Leafs dealt blow after rearguard Cole Arcuri bolts to BCHL
By Bruce Fuhr
The Nelson Leafs hockey club was dealt a huge blow to its run at the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League title when defenceman Cole Arcuri decided to join the Powell River Kings of the BC Hockey League.
Arcuri, 17, is off to the Tier II club immediately, hopping a flight to the Sunshine Coast City Tuesday morning.
“It’s always tough no matter what time of the season to lose a player like Cole, but that’s our program . . . developing and moving players,” said Leaf coach and GM Frank Maida.
“We’re happy for Cole and hopefully we’ll be able to find a player to fill in the position in the next three days.”
The 6’1”, 170-pound Nelson Minor Hockey product is one of the top blueliners for a Leaf team already limited on the back end.
In 38 games this season the Nelson native had scored four times while adding 20 assists for 24 points.
Nelson has little time to find a replacement for Arcuri as the BC Hockey January 10 roster deadline is but a few days away.
Teams must finalize rosters by midnight Friday for the remainder of the season.
“We’ve got to go out now and do the best we can to find the best available player to replace Cole,” Maida confessed.
“We’ll be on the phones looking for a replacement and hope something will happen before Friday.”
Powell River is second in the Island Division of the BCHL, three points behind Victoria Grizzlies.
Arcuri is expected to be in the lineup when the Kings host Salmon Arm and Nanaimo this weekend.
Nelson is now left with four healthy players on the blueline — Patrick Croome, Robson Cramer, Darnel St. Pierre and Nick Trefrey — along with injured Austin Seaman.
Maida said Seaman is probably at least two weeks away from returning to the lineup after suffering a leg injury.
While Maida admits this is not the best situation to be in, the Leaf skipper is confident in his blueline core.
“We’ve been playing with five defencemen since game 10 and now we’re at game 38, so the boys have done a great job logging a lot of ice time,” Maida said. “Hopefully we can get a body or two in here before the weekend.”
Arcuri is the second player this season Nelson has seen jump to the BCHL.
Leading scorer Jamie Vlanich took a shot with Langley Rivermen, but returned to the Leaf after just a few games in the BCHL.
Nelson, holding a slim one-point lead on Beaver Valley Nitehawks in Murdoch standings, travels to Castlegar Friday to meet the Rebels.
The Leafs have played one more game than the Hawks.
Saturday Nelson hosts the Spokane Braves at 7 p.m. in the NDCC Arena.
