Vernon Vipers have added some California content to next year’s team.
Defenceman Keigo Hachisuka has signed with the Vipers for the coming season under new Head Coach Jason McKee.
The 18-year-old was raised in San Diego and now makes his home in Texas.
He spent the past two years at the Shawnigan Lake prep school on Vancouver Island.
His coach at Shawnigan Lake, Kevin Cooper, describes Keigo as a fast player with a high skill level and a high hockey IQ.
“He’s also an extremely good student, so he can go to any college he chooses,” Cooper said.
The blue liner sees himself as an offensive defenceman who enjoys joining the rush.
“He’s 5-10 and 165 pounds, so Viper fans won’t see Keigo being overly physical, but he says that he likes to cut off the angles and use his stick to dispossess opposing forwards of the puck,” according to the Vipers website.
“In that regard, Viper fans can expect to see the style of play displayed by Trey Taylor this past season. Keigo might also evoke memories of Steve Weinstein, another Californian whose skating and puck handling endeared him to Viper fans,” the team site added.
Hachisuka will arrive in Vernon in advance of the Vipers training camp in late August, in order to get to know the area and to train.
