A former B.C. Hockey League forward now living in Chemainus is the major player of an ownership group hoping to restore the Cowichan Valley CapitalsB次元官网网址� franchise to some of its past glory.

John Dewar, 36, who has been in the Cowichan Valley since 2011 and moved to Chemainus nearly three years ago, heads the Island Capitals Sports & Entertainment group and serves as the teamB次元官网网址檚 governor.

The sale to the group by Ray Zhang, who owned the team for seven years, was officially approved by the BCHLB次元官网网址檚 board of governors last month.

Dewar, managing partner of Maxxam Insurance, and his group that includes former NHL player Clayton Stoner actually took over management of the team last November before making the pitch for ownership.

With Zhang being in China, B次元官网网址渋t was a lot more complicated transaction than normal,B次元官网网址� Dewar conceded.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 way more than I ever anticipated, but I enjoy it. I guess itB次元官网网址檚 an expensive hobby. Ultimately, youB次元官网网址檙e doing it because you want to see the kids get to the next level.B次元官网网址�

DewarB次元官网网址檚 own hockey path toward potentially reaching the highest levels in the game took some unusual twists, mainly because he was born and grew up in the United Kingdom in Swindon, 80 miles west of London.

Since thatB次元官网网址檚 not exactly a hockey hotbed, Dewar moved to the United States in 2000 to play in the Peewee World Championships in Quebec. He got recruited from there to play for the Michigan Ice Dogs at the bantam level and then on to the Okanagan Hockey Academy in Penticton.

DewarB次元官网网址檚 dad actually owned a pro team in the U.K., but Dewar knew heB次元官网网址檇 need to move to North America to go anywhere in hockey.

He eventually made the BCHLB次元官网网址檚 Trail Smoke Eaters as a 16-year-old and also had brief stints in the league with the Penticton Vees, Prince George Spruce Kings and the Williams Lake Timberwolves where he compiled 23 goals and 48 assists for 71 points in his final year of junior eligibility.

But instead of pursuing hockey any further after that, he got into the insurance business as a 20-year-old following connections he made with the VeesB次元官网网址� owner while playing in Penticton.

B次元官网网址淚 look back now and wish IB次元官网网址檇 kept playing,B次元官网网址� said Dewar.

But the insurance business has been good to him and heB次元官网网址檚 happy to be involved in hockey again as an owner.

B次元官网网址淲hen I first stopped playing hockey, I still followed the BCHL,B次元官网网址� he indicated.

After that, Dewar got busy and B次元官网网址淚 didnB次元官网网址檛 watch junior hockey for years,B次元官网网址� he added.

But Dewar obviously watches it very closely again now with his direct involvement.

He remembers coming into the Cowichan Community Centre as a visiting player in the mid-2000s with 1,500-1,800 fans in the building.

B次元官网网址淚t was an extremely hard arena to play in,B次元官网网址� Dewar pointed out.

The owners want it to be that way again and are confident theyB次元官网网址檙e moving in the right direction with veteran coach and general manager Mike Vandekamp at the helm.

B次元官网网址淚 talk to Mike on a daily basis and I try to get to all the games,B次元官网网址� said Dewar.

B次元官网网址淲e feel we can put the pieces in place to make it a great franchise like it once was.B次元官网网址�

As a former player, he notices some significant differences in the league.

B次元官网网址淭he league itself I would say itB次元官网网址檚 become a lot more high-leveled and structured,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淥bviously, that comes with expense as well.

B次元官网网址淵ou know youB次元官网网址檙e never going to get rich with a junior hockey team. Our biggest thing is for community involvement to build a great program so the players can get to the next level.B次元官网网址�

ItB次元官网网址檚 always a battle for franchises that donB次元官网网址檛 have elaborate buildings like Penticton or Chilliwack to remain competitive in the recruitment process, but Dewar feels a solid program will speak for itself and make this a desirable place for elite players to come.

B次元官网网址淚n this kind of league, the Cowichan facility is a great facility for Junior A hockey,B次元官网网址� he said.

B次元官网网址淎s long as we put the time, money and effort in to a great on-ice product, the players are going to come in over time.

B次元官网网址淚t is going to take time and we have to be realistic as well, but we feel we can turn it into a great franchise again.B次元官网网址