New Grizzlies Website

Another wonderful element to a franchise that's really showing under it's new leadership, the improvement in its business model, has given the Grizzlies a very impressive/informative new website.
Nice design, imformative template(it just needs the correct twitter account added) should add to the upcoming season's experience.

Here is the link to the new site: http://www.victoriagrizzlies.com/leagues/front_pageVicGrizzlies.cfm?clientID=5363&leagueID=20506

Victoria 4 Nanaimo 1 Aug 28,2012 @Sooke arena

With both teams dressing rosters heavy with veteran players it was our first look at most of the new Grizzlies players. The Grizzlies defeated the Clippers 4-1 in the annual preseason game played at Sooke arena.
The Grizzlies opened the scoring when Dante Hahn made a sweet cross-crease feed to Garrett Skrbich who had a gaping net and made no mistake. The Clippers ties the game on a nice tip in front of the net by veteran Kyle Kramer. The Grizz made it 2-1 when the Fitzgerald triplets teamed up with Myles and Leo setting up Gerry for the goal. The game then turned a bit nasty when a scuffle broke out in the corner involving all 10 skaters on the ice, Turner Lawson was pulled out of the pile by Mitchell from Nanaimo but Lawson easily won the fight that ensued landing several solid shots with both hands. The Grizz ended up with a 5 on 3 powerplay after the skirmish and they proceeded to make it 3-1 when Dante Hahn pounced on a rebound from a DJ Jones point shot. The only goal of the second period come on a top-shelf wristshot from Brett Hartskamp to make it 4-1 Grizz. The Grizz get back at it August 29th in Alberni Valley.

Game thoughts: Several good debuts for some of the new Grizz among them the Fitzgerald triplets who showed high-level skill and chemistry, Dante Hahn who showed a good skillset and DJ Jones who contributed to the offense from the backend. Turner Lawson, Justin Coachman and David Walchuk all dropped the gloves as the Grizz didn't back down from Nanaimo. Brady Rouleau didn't allow a goal in his Grizz debut, while Micheal Stiliadis also was sharp allowing only the 1 goal in his 30 minutes of crease duty.

Happy 18th Birthday to David Walchuk

Big Happy 18th Birthday to David Walchuk.
The Grizz Roar blog wishes David, a great day with his family and looks forward to seeing him in a action very soon.
Due to injuries last year, Walchuk's playing time was limited to 19 games, however, he gave Grizzlies fans a taste of what he can do as a smart hockey player, who doesn't shy away from anyone on the ice.

David Walchuk

BCHL rule changes for the 2012/13 season

As circulated by the BCHL:

New BCHL Rule Changes for 2012-2013

 

1. No Change Icing

 No line change will be permitted for the offending team icing the puck.  The offending team will not be permitted make a line change even if they call their 30 second time out (this includes the Sponsor Time Out).  The non offending team will be permitted to make a line change within the five second time limit allowed during the referee’s normal line change procedure.

 

2. Puck Shot Out of Bounds

 No line change will be permitted for the offending team of a player who shoots the puck directly out of the playing surface over the glass while in his own defensive end zone.  It will be the position of the puck that determines what zone the puck was shot from. For example a player can have his skates in the neutral zone and the puck can be shot from his defensive zone or visa versa.

 This rule does not appy if the puck leaves the playing surface after deflecting off another player (attacking or defending) or deflects off the glass or if the puck leaves the playing surface where there is no glass (i.e. into the players’ bench).  If the puck leaves the playing surface at the bench area and clears the glass behind the bench the rule shall apply and no line change shall be permitted.

 If a goaltender shoots the puck over the glass it is still an automatic minor penalty for Delay of Game under Rule 10.1(a) of the Hockey Canada Rule Book. In this case the team will be allowed to make a line change because it affects the numerical on-ice strength of that team.

 

3.  Icing the Puck

 This is a new Hockey Canada rule for Junior/Senior hockey relating to the goaltender leaving his crease during an icing. The rule states that if a goaltender leaves his crease to potentially play the puck but then intentionally does not play the puck then the icing is to be waved off. If a goaltender causes significant interference on a player attempting to play the puck on an icing then a minor penalty is to be assessed.

 The basic reasoning behind this rule is to prevent a goalie from making an attacking player let up on chasing a puck during an icing because the goalie appears he is going to play the puck, but then lets the puck continue for icing.

 It does not mean that a goalie can’t leave his crease or move during an icing, just that he can’t make an attacking player believe he is going to play the puck then still allow the puck to continue over the goal line for an icing call.

Happy 19th Birthday to the Fitzgerald Triplets!

Happy 19th Birthday, to Myles, Leo, Gerry and all the Fitzgerald family. I know it's preseason, but, hopefully you guys have a couple of beers each and enjoy yourself.

Have a great Birthday guys!!!!

Victoria Grizzlies Magazine Article by Mike Mellings

Here is Mike Mellings very well written/informative article for the start of the Grizzlies new season!!!

Whats Up Magazine Article

 

BIG CHANGES AFOOT FOR THE VICTORIA GRIZZLIES. By Mike Mellings.

