John Evans just wants to play hockey.
Even if that means moving to Iowa.
With the BC Hockey League still in a holding pattern due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the related provincial health orders, the 18-year-old South Surrey resident and budding BC Hockey League star recently left the West Kelowna Warriors 91裸聊视频� where he was waiting to start his second season 91裸聊视频� for the United States Hockey League91裸聊视频檚 Dubuque Fighting Saints.
While the BCHL has repeatedly had to push its start date forward 91裸聊视频� original plays to drop the puck in December have now been 91裸聊视频� the USHL has been playing since November.
91裸聊视频淚t was definitely a pretty tough decision. I loved playing in West Kelowna,91裸聊视频� Evans told Black Press Media Wednesday afternoon from Dubuque.
91裸聊视频淚 loved the city, I loved the staff and everyone involved with the organization. It was a tough decision to come to Dubuque, but I felt that in order to keep improving and keep playing this season, it had to be done.91裸聊视频�
Evans noted that it was Dubuque that reached out to him 91裸聊视频� they acquired his rights and arranged a transfer-fee to be paid to the Warriors 91裸聊视频� but had the team not done so just before Christmas, he would have started to explore his hockey-playing options.
ROSTER UPDATE: The Fighting Saints have added John Evans from the BCHL. Evans had 50 points in 57 games with the West Kelowna Warriors last year.
91裸聊视频� Dubuque Fighting Saints (@fightingsaints)
馃摳 : Tami Quan Photography
Time was especially of the essence for Evans considering this is his final year of junior hockey; he91裸聊视频檚 set to play this fall at the University of New Hampshire.
91裸聊视频淢y rights were held by any other USHL team, and I just got off the ice one day and my advisor called me and told me that Dubuque had picked up my rights. It was pretty surprising 91裸聊视频� I didn91裸聊视频檛 have any idea.
91裸聊视频淎fter that, things started happening pretty quickly. I talked to the team twice and then decided I wanted to come down there.91裸聊视频�
Last season with the Warriors, Evans scored 22 goals and added 28 assists in 57 games, and in this year91裸聊视频檚 exhibition season, he tallied 15 points in 13 games before the league shut down.
From mid-November until heading to Iowa, Evans had been skating three times a week with a small group of players in South Surrey.
Evans said his teammates in West Kelowna 91裸聊视频� as well as his head coach and team owner 91裸聊视频� were supportive of his decision to move south.
91裸聊视频滿y coach and owner realized that this was a good opportunity for me91裸聊视频� and my teammates know that not everyone gets the opportunity to come down here and play, so they were supportive as well,91裸聊视频� Evans said.
91裸聊视频淚 still keep in touch with all of them, and I91裸聊视频檒l be following the progress of their season if it does end up getting going.91裸聊视频�
His parents were supportive of the decision to join the Fighting Saints too, he said.
91裸聊视频淥bviously, they were pretty sad when I left but they know that it91裸聊视频檚 important for me to play, and they know how badly I wanted to play hockey this season,91裸聊视频� Evans said.
91裸聊视频淭hey know this is the best opportunity for me to play 91裸聊视频� especially at a high level.91裸聊视频�
First USHL game 鉁�
91裸聊视频� Dubuque Fighting Saints (@fightingsaints)
First USHL goal 鉁�
John Evans didn't wait to get things started!
Evans isn91裸聊视频檛 the only high-profile BCHL player to leave for the USHL.
While transaction lists and rosters haven91裸聊视频檛 been routinely updated while the junior circuit is on hiatus, it91裸聊视频檚 estimated that about two dozen players have left for the U.S. 91裸聊视频� either to join teams in other junior leagues like the USHL or to start their NCAA careers early.
Some teams 91裸聊视频� the Penticton Vees and Nanaimo Clippers chief among them 91裸聊视频� have lost multiple players.
In mid-December, the owner of the Clippers to let the league begin play.
91裸聊视频淒r. Bonnie Henry decided to shut us down on no evidence or science,91裸聊视频� Wes Mussio said in a press release issued shortly after the BCHL91裸聊视频檚 exhibition season was shut down. 91裸聊视频淪imply put, this decision is hard to understand.
91裸聊视频淚 doubt anyone can argue, in good conscience, that destroying careers of young (athletes) is perfectly acceptable for the greater good.91裸聊视频�
That plea was followed by letters written by some of the team91裸聊视频檚 players 91裸聊视频� many of whom are in their final seasons of junior hockey.
91裸聊视频淲ithout being able to practise or compete and prove myself deserving of a scholarship, I feel my dream slipping away,91裸聊视频� Clippers goaltender Jordan Naylor wrote.
91裸聊视频淎s a 20-year-old, I have no more time. It91裸聊视频檚 now or never for me.91裸聊视频�
Though he isn91裸聊视频檛 at the end of his junior-hockey eligibility, Evans said he had similar feelings 91裸聊视频� he didn91裸聊视频檛 want to move up to the NCAA ranks without having played a real game for months. Evans told PAN it91裸聊视频檚 a sentiment shared by one of his new teammates, 17-year-old Matthew Savoie 91裸聊视频� who was expected to play with the Western Hockey League91裸聊视频檚 Winnipeg Ice this season, but came south in search of a season.
91裸聊视频淚91裸聊视频檝e talked to Matt about it since I91裸聊视频檝e been down here, and he91裸聊视频檚 in the same boat as me. He just wanted to develop more and get a chance to play. That91裸聊视频檚 the most important thing 91裸聊视频� to be able to play. Practising just isn91裸聊视频檛 the same,91裸聊视频� Evans said.
Before joining his new team, Evans said any concerns he had about moving to the United States in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic were calmed after a discussion with the team91裸聊视频檚 general manager, who told Evans players and staff are testing every week, among other precautions.
91裸聊视频淚 was assured that they were doing everything they can to keep everyone safe, and I just have to do my part too,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淗onestly, after that (talk), I wasn91裸聊视频檛 really too worried about it.91裸聊视频�
He91裸聊视频檚 fit in well with his new club, with one goal and two assists in four games.
91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 been great. All the guys are great and I91裸聊视频檝e started to adjust to the league now,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淚91裸聊视频檓 just excited to keep playing, and we91裸聊视频檒l see how things go.91裸聊视频�
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91裸聊视频� with files from the Nanaimo News-Bulletin
