The Trail Smoke Eaters have added an experienced 20-year-old winger for next season.
Coach and GM Tim Fragle says they started pursuing George Stavrianeas once the Penticton Vees season came to an end.
The BCHL veteran is among players who became available because of Penticton’s move next season to the Western Hockey League.
Fragle calls Stavrianeas a prototypical Smoke Eater, a player that is gritty and hard to play against and someone he knows very well.
“He had a really strong playoff against us a couple of years back (with Vernon),” Fragle noted.
“The way he plays is very similar to some of the guys that we’ve lost (to graduation) and so he’ll fit right in, kind of that Smoke Eater mold,” Fragle added.
Forwards who aren’t returning include captain Ridge Dawson, and assistant captains Jason Stefanek and Judah Makway. They are all starting their NCAA careers this fall.
Fragle says the foundation of Starvrianeas’ game is speed.
“Two things that really stand out is he uses that speed well,” stated Fragle.
“He’s got good smarts to his game and he plays the 200-feet of the whole sheet and really, he’s got good experience having played a couple full years of junior hockey,” explained Fragle who looks for the speedy winger to step into a key role next season.
The Smokies tried to sign Stavrianeas two summers ago, but he opted for the Vipers and was dealt to Penticton in a deadline-day trade last Feb.
In 89 BCHL games, the native of Brassard, Que has 12 goals and 37 points. He also had five goals and eight assists during 10 games in the North American Hockey League.
Meanwhile Fragle said aside from defenseman Lucas Lemieux who is also headed to NCAA Division-1, everyone who is eligible to come back next season is expected to return.
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