The Penticton Vees will be well represented at the B.C. Hockey League’s (BCHL) Top Prospects Game next month in Salmon Arm.
Three Vees named to BCHL top prospect game
Defenceman Zach Nyman (’08) and forwards Max Heise (’06) and Eli McKamey (’09) were all named to the Interior Conference roster for the annual Top Prospects Game, the league announced Tuesday morning.
The 2025 Top Prospects Game, Hydrated by CWENCH, is January 17th, at Rogers Rink in Salmon Arm, as part of the BCHL All-Star Weekend. The game features NHL draft prospects split between the Interior Conference and Coastal Conference.
The two rosters were voted on by BCHL Head Coaches and General Managers, as well as input from NHL Central Scouting. Players listed by NHL Central Scouting on their Preliminary Players to Watch list received an automatic entry.
Nyman, 16, is fifth in rookie scoring among defencemen in the BCHL with 11 points (0G, 11A) in 26 games. His 11 points in the second-most of any Vees’ defencemen. The 5’9, 165-pound defender is committed to the University of Michigan. The Toronto, Ontario, product won a Greater Toronto Hockey League U-16 championship last season with the Vaughn Kings. Nyman also won a silver medal at the 2024 OHL Cup and represented Canada at the 2024 Youth Olympic Games in South Korea. Nyman is eligible for the 2026 NHL Draft.
McKamey, 15, is the first player to be granted exceptional status in BCHL history. The Cowichan Bay, B.C., product has 10 points (4G, 6A) in 25 games this season, as he sits third in rookie scoring on the Vees’ roster. McKamey is committed to the University of North Dakota. Last season, McKamey was third in team scoring on Shawnigan Lake School’s U-18 roster in the Canadian Sport School Hockey League, as he compiled 48 points (23G, 25A) in 28 games. McKamey is eligible for the 2027 NHL Draft.
Heise, 18, is in his second season with the Vees and has 20 points (14G, 6A) in 25 games, as he sits fourth in team scoring. Heise’s 14 goals leads the Vees and so too does his seven power play goals. He’s tied for the second-most power play goals in the BCHL. The Calgary, AB, product has already reached new career highs in goals (14) and points (20) through 25 games. Last season, Heise played in the 2024 BCHL Top Prospects Game in Penticton. He is committed to Michigan State University and is eligible for the 2025 NHL Draft.
The 2025 BCHL All-Star Weekend is January 17-18 at Rogers Rink in Salmon Arm, B.C.