Two more players have committed to the BCHL’s Cranbrook Bucks for the upcoming season, a 17-year-old forward from Manitoba and a 19-year-old goaltender from the United States.
AJ Vasko from La Salle, Manitoba has signed on with the Bucks after putting up 56 points (15 G, 41 A) in 31 games with the Rink Hockey Academy in the CSSHL. Vasko captained the team this past season after three years with the program.
Ryan Donald, Head Coach and GM of the Cranbrook Bucks, said they are excited to add a player and person of AJ’s calibre to the team for their inaugural BCHL season.
“AJ represents a lot of the qualities that we look for in our players, enthusiastic, hard-working and extremely competitive,” said Donald. “This past season AJ was the captain of his team and it was obvious the more that we spoke with him that he would be a great fit for our team culture and the Cranbrook community.”
Besides Vasko, the team also got a commitment from 19-year-old goaltender Jacob Zacharewicz. A native of Riverside, New York, Zacharewicz played for the Islanders Hockey Club in the NCDC. In 22 games, Zacharewicz put up a .930 SV% and a 2.43 GAA and is committed to play Division 1 Hockey in the NCAA in 2022.
Donald says early in the roster-building process, it was important that they identified a goaltender that was drive, self-motivated, and highly competitive.
“With Jacob, we are getting a goaltender that can step in and immediately give us a chance to win every night, while continuing to grow and evolve individually,” said Donald. “He comes highly recommended from the coaching staff at Brown University where he is slated to enroll in the fall of 2022.”
The Bucks now have seven players committed to the team approaching their inaugural season in the BCHL.