A handful of Cowichan Valley products with impressive credentials are leading the way as the Kerry Park Islanders retool for the 2014/15 Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League season.
Nick White and Lynden Eddy are joining the Isles after spending last season with the rival Nanaimo Buccaneers, while former bantam Capitals captain Ryan Hogg has signed on after spending last season with a hockey academy.
The Isles added White to complete the trade deadline deal that sent goalie Jackson Jane to Nanaimo. White played 41 games for the Bucs last season, scoring seven goals and chipping in 16 assists for 23 points to go along with 177 penalty minutes. Eddy comes from Nanaimo in a cash deal. He finished last season with 21 points on eight goals and 13 assists in 38 games, and also appeared on the APTN TV series Hit The Ice.
Hogg spent last year with the Burnaby Winter Club Elite 15, compiling 41 points in 48 midget league games and 13 in 24 Canadian Sport School Hockey League contests.
The Isles have also picked up Zack Smith from the Peninsula Panthers. He had 31 points (15
goals and 16 assists) in 38 games last year.
Those four join a redesigned Kerry Park forward corps that will also feature Nick Kean and Adam Page, who were acquired in a big late-season trade that sent local products Alex Milligan and Tylor Branzsen to Peninsula.
"Looking at our forwards, I think we're going to look good this year," Islanders owner Mark Osmond said.
It will help the Islanders with recruiting that Milligan and Branzsen, who spent the bulk of
their careers with Kerry Park, were both recruited to play college hockey, Milligan with Selkirk College and Branzsen with Thompson Rivers University.
Dale Purinton will be back with the club as head coach this coming season, joined again by assistants Jason Jubinville, Robert Davison and Rob Webb.
The team will hold a prep camp Aug. 11-14 in Lake Cowichan, followed by main camp on Aug. 16-17 at the Island Savings Centre. For more information or to sign up for camp, visit islandersjrb.com