Saturday, October 17, 2015 – Submitted by Mario Annicchiarico / Times Colonist
The much anticipated changes to the Victoria Grizzlies’ lineup finally appear to be arriving this week.
General manager and head coach Craig Didmon was ironing out the final details Tuesday night of officially adding former Prince George Spruce Kings’ forward Luc Soares to the lineup, releasing Sage Fleming (who decided to return to California rather than play Junior B) to make room.
Soares played a minimal role with the Spruce Kings, with no points in six games, all in a fourth-line capacity. He did record 24 goals and 52 points with the Kirkland Lake Gold Miners of the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League last season.
Soares was named a NOJHL all-star and invited to the Canada East 40-man roster camp for last year’s 2014 World Junior A Hockey Challenge.
“I had a good season there. I know I can put the puck in the back of the net, it’s one of those things where you have to the right guys on your line and get the confidence going, which is big,” said the 19-year-old Delta native, who stands in at five-foot-nine and 170 pounds.
“I think we can turn things around here,” he said of awaiting his chance with the Grizzlies. “Unfortunately, I was on the fourth line [in P.G.]. I don’t know what it was, but the coaches weren’t really giving me a chance. They told me I wasn’t a fourth-line guy so they didn’t want me to sit down on the fourth line.”
He was subsequently traded to the Swan Valley Stampeders of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League, via an initial trade to the Estevan Bruins of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League. The Grizzlies will have to give up future considerations to process the move.
“I’m excited to be here. I wanted to play in the BCHL, and at the end of the day, I just have to put pucks in the back of the net and we can turn this thing around,” added Soares, who did not want to report to Manitoba.
Colby Livingstone, who hails from Creston, also took in practice with the Grizzlies on Tuesday and is on a tryout.
Livingstone, a six-foot, 190-pounder, had 10 goals and 21 assists in 48 games with the Amherst Ramblers of the Maritime Hockey League last season. The year prior he had 22 goals and 30 assists in Creston of the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League and also recorded three goals and a helper in six games as an affiliate with the Trail Smoke Eaters.
Should he stick, Didmon would have to make room for one more body, which has the struggling 1-8-0-2 Grizzlies slightly on edge, as they should be considering the performance so far.
“They brought me in to skate and we’ll see how it goes this week. I’m hoping to be here,” said Livingstone, also 19.
“He’s a free agent, if he doesn’t play with us he’ll play Junior B in Creston,” Didmon said of Livingstone. “He played Jr. A in the Maritime league last year and had some good numbers.
“He’s close to a 200-pounder, a physical player. He scored nearly 25 goals as a 17-year-old in the KIJHL and added the three goals in six games in Trail, so he’s showed that he can score at the junior level.”
As for Soares, the Grizzlies may be hoping he produces like Garrett Forster did when Bill Bestwick brought him in two seasons ago.
“He looks good out there. He scored 20-some-odd goals last year in the NOJHL as an 18-year-old, so those are impressive numbers,” said Didmon. “We’re looking for offence. He seems to have good speed and can shoot the puck. We’ll see how the week goes.”
Soares was in the Prince George lineup when the Grizzlies beat the Spruce Kings 2-1 in overtime at the BCHL Showcase — the team’s only win so far.
Victoria, last in the 17-team BCHL, plays host to Powell River Friday.
mannicchiarico@timescolonist.com
