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.
sa国际传媒淣othing too crazy,sa国际传媒� Burzan said. sa国际传媒淚sa国际传媒檓 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 theresa国际传媒檚 really no better place to get better than skate with guys like that.sa国际传媒�
Still, hesa国际传媒檇 rather being play meaningful games, but the WHL season has been delayed until the first week of January, at the earliest.
sa国际传媒淚sa国际传媒檝e been hanging out with family and some friends, a tight circle, and honestly itsa国际传媒檚 a little boring without hockey right now,sa国际传媒� Burzan admitted. sa国际传媒淚 feel like Isa国际传媒檓 missing a big part of my life not being in Brandon and playing, and those guys are like my brothers. Itsa国际传媒檚 been weird.sa国际传媒�
One activity that will keep Burzan busy is the new , a 64-team eSports tournament featuring all 60 CHL clubs, plus four sa国际传媒渄istinguished hockey personalitiessa国际传媒� as guest participants.
The sa国际传媒淣HL 21sa国际传媒� 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.
sa国际传媒淚 was asked by the team if I wanted to do it, and I thought itsa国际传媒檇 be fun and a pretty cool experience, kinda cool,sa国际传媒� Burzan said. sa国际传媒淚sa国际传媒檝e 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.sa国际传媒�
The online action is designed to keep junior-hockey fans engaged at a time when on-ice games arensa国际传媒檛 happening.
Burzan said he plays the video game sa国际传媒渁 fair amount, and I think I should do pretty well, but I donsa国际传媒檛 know, there are a lot of players involved, more than 60 of us, so Isa国际传媒檒l try to make it as far as I can,sa国际传媒� he said. sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檒l be hard to win, and some luck will be involved. Theysa国际传媒檒l have it on Facebook Live and Twitch, so the fans should love it, and itsa国际传媒檒l be fun. Theysa国际传媒檒l get to know the players a bit more, their personalities, so it should be good that way.sa国际传媒�
Viewers can tune in via and on social media using the hashtag #KiaCHLeCup.
sa国际传媒� 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.
sa国际传媒淭heysa国际传媒檙e really good, and check on me all the time,sa国际传媒� Burzan said of the Denver-based club. sa国际传媒淚 asked them about camp but right now they have no idea how itsa国际传媒檚 going to look, and hopefully wesa国际传媒檒l know soon,sa国际传媒� he said about the coming NHL season, targeted to start in January. sa国际传媒淲ith the borders being closed, thatsa国际传媒檚 a bit of a problem. There are so many cases down there.sa国际传媒�
Burzan said he felt he had sa国际传媒渁 pretty good chance of going to camp and proving myself,sa国际传媒� prior to the pandemic.
sa国际传媒淓veryonesa国际传媒檚 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,sa国际传媒� Burzan noted. sa国际传媒淪o right now Isa国际传媒檓 just trying to get better each and every day, and everyonesa国际传媒檚 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. Wesa国际传媒檒l see.sa国际传媒�
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 Giantssa国际传媒� 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 Leaguesa国际传媒檚 Flin Flon Bombers through Dec. 20 of this year. The Giants have also loaned 2002-born forward Krz Plummer to the Alberta Junior Hockey Leaguesa国际传媒檚 Whitecourt Wolverines.
sa国际传媒� 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. Johnsa国际传媒檚 IceCaps. Additionally, he spent six seasons with the ECHLsa国际传媒檚 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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