He began his junior hockey career as a Victoria Grizzlie and he’ll now end it as one as well, and Travis Stephens couldn’t be any happier.
The local product, who moved to Victoria in his very early years after being born in Winnipeg, was traded to the Grizzlies for future consideration from the Trail Smoke Eaters on Wednesday.
He’ll be back in a Grizzlies’ uniform tonight when the B.C. Hockey League-leading team plays host to the Merritt Centennials at 7:15 p.m. at Bear Mountain Arena.
“I’m ecstatic. I couldn’t be more excited to be back home to finish off my career,” said Stephens, 20, who is also expected to wear that number on his jersey.
“I knew [being traded] was going to happen, in a sense, so it didn’t need to be said. I just didn’t know where I was going. This is probably the ideal fit for me. When I found out, I was obviously really excited and couldn’t be happier with how things happened.”
Not that he didn’t enjoy his time in Trail, where he led the team with 13 goals and 17 assists in 40 games played. He does go from the BCHL basement, where the Smoke Eaters were 8-29-2-2, to the penthouse (the Grizzlies are 26-9-3-2).
Stephens, who played minor hockey with the Victoria Racquet Club and for years was a former linemate of Wade Murphy, has also had stops in Salmon Arm, Coquitlam, Cowichan Valley and also dressed for a game as an affiliated player — like he did with the Grizzlies the first time around — with Nanaimo.
“I liked it in Trail. They treated me really well and I really enjoyed the time I spent there,” admitted Stephens, who played a lot. “Every second shift. I definitely enjoyed that.”
He arrives in Victoria as someone who will be expected to provide secondary scoring.
“He gives us added experience on the offensive side of the game,” said head coach Craig Didmon. “He’s been in the league a while now, he’s matured and he’s gotten bigger and stronger. Now he can add some insurance on the offensive side and you can never have too many weapons.
“With maturity he’s learned how to play 200 feet and he’s a good player without the puck as well,” added Didmon, who wasn’t sure where he would slot Stephens, who did practise with Garrett Forster and Dante Hahn on Thursday.
“He’s probably going to have to play on his off wing. All four of our lines are pretty potent, so where ever he goes, he’s going to be a good addition.”
An addition that Stephens is looking forward to.
“Obviously, this is a first-class organization, in first place, and I just want to continue the winning tradition and hopefully win the league and go on to the RBC Cup,” he said. “It’s something I would like to accomplish in my career and I think we have the team to do it here.
“It’s crazy, one night I’m in Trail and the next night I’m back in Victoria on the first-place team,” added Stephens. “It’s a change-up and there’s always a transition period, but I’m excited about the future.”
IN THE DEN: The Grizzlies are reminding fans that $5 from every ticket sold is going to Hannah Day and her family in her battle with cancer. The Bottle Depot will have a container on site and fans are asked to bring their recyclable bottles for donations, which will also go to the fund.
mannicchiarico@timescolonist.com
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