Sockeyes Winning Tradition

Photo Credit Richmond Sockeyes

The Sockeyes finished the regular season with a record that many thought might never happen, but the record of 45 wins, 1 loss and 2 shootout losses, 2 O/T wins as well as 1 S/O win saw them finish with 92 points overall.

This is  substantially higher than last season where they finished with 67 points with the largest difference being in the win column where they only had 35 overall, while the 2021-22 season they finished with 63 points.

So the focus for the team is not just winning, but bringing a championship team to the City of Richmond building for future generations of upcoming young players.

If you ask any scout they will tell you that winning is a mindset that has to be instilled from the start of training camp; which is something that Head Coach Cullen Revel has instilled since he took over in the off-season.

The league has a wild-card playoff round which is a three game series from the forth and fifth place teams playing a three game series to see who will advance to the first round which gives some teams a chance to rest.

This year this series features the Grandview Steelers who are playing the White Rock Whalers which ironically went to game three in a game that went to triple O/T with the Whalers winning by a 5-4 margin. 

The Sockeyes are led by Captain Matthew Stewart who is in his last season as are others mentioned in last week’s article and wants nothing more than finishing his career as Champions.

The trading dead-line for the PJHL is January 10th and if you have a roster spot available and there is a player that isn’t on a roster you are able to sign someone until February 10th.

With this being available to the Sockeyes they signed Jacob Zaurrini who played last season for the Langley Trappers for the previous two seasons but never signed by November 15th which was the free agency deadline.

In lieu of this he wasn’t on a card with any other team and knowing that Richmond has a spot and was able to be signed by the Sockeyes had 24 signed players and being allowed 25 that allowed the signing for a quality player.

The previous two seasons for the Trappers he played 71 games managing 13 goals, 29 assists along with 47 PIM’s which will add both a scoring punch as well as speed that was on display in the Top Prospects game the previous year.

Adding to the talent currently on the team this could be the one piece that takes the team to a new level and not takes away from any of the talented players currently on the roster.

Given the continued strong play by the entire roster as well as being ‘back-stopped’ by the “Magnificent Three” of Thomas Popa, Oliver Read and Noah Stenvig both success and championship are in the minds of everyone in the organization.

The Sockeyes will open with their first game at home, which will be game two of the first round against one of the wild-card teams mentioned above which will prove to be not only entertaining but exciting Sockeye hockey.

Make plans and mark your calendar to come out and cheer on YOUR RICHMOND SOCKEYES as they embark on the road for the 2023-24 PJHL Championship.