On the , one that highlights some of the junior hockey leagueB次元官网网址檚 all-time greats and their career records, a name that tops two categories should be familiar to B.C. hockey fans.
Shane Kuss, the former Surrey Eagles standout who now coaches in the area, is noted for most career points (418) and most career assists (282).
They are among league records that may never be broken, according to Brent Mutis, the leagueB次元官网网址檚 communications director.
B次元官网网址淔rom my perspective, I think itB次元官网网址檚 fair to say that both the single-season and career scoring records are safe,B次元官网网址� Mutis told the Surrey Now-Leader.
There are a few reasons for that, he said.
B次元官网网址淔irst, most players donB次元官网网址檛 play enough seasons in the BCHL to accumulate those totals. Most players that post high scoring totals play two or three seasons, earn a scholarship and move on to college.
B次元官网网址淭he other thing is, players just donB次元官网网址檛 rack up those kinds of season totals anymore. ItB次元官网网址檚 fairly rare to have a player reach 100 points in a season now. The goaltending, coaching and skating ability of the players on defence is so much better than in ShaneB次元官网网址檚 playing days.B次元官网网址�
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Kuss, who played for the Eagles (then known as South Surrey Eagles) from 1993 to 1997, is also listed in 10th spot for most assists (90) in a single season, achieved in his final year with the team. Kuss shares the mark with Rick Shinske of the B次元官网网址�72-B次元官网网址�73 Kamloops Rockets.
Surprisingly, given his career-total mark, Kuss is not listed among the top-10 players with most points in a season. Tops in that category is Hockey Hall of Famer , who scored an astonishing 188 points during his 1983-84 season with Penticton Knights. In comparison, Jasper Weatherby scored a league-leading 74 points for Wenatchee Wild last season.
- BCHL alum Brett Hull rocking the cat's eye cage with circa 1985
B次元官网网址� BC Hockey League (@GoBCHL)
Notably, KussB次元官网网址� career-points total of 418 is 42 more than the player in second (PentictonB次元官网网址檚 Gordie McKay, from the mid-1970s), and his career-assists mark of 282 sits 59 atop Evan WilliamsB次元官网网址� total, scored with three teams in the disco decade.
Kuss, whose jersey hangs from the rafters at South Surrey Arena, runs , which has trained pro players including Brent Seabrook, Milan Lucic and Troy Brouwer.
Last March, Kuss and business partner Matt Erhart were , and together they coach SemiB次元官网网址檚 powerhouse Peewee A1 team this season. The squad is currently ranked #1 in Western Canada by Pittsburgh-based MYHockeyRankings, billed as B次元官网网址淭he #1 youth hockey rankings website in North AmericaB次元官网网址� on the companyB次元官网网址檚 Twitter bio.
馃愤
B次元官网网址� SemiPeeweeA1 (@a1_semi)
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 kind of nice,B次元官网网址� Kuss said, B次元官网网址渂ecause he (Erhart) brings the defensive side of the game and I bring the offensive side, we both played for the Surrey Eagles and both coached the Surrey Eagles, so itB次元官网网址檚 good.B次元官网网址�
The Semiahmoo Ravens Peewee A1 team would be incredibly grateful if you could help us with our 'Journey to Quebec' fundraising efforts by making any size donation through our GoFundMe Page
B次元官网网址� SemiPeeweeA1 (@a1_semi)
The Peewee team will host the provincial-finals tournament at the end of the current season, and will play in the famed in February.
B次元官网网址淚 played in that tournament when I was younger,B次元官网网址� said Kuss, who lives in Ladner, B次元官网网址渟o itB次元官网网址檚 kind of reliving my youth, all those fun experiences I had at that tournament, and I get to see these kids have that chance to experience it, too. ItB次元官网网址檚 a pretty special group of players weB次元官网网址檙e coaching. ItB次元官网网址檚 cool, weB次元官网网址檙e having fun with it.B次元官网网址�
Our flyer drop yesterday included a stop at Semi alum house whose father was kind enough to give the boys 2 of MichaelB次元官网网址檚 sticks. Great player and more importantly great family supporting their community and former association. Thanks!
