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 害羞草研究所� where he was waiting to start his second season 害羞草研究所� for the United States Hockey League害羞草研究所檚 Dubuque Fighting Saints.
While the BCHL has repeatedly had to push its start date forward 害羞草研究所� original plays to drop the puck in December have now been 害羞草研究所� the USHL has been playing since November.
害羞草研究所淚t was definitely a pretty tough decision. I loved playing in West Kelowna,害羞草研究所� Evans told Black Press Media Wednesday afternoon from Dubuque.
害羞草研究所淚 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.害羞草研究所�
Evans noted that it was Dubuque that reached out to him 害羞草研究所� they acquired his rights and arranged a transfer-fee to be paid to the Warriors 害羞草研究所� 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.
害羞草研究所� 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; he害羞草研究所檚 set to play this fall at the University of New Hampshire.
害羞草研究所淢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 害羞草研究所� I didn害羞草研究所檛 have any idea.
害羞草研究所淎fter that, things started happening pretty quickly. I talked to the team twice and then decided I wanted to come down there.害羞草研究所�
Last season with the Warriors, Evans scored 22 goals and added 28 assists in 57 games, and in this year害羞草研究所檚 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 害羞草研究所� as well as his head coach and team owner 害羞草研究所� were supportive of his decision to move south.
害羞草研究所滿y coach and owner realized that this was a good opportunity for me害羞草研究所� and my teammates know that not everyone gets the opportunity to come down here and play, so they were supportive as well,害羞草研究所� Evans said.
害羞草研究所淚 still keep in touch with all of them, and I害羞草研究所檒l be following the progress of their season if it does end up getting going.害羞草研究所�
His parents were supportive of the decision to join the Fighting Saints too, he said.
害羞草研究所淥bviously, they were pretty sad when I left but they know that it害羞草研究所檚 important for me to play, and they know how badly I wanted to play hockey this season,害羞草研究所� Evans said.
害羞草研究所淭hey know this is the best opportunity for me to play 害羞草研究所� especially at a high level.害羞草研究所�
First USHL game 鉁�
害羞草研究所� Dubuque Fighting Saints (@fightingsaints)
First USHL goal 鉁�
John Evans didn't wait to get things started!
Evans isn害羞草研究所檛 the only high-profile BCHL player to leave for the USHL.
While transaction lists and rosters haven害羞草研究所檛 been routinely updated while the junior circuit is on hiatus, it害羞草研究所檚 estimated that about two dozen players have left for the U.S. 害羞草研究所� either to join teams in other junior leagues like the USHL or to start their NCAA careers early.
Some teams 害羞草研究所� the Penticton Vees and Nanaimo Clippers chief among them 害羞草研究所� have lost multiple players.
In mid-December, the owner of the Clippers to let the league begin play.
害羞草研究所淒r. Bonnie Henry decided to shut us down on no evidence or science,害羞草研究所� Wes Mussio said in a press release issued shortly after the BCHL害羞草研究所檚 exhibition season was shut down. 害羞草研究所淪imply put, this decision is hard to understand.
害羞草研究所淚 doubt anyone can argue, in good conscience, that destroying careers of young (athletes) is perfectly acceptable for the greater good.害羞草研究所�
That plea was followed by letters written by some of the team害羞草研究所檚 players 害羞草研究所� many of whom are in their final seasons of junior hockey.
害羞草研究所淲ithout being able to practise or compete and prove myself deserving of a scholarship, I feel my dream slipping away,害羞草研究所� Clippers goaltender Jordan Naylor wrote.
害羞草研究所淎s a 20-year-old, I have no more time. It害羞草研究所檚 now or never for me.害羞草研究所�
Though he isn害羞草研究所檛 at the end of his junior-hockey eligibility, Evans said he had similar feelings 害羞草研究所� he didn害羞草研究所檛 want to move up to the NCAA ranks without having played a real game for months. Evans told PAN it害羞草研究所檚 a sentiment shared by one of his new teammates, 17-year-old Matthew Savoie 害羞草研究所� who was expected to play with the Western Hockey League害羞草研究所檚 Winnipeg Ice this season, but came south in search of a season.
害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檝e talked to Matt about it since I害羞草研究所檝e been down here, and he害羞草研究所檚 in the same boat as me. He just wanted to develop more and get a chance to play. That害羞草研究所檚 the most important thing 害羞草研究所� to be able to play. Practising just isn害羞草研究所檛 the same,害羞草研究所� 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 team害羞草研究所檚 general manager, who told Evans players and staff are testing every week, among other precautions.
害羞草研究所淚 was assured that they were doing everything they can to keep everyone safe, and I just have to do my part too,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淗onestly, after that (talk), I wasn害羞草研究所檛 really too worried about it.害羞草研究所�
He害羞草研究所檚 fit in well with his new club, with one goal and two assists in four games.
害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 been great. All the guys are great and I害羞草研究所檝e started to adjust to the league now,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 just excited to keep playing, and we害羞草研究所檒l see how things go.害羞草研究所�
sports@peacearchnews.com
Like us on and follow us on
害羞草研究所� with files from the Nanaimo News-Bulletin
