The Backyard Hockey League, Auckland’s premiere beer league, is back for season 5.
Since all the rosters got a major reset for the 2017-18 season, Puck Yeah invited BHL President Cam Green to provide our readers with the lowdown on all the squads for ‘The Show: Season V’.
In the final preview of this six-part series, it’s Puck Yeah Podcast host Joe Durie’s team, Les Castors.
After raising the Cup in 2016, Les Castors entire franchise turned in its worst performance to date the following season. One year later, with a new GM and executive team installed, the Beavers look poised to make a return to the Finals.
Newly added captains Joe Durie and Ian Wannamaker have helped to revamp a roster that is now bursting at the seams with offensive explosiveness, extreme depth and features one of the premier goaltenders in the country with Csaba Kerco-Magos Jr.
Season 5 will also mark the return of BHL Co-Founder and Les Castors founder, Benji Potvin. Potvin returns after a two-year absence and will hope to get his name etched into the cup as a player for the first time.
Forwards:
Ian Wannamaker – Eric DeWit* – Frazer Ellis*
Benji Potvin – Matt Fuscic – Mike Dobbs
Sam Pillidge – Sean Abe – Darcy Keane
Defencemen:
Joe Durie – Richard Cowsill
Hamish Lewis – Matt Gaffikin*
Alain Giauque – Chris Grisdale
FHL Reserves
Darcy Keane, Alain Giauque
Goaltender:
Csaba Kersco-Magos Jr.
The Frontyard Hockey League is the official farm system for the BHL. Les Castors’ affiliate is Les Bucherons (yup, you’re right again with the pronunciation). View their roster here.
Note: Players marked with an asterisk are BHL rookies and can be sent down to the FHL without having to clear waivers.
BURNING QUESTION:
Can the Beavers overcome the high expectations and projections adapt to a bunch of changes to their roster and return to the Backyard Cup Finals?
ONE TO WATCH: Eric DeWit (Canada)
A candidate for BHL Rookie of the Year right out of the gate, DeWit will be tested this season to maintain his ridiculous point totals since entering Auckland’s SNC (Senior Non-Check) hockey world. If he can power through the Backyard with the same ease, the Beavers will again be a very dangerous team to play night in and night out.
THE FARM:
Improvement should be the easiest thing for Les Bucherons this season. The Lumberjacks 2017 Season was the stuff of nightmares for the club as they posted a miserable 1-11 regular season followed by a first-round playoff exit. Thankfully the new Beavers brass have taken care of their little brothers as well as themselves as the new look farm club features three top level SNC Players and even one of the New Zealand Ice Fernz in Jaime Jones. Newly minted co-captain in Curtis Crosswhite will tend to the netminding duties after several years serving in the BHL and FHL as a player.
