Welcome to the September 14, 2018 edition of Around the BCHL, a (near) daily look at what鈥檚 going on around the league and the junior A world.
We start this morning with the Coquitlam Express and Twitter headaches.
If you bounce around several BCHL team accounts like I do, you鈥檒l have noticed that @BCHLExpress has been down for the count recently.
Rather than me trying to explain why, here鈥檚 the Express releasing a statement this week.
鈥淭he Coquitlam Express official Twitter account (@BCHLExpress) has been temporarily shut down by Twitter. In the process of getting the account verified, Twitter鈥檚 services incorrectly determined that the account, at its time of creation in 2010, was done so by a person under the age of 13. We were unable to explain to Twitter that the account is not a personal, but rather a business account that has been administered by many different Express volunteers and employees over the years. Twitter鈥檚 support has told us the account will be reinstated eventually, but we have been kept in the dark about when this may be.鈥�
The explanation does leave me wondering, was it created by someone under the age of 13? Might be that in 2010 that was the only person with the expertise to do it.
In the meantime, the team has created a somewhat awkward temporary account at @CqtlmExpress.
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The Wenatchee Wild added a player yesterday, acquiring the rights to 20 year old forward Blake Bargar from the Alberta Junior Hockey League鈥檚 Brooks Bandits in exchange for future consideration.
Barger has spent the last four seasons as a full-time player in the Western Hockey League.
In 255 regular season and playoff games with the Moose Jaw Warriors, Victoria Royals and Seattle Thunderbirds, the California native has 19 goals, 42 points and 176 penalty minutes.
He can throw 鈥榚m.
It鈥檚 always assumed that a forward coming from a higher level to a lower level will light it up, but there鈥檚 no guarantee that players coming down from the WHL become impact guys. That truth was reinforced for me last season when Jason Tatarnic imported a bunch of major juniors for Chilliwack鈥檚 RBC Cup run.
Bryan Allbee, Kyle Yewchuk and Adam Berg were solid contributors. Ryan Bowen was okay. Jordan Roy was good for seven games before deciding junior A hockey wasn鈥檛 his thing. Allbee was the closest thing to a home run while the rest fell in the double (Berg/Yewchuk), single (Bowen) or strikeout (Roy) category.
Wenatchee will be hoping that Blake Bargar is more BB Gun than BB Gone.
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Sticking with the Wild. This is a team that is very active and creative with its social media content, which is why they find their way into this column a lot.
When I鈥檓 looking for something to write about, @WenatcheeWild1 is usually a good place to start.
Case in point, the post the team released on Tuesday for National Video Game Day, which is a thing. Teenagers, they know all about the games, am I right? I like Jacob Modry鈥檚 tip to throw Bomb Bird at the base of the structure in Angry Birds.
You totally know what I鈥檓 talking about right?
Josh Arnold provides some solid insight for playing NHL 18, but sadly no one is throwing out any tips for the all-time best video hockey game.
Any time these kids want to find an operating picture-tube TV, a working RF cord and a functional Nintendo console, I will mop the floor with them in Blades of Steel!
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The Nanaimo Clippers held their annual rookie dinner this week and posted photographed proof on the team鈥檚 Twitter account.
All I can say about this is at least one of those outfits is very disturbing.
Rookies with the Clippers held their customary Rookies Dinner, where they all dress up.
鈥� Nanaimo Clippers (@ClippersHockey)
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If you鈥檙e not following the Twitter account of Chilliwack Chiefs trainer Brian Patafie, it鈥檚 @bpatafie and you need to do that now.
This is a guy who has worked on National Hockey League benches and written two books (Ice it Down and Hockey Purgatory) about his experiences in the game.
His Chiefs are heading out to Langley tonight and Patafie dropped this little gem on Twitter.
When the go on the road we pack everything including the kitchen sink
鈥� Brian Patafie (@bpatafie)
Colton Kitchen. Marcus Tesink. Nice.
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The Merritt Centennials have tweaked their jerseys a bit for this season.
Eric Welsh is the sports editor at the Chilliwack Progress and has been covering junior A hockey in B.C. and Alberta since 2003.
Email eric.welsh@theprogress.com
