Calvin says they are building for the coming season.

Calvin, who also played four years in the BCIHL with the Selkirk Saints and Vancouver Island University, said having playing experience is huge as a coach.

“It’s a different perspective for even the players on the team. Having a guy that has been around it recently and able to transfer some of that knowledge helps those guys grow and get better,” he said. “It was a good opportunity for me to learn a lot about coaching as well. It’s a completely different side of the game than playing is.”

Calvin has a level of respect from the players because of his experience and is able to connect with them. During practice, he works with the forwards on specific drills and the power-play. He also helps mentor players what it’s like living away from home and getting through the grind of a season.

Calvin felt he performed well in his role.

“I have a ton to learn,” said Calvin, who leans on Smoke Eaters Head Coach & GM Tim Fragle and Associate Coach Dustin Korlak.

He has other mentors that he talks to, including his former Nitehawks Head Coach Terry Jones, who he speaks to often. Calvin, who won a KIJHL and Western Canadian Championship with Beaver Valley, has learned what it is like on the other side and said as a player “you don’t realize the amount of work that goes into it.”

“There are long hours and scouting to find players,” he said. “There is so much that goes into building a team and helping players progress. It was an eye-opener.”

Source: KIJHL