Salmon Arm, B.C. — The Salmon Arm Silverbacks are pleased to announce the acquisition of 2001-born defenceman Kieran Ruscheinski for the upcoming 2019-20 BCHL season.
The Silverbacks committed to Ruscheinski on June 1, the first day of player carding eligibility. The mammoth defenceman, who played midget AAA last season for the Calgary North Stars in the Alberta Midget Hockey League (AMHL), was subsequently drafted by the Montreal Canadiens in the seventh round (206th overall) of the 2019 NHL Entry Draft on Saturday.
“We are excited to add Kieran to our line-up and feel that he will have an extremely positive impact on the performance of our team next season,” Silverbacks head coach and general manager Scott Atkinson said. “At 6-foot-6 and over 200 pounds, Kieran is an imposing figure on the ice, but he also possesses a solid all-round skill set and has great mobility.”
The Calgary native won the Richard Warwick Memorial Trophy as AMHL MVP this season, while recording 11 points in 33 games for the North Stars. He also notched one assist while playing three games for the Spruce Grove Saints of the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL).
“What we really fell in love with was Kieran’s overall attitude and character attributes. This is a very solid citizen who will not only contribute on the ice but also to the Salmon Arm community at large,” Atkinson added.
Ruscheinski was not the only BCHL commit drafted by the Canadiens on Saturday, as Victoria Grizzlies commit Jayden Struble was taken by the Habs in the second round, 46th overall.
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