Jacksenn Hungle’s dad told him to “be a good person first and put the on-ice stuff second behind that.”
It’s called character and has led to Hungle being named captain of the Victoria Grizzlies on the eve of the start of the B.C. Hockey League season, in which the Grizzlies open tonight and Saturday in Powell River against the Kings.
Dad Casey Hungle was the younger Hungle’s coach through bantam hockey at the Racquet Club of Victoria. The elder Hungle had plenty to offer after having played four seasons in the 1990s for the Nanaimo Clippers of the BCHL before eight seasons in minor-pro hockey through the ECHL, CHL and WCHL across North America.
“My parents [including mom Tara] have been my biggest inspiration,” said Jacksenn Hungle.
“I lead by example because of that,” added the U.S. NCAA Div. 1 commit to Canisius University in Buffalo.
“This [captainship] is a real honour, especially for a guy who grew up here, and is almost surreal.”
Named Grizzlies assistant captains are Julian Cull, Ryan Watt and Reegan Hiscock, the latter committed to NCAA Div. 1 Northeastern.
“We have been together on the team for three seasons now and are all good buddies with great chemistry in the room,” said Hungle.
“It’s great to have those guys wearing letters on their jerseys, too, and by my side. They are all great leaders and I know they have my back.”
Other key returnees include forward Chase Pirtle, last season’s BCHL rookie of the year and committed to the Cornell Big Red, goaltender and 2022-23 BCHL rookie-of-the-year Oliver Auyeung-Ashton and forward Tobias Pitka, the latter also NCAA Div. 1 committed, with Auyeung-Ashton to Colgate and U-18 Slovak international Pitka to Boston College.
Newcomers include the undersized but fleet forward Tom Molson from Deerfield Academy of Massachusetts, son of Montreal Canadiens co-owner and president and CEO Geoff Molson and committed to NCAA Yale of the Ivy League.
Six-foot-three forward Stone Rolston was acquired in a trade from the Chilliwack Chiefs. He is the son of former NHL veteran, Stanley Cup-champion and U.S. Olympic silver-medallist Brian Rolston. Another trade acquisition is blue-liner Brady Smith from the Trail Smoke Eaters, committed to the NCAA University of Connecticut Huskies.
Joining Pitka as the two allowable imports is Oscar Pantzare, who led the Swedish U-20 league in goals for a defenceman last season with 17 for Frolunda, a team that boasted seven NHL draft picks. Victoria assistant coach Geoff Grimwood, in a statement, described the 20-year-old as a “two-way player, from a top program in Sweden in Frolunda, who has great hockey sense and who we expect leadership from and the ability to log a lot of minutes for us.”
The Swede will get up to speed on the Grizzly way of doing things.
“We are going to play the Grizzlies hockey that [head coach and GM Rylan Ferster] has drilled in us — we will be a defence first, hard working and hard checking team,” said Hungle.
The Grizzlies home opener is Sept. 27 when the Alberni Valley Bulldogs pay a visit to The Q Centre.
Among other BCHL openers tonight, the Nanaimo Clippers are at the Alberni Valley Multiplex to play the Bulldogs and the Capitals host the Salmon Arm Silverbacks at the Cowichan Community Centre.
