BCHP Livewire

Fraser River Free Press

GM Kevin Chow, cheater or genius? Dustin Byfuglien, power forward or defenseman. Yes those are the questions being asked around the BCHP these days. BCHP insiders will tell you that this whole controversy was started a few months ago during the 2008 waver draft. When it was time for the Firestorm to make their selection, Mr Chow proudly stood up and announced that he would be drafting “defenseman” Dustin Byfuglien. However no one had any idea that the “big man” had just played his last game as a rearguard. Instead the sneaky Chow moved Byfuglien up front where he continues to rack up points at the pace of a power forward all the while remaining on the Firestorm roster as a D-man!
The bigger question might be, will Mr Chow step up and address this issue or will the BCHP have to step in and address it for him? Only time will tell.

Comments heard around the league:

Chiefs GM Jones: “the guys a snake, he slithers lower than a car salesman”

Typhoon GM Gagnon: “hmmm……..can he play goal?”

Steelheaders GM Anderson: “What’s a Byfuglien?”

X-Men GM Derouin: ” that little #*@$! we should @!@#$#@# on his @$#@!!!”

Rats GM: Tapanila “the Rats would like to welcome our new d-man …..Jaromir Jagr”

Headhunters GM Horne: “doesn’t matter…….my team still sucks!”

Editors note: GM Engleson could not be reached for comment due to his extended stay in the Barkerville drunk tank.

Dustin Byfuglien will continue to see time at forward for the Firestorm.
The defenseman turned winger has impressed coach Denis Savard more playing forward than he has playing on the blueline this season. Andrei Zyuzin, who has been in and out of the Firestorm lineup this campaign has taken Byfuglien’s spot on the back end. Source: Chicago Sun-Times

The Vernon Headhunters have just completed two separate deals in a rather busy few days in the BCHP. Vernon GM Rick Horne has unloaded Rod Brindamour to the Tumbler Ridge Typhoon in exchange for future power forward Martin Hanzal, and the Typhoon’s 1st round waiver selection this year. Also coming to Vernon is “slow out of the gate” d-man Paul Mara in exchange for the ‘hunters 5th pick in 2008.

In another deal today, Vernon dealt d-man Roman Hamrlik and their 9th pick in 2008 to rival expansion franchise Victoria barons for Alexei Zhitnik, Joe Pavelski, Carlo Colaiacovo and their 3rd pick in 2008.

When questioned by the media in downtown Vernon today about trading Brinds, GM Horne stated “this is a step our franchise has taken to start the building process, with a couple of highly coveted picks. Rod is obviously a penultimate captain a franchise aspires to have. Our future doesn’t include him, which is tough to say. We hope he does well in Tumbler Ridge”.

When asked further questions by the local media, Horne briskly headed to his office….”there’s much more work to do over the next bit here. We’re not done yet!”.

Early this morning from the offices of the Bella Coola Thunderbirds, a trade announcement was made. It was the 4th trade for the T-birds in a two day span. Clearly the management of the most successful coastal franchise in BCHP history is unhappy with the start the big birds have had. Picked by many to jump out and lead the the league this season, the Thunderbirds have seemed content to watch as other franchises grab headlines. No longer.

The Bella Coola Thunderbirds have added veteran sniper and character forward Daniel Alfredsson to their starting six. Alex Frolov and Sammy Gagner will compensate the Tumbler Ridge organization for the loss of Alfredsson. The Typhoon also gave up their #2 pick in the BCHP 2008 Entry Draft, in exchange for the Bella Coola #6 pick. In front of a small gathering in Bella Coola, in the early hours of Monday morning, a disheveled Blake Defieux commented on the recent acquisition. “This is a move we are really pleased with. It’s not every team that gets to add this type of player. I can tell you right now that Daniel Alfredsson is going to come in here and provide the type of leadership that seems, frankly, to have been lacking on our young team.”

Reached by phone in Tumbler Ridge, Gavin Gagnon seemed equally happy with the return on his former Assistant Captain. “Alex Frolov is a pure talent. He’s signed long-term, and he will fit in here very, very well. Sam Gagner is the key piece here, and it was very tough to get him included. We were not going to make this trade without him coming our way. We see him as one of the best 18 year old players in the world, and more than that - he’s a real character kid. He’ll be here for the long-term.”

With the moves that have been made in Bella Coola over the weekend, the Thunderbirds have brought in a defenseman who currently sits in the top 7 of the entire league in Cory Murphy, and a forward who should be a leader on and off the ice. By adding picks as well as players the T-birds still have assets in the bank, and may not be done tinkering yet.