B次元官网网址� SemiPeeweeA1 (@a1_semi)
As for his BCHL records, Kuss reflected on that time in his life, too.
B次元官网网址淚 guess itB次元官网网址檚 surprising because it seems so long ago now, you know, and there are a lot of great players around now, but I guess it seems like times have changed a bit, in the sense of players donB次元官网网址檛 spend as long in the league, maybe B次元官网网址� that could be part of it,B次元官网网址� he reasoned.
B次元官网网址淜ids are kind of leaving earlier to school and other leagues, more than it once was, you know, so those are factors in it,B次元官网网址� Kuss added. B次元官网网址淚f you look back to the B次元官网网址�70s and B次元官网网址�80s, a lot of those players played a lot of years of junior hockey, but if you look at the NHL now, itB次元官网网址檚 younger and younger. So because the NHL is getting younger, that kind of filters down and the leagues below it get younger as well, and theyB次元官网网址檙e moving on sooner. There is a fight for those players, and getting those commitments earlier, that kind of thing.B次元官网网址�
Another thing, he noted, there are more hockey teams and leagues these days, meaning talent is spread around more, compared to when he played junior.
B次元官网网址淭eams arenB次元官网网址檛 as deep now, because some of our teams were three, four lines deep, and we had guys on our third line who were scoring 20, 25 goals, and other teams were too, like Chilliwack, Penticton, teams like that. A lot of those third lines back then could probably number-one lines today, because there are just more teams and the talent is more spread out.
B次元官网网址淐oaches have to coach a little differently now, to keep their jobs, right,B次元官网网址� he continued, B次元官网网址渟o a more defensive style comes in a little bit, too. There are a lot of different factors. There are a lot of great players out there today, too, but the game evolves and changes, and that was a different era.B次元官网网址�
Does Kuss believe his two records will go unchallenged for seasons to come?
B次元官网网址淎s long as the game stays the way it is, with players not spending as much time with one team, one league, maybe, but I think one day, as anything, those will get surpassed,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淎nd it would be great to see someone else have that success, obviously, and enjoying those moments as I did. Those were some pretty special years.B次元官网网址�
The BCHL has added an All-Time Stats leaders page to its website:
B次元官网网址� BC Hockey League (@GoBCHL)
In the BCHL, the records that will be threatened nowadays are the goalie records, according to Mutis.
B次元官网网址淪ave percentage, goals-against average, shutouts,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淭hose would be the ones to watch.B次元官网网址�
In early November, was published on the leagueB次元官网网址檚 website for the first time since the domain went live in 2003.
The page includes a top-10 list of players for most categories, along with a section of miscellaneous records, such as most points in a game (12, shared by Joe Murphy of the 1985 Penticton Knights and Ken Stroud of the 1977 Merritt Centennials).
B次元官网网址淲e have obviously had some great names play in our league and some impressive records set, so itB次元官网网址檚 long since due that we had a place online to reflect that,B次元官网网址� Mutis said. B次元官网网址淚 have to give a big thanks to our league historian, Fred Hume, for helping us with a lot of this data as well; his work over the years has been a huge asset to us.B次元官网网址�
Most of the statistics since the 2003-04 season are B次元官网网址渟olid,B次元官网网址� notes a BCHL release, because of the advent of the BCHLB次元官网网址檚 website that year, B次元官网网址渂ut there have been gaps in the historical record of the league for many of the seasons prior and dating back to the inaugural season in 1961-62. For that reason, the BCHL is encouraging fans and media that may have updates or corrections to any of the league records to get in touch. Any statistical information is welcome and can be sent to the league at media@bchl.ca.B次元官网网址�
tom.zillich@surreynowleader.com
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