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91ƵMemorial eCup91Ƶ games to keep junior players plugged in, including Kelowna91Ƶs Burzan

WHL veteran91Ƶs pro dream is on hold as he skates in Kelowna
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Surrey-raised hockey player Luka Burzan in action with the WHL91Ƶs Brandon Wheat Kings. (Photo: Brandi Pollock/Wheat Kings)

Like other WHL players during the COVID-19 pandemic, Luka Burzan is just trying to keep his legs moving.

The Surrey-raised sniper, a Brandon Wheat Kings veteran and Colorado Avalanche draft pick, is skating twice a week at a rink in Kelowna, where he now lives.

91ƵNothing too crazy,91Ƶ Burzan said. 91ƵI91Ƶm skating with a lot of pro guys like (Damon) Severson, who plays for New Jersey (Devils), and (Brent) Seabrook, a lot of people know him, and a lot of other guys, too, and there91Ƶs really no better place to get better than skate with guys like that.91Ƶ

Still, he91Ƶd rather being play meaningful games, but the WHL season has been delayed until the first week of January, at the earliest.

91ƵI91Ƶve been hanging out with family and some friends, a tight circle, and honestly it91Ƶs a little boring without hockey right now,91Ƶ Burzan admitted. 91ƵI feel like I91Ƶm missing a big part of my life not being in Brandon and playing, and those guys are like my brothers. It91Ƶs been weird.91Ƶ

One activity that will keep Burzan busy is the new , a 64-team eSports tournament featuring all 60 CHL clubs, plus four 91Ƶdistinguished hockey personalities91Ƶ as guest participants.

The 91ƵNHL 2191Ƶ video-game tournament will be played from Nov. 28 to Dec. 17 on the Sony PlayStation 4 system, with Burzan chosen to represent his Wheat Kings.

91ƵI was asked by the team if I wanted to do it, and I thought it91Ƶd be fun and a pretty cool experience, kinda cool,91Ƶ Burzan said. 91ƵI91Ƶve been missing some competitiveness, so trying to win something like that would be really good, and I think it will be a cool experience for sure.91Ƶ

The online action is designed to keep junior-hockey fans engaged at a time when on-ice games aren91Ƶt happening.

Burzan said he plays the video game 91Ƶa fair amount, and I think I should do pretty well, but I don91Ƶt know, there are a lot of players involved, more than 60 of us, so I91Ƶll try to make it as far as I can,91Ƶ he said. 91ƵIt91Ƶll be hard to win, and some luck will be involved. They91Ƶll have it on Facebook Live and Twitch, so the fans should love it, and it91Ƶll be fun. They91Ƶll get to know the players a bit more, their personalities, so it should be good that way.91Ƶ

Viewers can tune in via and on social media using the hashtag #KiaCHLeCup.

91Ƶ RELATED STORY, from 2019: .

In June 2019 at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, Burzan was selected in the NHL Entry Draft by the Avalanche, 171st overall. At the time, the left-shot centre had spent with the Wheat Kings and also Moose Jaw Warriors.

Now 20, the Surrey Minor Hockey Association product, who grew up in the Guildford area, had hoped to have a good showing at Avs training camp this past September, but COVID ended those plans.

91ƵThey91Ƶre really good, and check on me all the time,91Ƶ Burzan said of the Denver-based club. 91ƵI asked them about camp but right now they have no idea how it91Ƶs going to look, and hopefully we91Ƶll know soon,91Ƶ he said about the coming NHL season, targeted to start in January. 91ƵWith the borders being closed, that91Ƶs a bit of a problem. There are so many cases down there.91Ƶ

Burzan said he felt he had 91Ƶa pretty good chance of going to camp and proving myself,91Ƶ prior to the pandemic.

91ƵEveryone91Ƶs goal is to go there and make the NHL, right, and I think I had at least a chance to make the American Hockey League (affiliate team) and get some experience there, but you know what, nobody expected a pandemic to happen,91Ƶ Burzan noted. 91ƵSo right now I91Ƶm just trying to get better each and every day, and everyone91Ƶs going through the same thing. Hopefully this will all be over soon and we can get back to work. But even with (the WHL), Manitoba is code-red. We91Ƶll see.91Ƶ

As for the Memorial eCup, the competition starts as a single-elimination tournament, with semifinal and final-round action then seeing players go head-to-head in a best-of-three format.

Other CHL players signed up include Vancouver Giants91Ƶ Trevor Longo along with former Giant Lukas Svejkovsky, now with Medicine Hat Tigers.

Meantime, Vancouver Giants have loaned out two players to junior leagues under a new arrangement designed to give athletes competitive playing time while they wait for the WHL season to resume.

One deal will see 2003-born forward Justin Lies head to the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League91Ƶs Flin Flon Bombers through Dec. 20 of this year. The Giants have also loaned 2002-born forward Krz Plummer to the Alberta Junior Hockey League91Ƶs Whitecourt Wolverines.

91Ƶ READ MORE: .

In other Giants news, the club has hired Manitoba native Keith McCambridge as an associate coach. McCambridge spent 10 seasons coaching in the American Hockey League, with Hartford Wolf Pack, Manitoba Moose and St. John91Ƶs IceCaps. Additionally, he spent six seasons with the ECHL91Ƶs Alaska Aces where he served as a head coach (2007-2009), an assistant coach (2006-07) and a player/coach (2003-2006).



tom.zillich@surreynowleader.com

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Tom Zillich

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