NEWS: Vees Bolster Blue Line With Acquisition of Owen Murray From Portage

PHOTO: Matthew Murnaghan/Hockey Canada

PENTICTON, BC. – The Penticton Vees Junior ‘A’ Hockey Club announced Thursday the acquisition of defenseman Owen Murray (’02) from the Portage Terriers of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League (MJHL) in exchange for future considerations.

Murray, 17, is a decorated Junior hockey player despite his age, having a huge rookie season during the 2018/19 campaign. The 5’10”, 181-pound defender posted 9 goals and 32 assists for 41 points in 55 games with the Terriers in his 16-year-old season before registering 2 goals and 5 assists for 7 points in 15 playoff games while Portage won the MJHL and Anavet Cup to advance to the RBC Cup tournament. The accolades continued for Murray, who was named the MJHL’s Rookie of the Year as well as to the MJHL All-Rookie Team and finished the season as a finalist for the Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL) Rookie of the Year award.

This past season, the Decker, Manitoba product was nearly a point-per-game player from the back end, scoring 4 goals while adding 22 assists for 26 points in 30 games played. Murray also represented his country at the World Junior ‘A’ Challenge in Dawson Creek, BC, playing for Team Canada West. The blue liner has secured his collegiate future as he is set to attend the University of Massachusetts-Amherst.

The Vees would like to welcome Owen and his family to the City of Penticton, the South Okanagan and the organization.