The Barkerville Goldpanners and Tumbler Ridge Typhoon have pulled off yet another blockbuster deal. Going to the Typhoon is goaltender Dany Sabourin in exchange for a Typhoon 7th round pick. “Yes, we (Goldpanners) felt that the team needed to change our direction in our goaltending department and Dany wasn’t quite fitting the bill we needed him to do,” commented Engleson. There is no question Sabourin was brought in to help save this franchise but has yet to live up to his potential. “Knowing what happens to goalies up in Tumbler, I am sure Dany will fit in just fine.”

Early Saturday morning while the rest of the BCHP was sleeping, Barkerville Goldpanners GM Craig Engleson and Chetwynd Chiefs GM Craig Jones were hammering out a deal. Going to Chetwynd is promising young defenseman Jack Johnson, Alexander Semin and Johnaton Filewich in exchange for Lubomir Visnovsky and a Chiefs 6th round pick. “It was very difficult to get rid of Johnson,” claimed Engleson, “but to acquire the services of such a talented star in Visnovsky, we had to take the chance.” There is no question now that if Scott Niedermayer decides to come back and play, the Goldpanners could boast the most potent defensive core in the league. “We are not there yet, but our team is better today than it was yesterday and we are going to do everything in our power to compete this year,” stated Engleson at his weekly press conference.

In what took well over a month to finalize, the Barkerville Goldpanners and Tumbler Ridge Typhoon have completed a trade. Going to Barkerville is superstar forward Niklas Backstrom, Nathan Paetsch and a 5th round pick in exchange for goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury and rising star Kyle Turris. “Am I happy about this deal? Not really. I gave up a lot in this trade - too much - but I am happy with the players I got back in return. Both of these guys will play a large role in the resurgence of the Barkerville Goldpanners,” commented GM Craig Engleson from his palatial office, “I wish Kyle and Marc-Andre all the best and I am sure they will succeed in the future.”

Apparently hoping that the quantity of trades that they make will help to improve their team, Bella Coola management has swung a third trade in a 12 hour span. This move, arguably the biggest of the three to date, will not set the league on it’s ear. However, it does involve some promising players and picks. Leaving the Thunderbird organization after being drafted with their #1 pick in 2007, and then never playing a game, is Marc-Edouard Vlasic. Travis Zajac is also packing his bags in Bella Coola. These two promising youngsters, along with Bella Coola’s 5th round pick, will head to Victoria, where they may suit up for the Barons.

Coming back to the Thunderbird organization in return is powerplay specialist newcomer Cory Murphy, Patrick Eaves, and the Baron #2 pick in the BCHP 2008 Entry Draft. Reached in Victoria, Mike Remarchuk, GM of the flegling Barons seemed exhausted by the negotiation. “Well, it didn’t happen overnight, but in the end we are pleased with the return we add to our team. We get a little younger, faster, and hopefully add some promise for the future.” Calls to Bella Coola were unanswered.

Hours after sending Michel Ouellet to Vernon the Bella Coola Thunderbirds have sent Hannu Toivonen to the Burns Lake X-Men. Reached, again by phone, in Bella Coola, George Armstrong, spoke on behalf of the BCHP’s original coastal orginization. “Hannu really deserves an opportunity to play; he’s done everything we asked over the past 14 months, since we took him in the ‘06 Draft. He might get more of an opportunity up north. Here, behind Roberto, it is not he right situation for him. Frankly, this is one of those deals that could come back and bite us. We wish Hannu all the best.” In return for Hannu Toivonen, the Burns Lake X-Men will give up a fourth round draft pick in the BCHP 2008 Entry Draft.

Early this morning a brief statement was made from Bella Coola, detailing a shuffle involving three players. Leaving the Thunderbird organization and headed to the new Okanagan franchise in Vernon is Michel Ouellet. Going the other way is Jeff Tambellini. From his spacious office in Vernon, Rick Horne described this as an upgrade at the forward position, although he cautioned against unrealistic expectations. “We feel Michel has upside, and we’re going to give him a long look.” Horne also released the rights to Mark Giordano, who failed to show for camp, and forfeited almost half a million dollars Canadian (550, 000 American) to play in Europe.

In the statement made by phone from Bella Coola, Thunderbird GM Defieux had little to elaborate. “We feel Jeff is a legitimate prospect. He’s got wheels - that’s for sure. He may not out pace Michel this year, but we feel we’ve acquired a player with upside.”

A closer look at this week’s standings shows a very disturbing trend for the Burns Lake X-Men: no production. Over the past two weeks, the X-Men’s lead has slipped drastically and maybe now GM Derouin might be thinking that the big move for the two superstar forwards may not have been a good idea. “I may have given up too much future to, once again, finish in second or third place,” stated the dejected manager from his office. There is no question with the high octane team the Lumberjacks posses, the X-Men might be in trouble again. Historically, this team has always been a pretender and never a contender. Does Derouin have any other moves up his sleeve?