The Victoria Grizzlies picked up a hometown goaltender and added a veteran presence to their blueline Tuesday thanks to a series of deals.
The Grizzlies first dealt team captain Zach Urban to the Fort McMurray Oil Barons of the Alberta Junior Hockey League in exchange for defenceman Chris Rygus. Grizzlies GM and head coach Bill Bestwick then flipped Rygus to the Coquitlam Express for Victoria native Nic Renyard. Renyard, who played his midget hockey for the South Island Thunderbirds (now Royals), spent last season with the Penticton Vees backing up starter Chad Katunar. The Express picked up the 18-year-old Renyard as futures in the deal that saw John Siemer go to Penticton. Renyard appeared in 20 games for the Vees, going 6-8 with a 2.23 goals-against average ad .919 save percentage.
鈥淣ic has been a No. 1 priority this off-season and to bring him back to Victoria is great news for our team and fans of the Grizzlies,鈥� Bestwick said in a statement.
To make room for Renyard, the Grizzlies sent netminder Michael Stiliadis back to his home province of Ontario. Stiliadis was shipped to the Georgetown Raiders for 6-foot-2, 19-year-old defenceman Alex Adams.
鈥淲ith losing our captain it was imperative we secured a strong veteran presence on the blueline and we鈥檝e done that with this move for Adams,鈥� said Bestwick, whose club will open training camp on Aug. 19.
In other sa国际传媒 Hockey League news, the Grizzlies found out Tuesday who they will open the 2013-14 season against.
The second annual Bauer BCHL Showcase will go Sept. 6-8 at Chilliwack鈥檚 Prospera Place with each team playing its first two regular season games over that weekend.
The Grizzlies will open the event against the Vees at 3:30 p.m. on Sept. 6. They鈥檒l face another Interior Conference team in their second game when they go up against the Salmon Arm Sliverbacks at noon on Sept. 7.
The Nanaimo Clippers will face the West Kelowna Warriors on Sept. 7 and Prince George Spruce Kings on Sept. 8. The Alberni Valley Bulldogs have drawn the Vees on Sept. 7 and the Express on Sept. 8, while the Cowichan Valley Capitals will go up against the Spruce Kings on Sept. 7 and the Trail Smoke Eaters on Sept. 8.
Twitter.com/tc_vicsports
