Two former Vernon Vipers have signed contracts to advance their professional hockey career..
With NCAA Division One programs finishing their season over the past month, players from those schools signed contracts with the American Hockey League (AHL) and National Hockey League (NHL) clubs.
Trey Taylor, a Viper from 2018-21, signed with the Dallas Stars of the NHL. Taylor completed his schooling at Clarkson University this year, and finished the 2024-25 campaign with nine goals and 20 assists in 39 games. The six-foot-two-inch defenceman also played 10 games with the AHL's Texas Stars, registering one assist.
A native of Richmond, the 23-year-old played in 125 BCHL games for the Vipers, scoring 8 goals and chipping in 31 assists.
Josh Prokop, who played for the Vipers from 2017-2019, signed a deal with the Bakersfield Condors of the AHL, an affiliate club of the Edmonton Oilers.
Prokop finished a four-year career at the University of Alberta Golden Bears, captaining the team the past two seasons. The 25-year-old Edmontonian started his junior career with the Spruce Grove Saints, before moving to Vernon for a season and a half. He then made the jump to the WHL with the Calgary Hitmen.
This year, the five-foot-11-inch forward played seven games with the Condors, nabbing a goal and two assists.
Despite just 54 total games played with Vernon, Prokop was nearly a point per game, with 22 goals and 19 assists in that span.
Since the end of the NCAA season this year, 47 former BCHL players made the jump to the professional level, 11 in the NHL, nine in the AHL and 27 from the ECHL.
