Victoria: $10,000 for actions by Club deemed detrimental to the League at Portland on April 10
Steven Hodges: 5 games for g.m. at Portland on April 10
- He threw two separate punches at an unsuspecting opponent during altercation
Brandon Magee: 12 games for match penalty at Portland on April 10
- It is the second match penalty for the player this season
- There were separate crosschecks to the heads of two opponents during incident
ROYALS’ JOE HICKETTS JOINS TEAM CANADA
Victoria defenceman headed to Finland to play for Team Canada’s Under-18
squad.
For Immediate Release
Wednesday, April 16, 2014
Victoria, BC –
The Victoria Royals would like to congratulate defenceman Joe Hicketts who has
been added to Team Canada’s National Men’s Under-18 Team roster for the 2014
IIHF U18 World Championship, taking place between April 17-27 in Lappeenranta
and Imatra, Finland.
This will mark Hicketts’ second stint with the
National Men’s Under-18 Team. His first taste of action with the Under-18 team
came when he suited up for Team Canada one year ago as an underage player.
Hicketts took part in two exhibition games at the 2013 IIHF Under-18 World
Championships in Sochi, Russia.
Hicketts recently completed his second season with the
Royals and has 48 points (12g-36a) in 104 career WHL games. The Kamloops, BC
native has also picked up three assists in 15 career playoff games.
Drafted 12th overall in the 2011 WHL Bantam
Draft, Hicketts is no stranger to Hockey Canada. The 5-8, 186 lb rearguard won
a gold medal with Team Canada at the 2013 Memorial of Ivan Hlinka Tournament
where he was named an alternate captain. Hicketts was also named captain of
Team Pacific for the 2013 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge where he registered
six points (1g-5a) in five games of competition. Additionally, the blueliner
was named as the captain of Team Canada for the 2012 Winter Youth Olympic Games
where he collected five points (0g-5a) en route to a bronze medal.
Royals 2014-15 season tickets are on sale now!
Guarantee the BEST seats at the BEST prices with the BEST benefits for all 36
home games by visiting www.victoriaroyals.com
or calling 250-220-7889.
-30-
For further
information contact:
Corey St.
Laurent
Manager of
Communications and Hockey Operations Coordinator
Victoria
Royals Hockey Club
250-220-2613
The good news is defenceman Joe Hicketts, left off Central Scouting’s rankings for the 2014 NHL draft after missing a large chunk of the Western Hockey League season to shoulder surgery, will get a second chance to make an impression on pro scouts.
The Royals confirmed Hicketts has been named to the Canadian roster for the IIHF under-18 world championship that starts Thursday and runs through April 27 in Finland.
“It’s good for Joe because he missed a lot of the season. This gives him a chance to build on the season,” said Royals head coach Dave Lowry.
Canada, which beat the host Finns in an exhibition Monday, opens pool play Thursday against Sweden before playing Germany on Saturday, Slovakia on Sunday and Russia next Tuesday. The national side is coached by Kevin Dineen, who is just off guiding Canada to the gold medal in women’s hockey at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics.
The bad news for the Royals is the WHL threw the book at them for incidents in their final playoff game. The team was fined $10,000 for “actions [in Game 5 of its Western Conference semifinal series against the Winterhawks] deemed detrimental to the league at Portland on April 10.” The largest previous fine this season levied against a team by the league was $500.
Also, forward Brandon Magee was suspended for 12 games and Steven Hodges for five at the beginning of next season, if they return to the club as overage 20-year-olds.
“We are disappointed we were involved [in the incidents],” Lowry said. “It was uncharacteristic of our club. We’ll have to deal with them [fines and suspensions]. ”
There is a chance Hodges, a draft pick of the Florida Panthers, could play minor-pro next season. Magee, however, has had no pro offers to date and is strongly expected to fill one of the Royals’ three overage slots for next season. If Magee indeed doesn’t go pro and is still available, the 12-game suspension won’t change the Royals’ thinking about bringing him back.
“Brandon Magee is going to play on our team,” said Lowry.
The league said Hodges was suspended because “he threw two separate punches at an unsuspecting opponent.” The WHL cited Magee for “separate crosschecks to the heads of two opponents” and noted “it is the second match penalty for the player this season.”
cdheensaw@timescolonist.com
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