BCHL rebrands year-end awards, celebrating past stars on league trophies

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Who knew that being named to the B.C. Hockey League’s all-time all-star team would wind up being the second best honour Michael Garteig would get from his former Junior A circuit this off-season?

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The now 30-year-old netminder from Prince George, a former Vancouver Canucks farmhand slated to play this coming season in Germany, was doing an interview with BCHL manager of media and communications Jesse Adamson for the league website about that all-star recognition when Adamson told him about the BCHL updating its year-end trophies.

Moreover, that the formerly known Top Goaltender Award would now take Garteig’s name.

The BCHL is looking to further showcase its histories and stories. The league renamed the broadcaster award after Jim Hughson, the longtime National Hockey League play-by-play man who got his start calling BCHL games, and the defence award after Campbell Blair, a former high-scoring rearguard in the circuit.

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The league also introduced a playoff most valuable player and a community service award, naming them after Jeff Tambellini and Kyle Turris, respectively. Turris suited up for his 14th NHL season last year with the Edmonton Oilers while Tambellini followed his playing career by coming back to coach in the BCHL with the Trail Smoke Eaters. Last week, Tambellini was named the NHL’s Seattle Kraken director of player of development.

Opening night for the 2022-23 BCHL season goes Sept. 23.

Garteig wound up his three-year career in the league with the 2011-12 Penticton Vees after spending two campaigns with the Powell River Kings.  That Penticton team won a Canadian Junior A record 42 straight games on its way to a RBC Cup national championship, and was inducted into the B.C. Hockey Hall of Fame last month.

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Over his career, Garteig was 92-23-3 in regular-season play with a 2.07 goals against average and a .921 save percentage, and twice won the league’s best netminder trophy that now bears his name. He holds BCHL records for most career wins and shutouts (12), as well as the single-season mark for goals against average, thanks to the 1.69 mark he fashioned in 48 games with Powell River in 2010-11.

“I was beyond humbled and almost cried. I felt it was such an honour,” Garteig said of receiving word of the trophy name change.

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Garteig’s start in the BCHL was decidedly inauspicious, though. He was a 17-year-old backup goalie with the Quesnel Millionaires to begin 2008-09. He finally got a chance in the eighth game of the year to play, coming on for starter Jeff Malcolm midway through the third period with Quesnel trailing the Cowichan Valley Capitals 4-1. Garteig gave up two goals on five shots in 13 minutes, and was reassigned to Junior B in the days following the game. 

“It wasn’t the memorable appearance,” Garteig says.

He does list the season with Penticton as one of his career highlights. He was traded to the Vees the summer beforehand. He missed much of the playoffs with a lower body injury but returned for the nationals and made 22 saves in a 4-3 win over the Woodstock Slammers in Humboldt, Sask., that clinched the RBC Cup.

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“The coaching staff prepared us well,” remembers Garteig, whose teammates then included current NHL defenceman Troy Stecher. “The city and the fans were supportive and we got along excellent as a team.”

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Garteig signed with the Canucks in April 2016 after finishing his senior season at Quinnipiac University. He played with both the AHL’s Utica Comets and the ECHL’s Alaska Aces that following campaign. He was an emergency call-up to the Canucks from Alaska to back up Jacob Markstom for a Nov. 17, 2016 NHL game against the Phoenix Coyotes with Ryan Miller sidelined with the flu, but was reassigned to the minors without getting any game action.

Garteig signed the following season with Utica, but he spent the majority of the year in the ECHL. Another season in the ECHL followed, and he’s spent the past four seasons in Europe. This is his second stint with ERC Ingolstadt, a German team.

“I feel fortunate that my career has brought me to Europe. It’s allowing me to experience a different type of life. I’ve learnt new cultures, explored beautiful cities and been a part of some great organizations,” the 6-foot-1, 190-pound Garteig said. “At this point in my career, I am not looking to come back to the NHL. I am happy with my contracts I have received overseas, and the lifestyle is great.”

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Turris, who played with the Burnaby Express from 2005-07, and Blair, who was with the Shuswap Totems, Summerland Buckaroos and Vernon Lakers from 1983-87, were also members of that BCHL all-time team along with the likes of Brett Hull. A celebrated NHL sniper, Hull played in the BCHL with the Penticton Knights from 1982-84, and the BCHL’s top scorer trophy is named after him. The MVP award is named after Vern Dye, a longtime BCHL builder from Vernon.

Tambellini played with the Chilliwack Chiefs from 2000-02. Hughson called games for the Vees and Kelowna Buckaroos in the 1970s, what he called his career “training ground” in broadcasting.

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