The Alberni Valley Bulldogs have added strength both on the wing and the blueline with some player moves.
Forward Chris Sarault (b. 1997) joined the team last week from Moncton, NB. He was drafted in the eighth round (131st overall) in the 2013 Quebec Major Junior Hockey League draft by the Saint John Sea Dogs. Most recently he won a AAA midget league championship with the Moncton Flyers, scoring 10 goals and adding 13 assists in 20 regular season games, and adding another 19 points in 10 playoff games.
Sarault has appeared in two games for the Bulldogs: last Thursday in Victoria and Saturday when Cowichan Capitals came to the Dawg Pound.
“Sarault will take a few more games to get accustomed to the level of play in the BCHL,” Bulldogs’ assistant coach Adam Hayduk said, “but he has shown that he can play at this level. He will only get better.
“He blocks shots, kills penalties, provides some good energy and forechecks well,” Hayduk added.
Sarault comes with a history of providing offensive power too.
The Bulldogs also added defenceman Marshall Skapski (b. 1998) to the blueline. He was a third-round pick for the Medicine Hat Tigers of the Western Hockey League in 2013 but was recently released by the WHL team.
To make room for Skapski the Bulldogs on Tuesday released forward Will Lavezzorio, who was held scoreless in nine games with the Bulldogs.
The Bulldogs host the BCHL’s newest team, the Wenatchee Wild of Washington State, on Friday, Oct. 16 at 7 p.m. They play their second of back-to-back home games on Saturday, Oct. 17 when the Chilliwack Chiefs are in town (also a 7 p.m. puck drop).
ICE CHIPS...Sarault comes with a National Hockey League pedigree: his father is former NHLer Yves Sarault.