The Coquitlam Express are heading into their 20th Season in the BCHL and have partnered with TD Canada Trust in featuring alums throughout the years and the first one is on Kyle Turris.
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Turris had a breakout rookie year with the Burnaby Express as a 16-year-old, finishing third in team scoring with 36 goals and 36 assists for 72 points. Turris easily won the Coastal Conference rookie of the year award at the end of the season.
He continued to show off his consistency in the playoffs, placing third on the club in scoring as the Express won the Fred Page Cup. Turris scored another huge goal for the Express in the RBC Cup semifinal game. Turris beat future Nashville teammate Carter Hutton, then with Fort William, with the game tying goal with 11 seconds left in the game.
If Turris’ rookie season in the BCHL was good, his second was magnificent. Turris led the team and BCHL in scoring with 66 goals and 55 assists for 121 points. The goal and point totals are Express team records that still stand today.
While the Express playoff run ended in the second round against Nanaimo in game seven, Turris’ accolades were far from being over. He ended the 2006-07 campaign being named Coastal Conference most valuable player and Canadian Junior Hockey League player of the year.
Turris entered the 2007 NHL Draft ranked as the top North American skater. When the Phoenix Coyotes selected him third overall, Turris became, and still is, the highest-ever drafted Canadian junior A player.
