Austin, Minn. – Bruins defenseman, Grayson Valente has announced his signing to play professional hockey for VEU Feldkirch of the Alps Hockey League (ALPSHL), the Bruins announced on Tuesday.
Valente, 20, spent just one season in Austin after coming over from the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL). While with the Bruins, Valente played stellar defensive hockey and picked up 3 goals and 3 assists, for 6 total points, in 44 games played.
“I want to thank my billets Bill and Vicky, who were very supportive throughout my time in Austin. They helped me always put my best foot forward and kept me strong, and on the right path. I can’t thank them enough for all they did for me, to help me achieve this milestone,” says Valente.
Prior to playing in Austin, Valente played for the Alberni Valley Bulldogs of the BCHL, where the Vancouver, British Columbia native spent three seasons. He managed to rack up 10 goals and 29 assists for a total of 39 points in 138 games played with the Bulldogs.
In Valente’s four-year career in juniors, he managed to help propel his team to the playoffs in three of them, as the Bulldogs made the playoffs in all three years Valente was a blue-liner there.
As for Valente’s future squad, VEU Feldkirch played an abbreviated season amidst the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020-21, picking up a record of 17-19-2 in the process. However, one year prior, in the 2019-20 season, VEU Feldkirch had quite the season before getting shut down in March because of COVID-19, as they went 29-11-4 from September through March.
Valente states, “For my first-year pro, I’m really just looking forward to the whole experience. Playing against top-end guys, and getting to tour Europe all at the same time.”
