Christmas contract for Keegan Kanzig
This could be the last Western Hockey League season for 18-year-old Victoria Royals defenceman Keegan Kanzig.
Calgary Flames president and interim general manager Brian Burke, a known lover of truculence, signed Kanzig on Dec. 19 to a standard three-year NHL entry level deal. Kanzig impressed with his size, 6-foot-5, 242 lbs., and physicality, at the Flames prospect and main camps this season.
He’ll have a crack at making the Flames permanently in September. If not, he can return to the Royals for another year.
“It’s a huge honour to sign with such a great organization,” Kanzig said. “It’s one step closer to my goal of playing for the Flames and it gives me even more motivation to continue to work hard.”
The Flames selected Kanzig, a Fort Saskatchewan native by way of Lake Athabasca, in the third round, 67th overall, in the 2013 NHL Draft.
In 30 games he leads the team with a plus-17 rating while his 57 penalty minutes are largely related to his penchant for truculence and fighting.
Vic players named to U20 soccer camp
Greater Victoria products Emma Fletcher and Katie Kraeutner attended the Canadian Soccer Association women’s under-20 training camp in Burnaby from Dec. 11 to 21.
Fletcher, a midfielder, accumulated 12 assists this fall to set a Louisiana Tigers freshman record. A graduate of the former Gordon Head Soccer Association, Fletcher was named to TopDrawerSoccer.com’s best XV among freshman NCAA Div. 1 players. As a New Zealander originally, Fletcher played for New Zealand in the under-17 FIFA World Cup in 2012.
Kraeutner, a forward, is a Parkland secondary grad from North Saanich who plays Div. 1 with the Nebraska Huskers.