As a general manager, Bill Bestwick certainly isn’t standing still.
The Victoria Grizzlies’ executive and head coach continues to make improvements to his B.C. Hockey League club in hopes of finding the right mix.
His latest acquisition, David Mazurek, was brought in from the Ontario Hockey League where he spent time with the Barrie Colts and the Kingston Frontenacs.
He’ll be in the lineup when the Grizzlies play three games in three days this weekend with stops in Surrey, Chilliwack and Coquitlam.
The six-foot-three,
195-pound centre will be on a line with Turner Lawson and Stefan Nicholishen, who all stand over six feet and weigh in at 190-plus pounds.
“We’ve been very fortunate to add a very competent centreman who brings us strength, poise, maturity and a grit factor that will solidify the line that he’s playing on. I think it will be as formidable an opponent as any defence pairing in our league is going to see,” Bestwick said of adding Mazurek to finalize the trio.
“They’re all big kids; they can all skate; they’re all physical; all competitive, with the potential to make life really difficult for their opponents.”
Mazurek, who takes Reid Jackman’s place on the roster as he waits to be traded, is a 20-year-old whose time ran up in the OHL. He’s a former assistant captain with the Frontenacs.
“I do have the scoring potential in me, 100 per cent, but playing in the CHL if you’re not one of the top six forwards your job description changes,” said Mazurek, who was originally drafted 31st overall by the Barrie Colts. “Coming to this team I think I can definitely add to the scoresheet. If I don’t I’ll have come short of my goals.
“Come the weekend we’re all going to be turning heads with our height,” he added of his new linemates. “A real gritty line. I like to muck it up, go into the danger zones and drop the gloves if I have to. But, ultimately, I want to bring out a side of my game which I haven’t had in a while and that’s contributing on the scoresheet to help my team win.”
He had seven goals and 11 assists in 58 games in Kingston last season to go with 75 penalty minutes on a team that had struggled.
Mainly, Mazurek wants to get back that winning feeling and the free agent took his time before selecting Victoria as his destination.
“Coming to an organization like this, it’s off to a strong start and I think it’s a real promising team and I hope I can come in and help out the staff as well as players as much as I can.”
At 3-0-0-0-1, the Grizzlies are off to a solid run and in those three victories the Fitzgerald triplets — Gerry, Leo and Myles — have each provided a game-winning goal.
Bestwick wants to see that success continue.
“It’s a very important weekend coming up,” he said of the trip. “It is a tough test, but it comes at a good time for us. You want to get these things done early in the season. You want the team to spend three days together early rather than late. You learn a lot about yourself and your teammates when you’re on the road, in unfriendly environments.”
The Grizzlies are 2-0 on the away ledger, lead the Island Division and are tied for first overall in the BCHL.
“If you want to be recognized as one of the top teams in our conference or in the league, we need to win on the road so this is a good test for us,” said Bestwick. “I know one thing for sure, we’d like to come home still in first place.”
