Sockeyes Kick Start New Season

Last season saw the Sockeyes regular season finish with 32 wins, 11 losses, 3 overtime losses along with 2 shootout losses finishing second in the Tom Shaw Conference, with 69 points, three points behind the Delta Ice Hawks.

Given the success of the Sockeyes organization and winning tradition congratulations go out to the 1986-87 Richmond Sockeyes, achieved remarkable success by clinching multiple titles, including the prestigious Centennial Cup. 

The team won the Mowat Cup as BC Junior A champions, the Doyle Cup playing Alberta’s champions, the Abbott Cup over Saskatchewan’s top team giving them the Centennial Cup championship in Humboldt.

Canucks broadcaster Dave Tomlinson led the team in scoring in 51 regular season games with 43 goals and 65 assists for 108 points while Jason Phillips was top scorer and Centennial Cup MVP.

Changes in the off-season saw the hiring of a new coach Scott Hewson who played three seasons (1995-96 to 1997-98) in the BCJHL with the Penticton Panthers.

He elevated his career to play with Bowling Green University for four seasons then taking his skills to play in the East Coast Hockey League from the 2003 – 2004 seasons.

For players they have to understand that while you can be a star player on one team playing multiple shifts per game doesn’t mean that will continue at the next level of the game, which he knows first hand.

He returned to North Vancouver where he coached in the CSSHL for three seasons knowing that the first item on his agenda is to gain the trust of the players to play for the crest on the front of the sweater rather than the name on the back.

Gaining the trust of the players is one of the most important qualities any coach must understand which has changed from yesteryear having a goal to help the players reach the next level of their career.

It’s important for players to learn at each level of the game that they advance too given the opportunities they are given.

Teams make changes and bring in new personnel as they are wanting to win which the Sockeyes have as a top priority this season.

Joining Scott on the bench are Matthew Stewart (player development/Assistant GM) and Assistant Coaches Bob Delorme and Andrew Wolf who bring a wealth of hockey knowledge to the Richmond Sockeyes.

The off-season saw changes within the league with a two division league with the Sockeyes playing in the Tom Shaw division who was the league President as well as a Richmond resident in the 1980s.

The league continues to take major steps forward allowing the PJHL to play for Hockey Canada’s Centennial Cup emblematic of Junior A hockey supremacy in Canada.

Given pre-season play the coaching staff are still evaluating players at camp who are looking to “crack” the line-up to fill vacant positions knowing that some of last year’s players are at other camps wanting to elevate their game.

Knowing this the team wish them all the best while on a positive note returning this year is Sockeyes Captain Teo Lin who finished last season with 32 goals, 36 assists, 7 power play goals and 4 short handed goals in regular season play.

In playoff action he collected 6 goals, 1 assist and 1 power play goal in 11 games who no doubt will again  be the team leader offering mentorship to the new players on the Sockeyes roster.

Currently the Sockeyes are still playing pre-season exhibition games as the coaching staff have  goaltending positions to fill with both Max Fowle and Mathias Hasselmann signing with other clubs in the off-season with three currently signed. 

The Sockeyes have acquired David Yoon from the North Vancouver Wolf Pack in exchange for future considerations as well  as  Keelan Wyke who played last season with the Border Bruins in the KIJHL

In addition the Sockeyes have acquired Brydy Lindal who played last season in the VIJHL as well as Dylan Nazzartth who played in Saskatchewan for LaRonge Ice Wolves finishing the season with 16 points in 43 games. 

Adding to the broadcast team this year is Steve Daniel who is the official statistician for the CFL and is the only pro sports analyst/statistician inducted into any Hall of Fame, NHL, CFL, Major League Baseball, NFL,

For Steve Daniel, from a colour broadcaster and team stats analyst point of view, as we head into the 2025/26 season there is of course much to think about. 

 Every club goes through change in the off-season and this year is certainly no exception.  

With new coaches and an even more upgraded roster, this year has plenty of promise already. 

Though the club’s final roster is not quite set, you can expect some turnover to be sure and new skills. 

If the Sockeyes can hold onto their high producers from last season with a mix in some young ’09’ talent it promises to be another solid 2025-26 campaign for the Sockeyes. 

And that makes it fun for the commentary side on our broadcasts and in our reports for the Sentinel.

With Junior 1 Tier 1 hockey now a reality, access to the highest level of Junior talent increases and that shows up on the ice in an even greater performance level. 

In the many analytical areas that we track such as goal differential, shot attempts, net front shots on goal, fewer Defensive Zone Turnovers and the like, we will likely see even better results than in 24/25. 

Early indications from pre-season games have shown our coaches to be open to stats-based ideas and ‘tracking the data’ to demonstrate areas where we are strong and some things that need improvement. 

That is the true purpose for analytics in hockey which we will keep you up to date in the stat’s department.