 

Mike Mellings

 

Huge changes have been happening within our Victoria Grizzlies Organization! In June there were very few details known about what a massive restructuring was to take place! Our hockey club has been purchased by a newly formed company, Vancouver Island Sports and Entertainment whose president is Mr. Ron Walchuk. Ron comes to us with a wealth of business know-how and a strong wish to have the Victoria Grizzlies return to their former excellence and be contenders for a BCHL championship soon,. Ron spared no time in hiring one of the best known coaches in the British Columbia Hockey Association, Biill Bestwick, as head coach and General Manager. Bestwick is well known in hockey circles as the former no-nonsense coach of the Nanaimo Clippers. Bestwick is well liked by players whom he has coached previously and has managed to persuade several of them to join the Grizzlies family. Bestwick then arranged to hire an assistant coach and G.M., Craig Didmon, who most of the Westshore hockey fans and players and parents know well already.

 The new front office has been busy making trades and finalizing the team’s roster. The Grizzlies acquired a pair of defencemen from the reigning RBC cup champion Penticton Vees in Zach Urban and DJ Jones. The 6’3” 185lb Urban was then named as the team’s captain. Urban and Jones are by all accounts solid two-way defense men who along with recently acquired starting goaltender Brady Rouleau should help the team improve on last season's dismal end. Rouleau who was acquired from West Kelowna posted a solid 2.81 GAA and a .905 SV%. That trio along with the returning Stefan Gonzales and Nolan De Jong should give the Grizzlies a good core in the defensive end. De Jong is looking forward to playing for new coach Bestwick, “The biggest thing I’m looking forward to is the structure. He definitely knows how he wants to run his team and that’s the way it’s going to be and if you’re not going to follow that you’re not going to play. I’m very excited for this season”, said De Jong.

The additions to the roster didn’t stop on the backend as Bestwick added four forwards that he coached in Nanaimo in Brett Hartskamp and the Fitzgerald triplets, Myles, Gerry and Leo. Hartskamp scored 11 goals and 21 points in 44 games last season and the triplets who put up a combined 52 goals and 113 points last season bring a lot of speed and a lot of heart to the team and should help the team get up to speed with Bestwick’s coaching style. Those four along with returnees Chase Kaiser, Myles Powell, David Walchuk and Mark McLellan and new recruit Dante Hahn will be expected to provide some offense for the Grizzlies. Other acquisitions for the Grizzlies include new defence recruits Eben Norman and Mitchell Meek and forward Garrett Skrbich who was acquired in the Rouleau trade.

The Grizzlies begin training camp on August 20th and will have their first exhibition game on August 24th. at Bear Mountain Arena in Colwood at 7.00 pm. The Grizzlies will have their second exhibition game at the Sooke arena on August 28 at 7.15 pm. And this will just be the kick-off of what is expected to be a very exciting season of hockey. Come out to some of the games and watch our 'new look' Grizzlies. Bets are that this is going to be awesome hockey to watch! Ticket info is available at 250 385-1555.

 

 For the best up to date Grizzlies action on twitter, catch Mike Mellings, Offical Victoria Grizzlies tweets at:

twitter.com/VicGrizzhockey

 

Grizzlie connections at WHL Camps!

After browsing the WHL team camp rosters, a couple of Grizzlie connections really stood out:

CJ Lillies

CJ. Lillies, a right winger who played 31 games for the Grizzlies last season scoring 5 points is currently at the Vancouver Giants camp.
Lilles, who I believed pick up an injury just before the start of last season, was an AP player for the Grizzlies for most of the season, but, after New Year became a regular in the line up.
Lilles, a forward with size and skill showed flashes of the type of player he could become given a full season.
At 18, Lilles could still become an impact player, weather it be at the Major Junior or the Junior A level.


Stats from www.elitepropects.com.

Season                 Team                               League        GP G A Pts PIM

2010-11	Osoyoos Coyotes	KIJHL	10	1	6	7	27		|
	Princeton Posse	KIJHL	32	4	5	9	6		|	Playoffs	4	0	0	0	12
2011-12	Princeton Posse	KIJHL	8	1	1	2	11		|
	Victoria Grizzlies	BCHL	31	2	3	5	16

Zach McPhee

Zach McPhee, who's rights where acquired from the Vernon Vipers in the Sean Roberson trade, is back with the Everett Silvertips at this point. McPhee, has played the better part of the last two seasons with the 'Tips', although he did spend some time on the DL last year.

19 yr old McPhee, a forward who spent the 2010/11 season with the Vipers, saw action in the RBC  Cup for Vernon that season:

Stats from www.elitepropects.com.

Season                    Team                          League      GP G A  Pts  PIM

2010-11	Tri-City Americans	WHL	8	1	0	1	2		|
	Vernon Vipers	BCHL	24	3	1	4	12		|	Playoffs	10	0	0	0	10
	Everett Silvertips	WHL	4	0	0	0	0	0	|
2011-12	Everett Silvertips	WHL	34	5	5	10	28