Former Aces star B.J. Young dead at 28
Published on November 30, 2005 under ECHL (ECHL)
Alaska Aces News Release
ANCHORAGE, Alaska - The Alaska Aces organization announced today that former center B.J. Young died early this morning in a single-car accident in British Columbia at the age of 28.
Young played parts of three seasons for the Aces, most notably last year, when after a season away from hockey, he seemed to recapture the promise of his early career, scoring 13 goals and assisting on 22 others in just 48 games. He scored the game-winning goal in a 4-2 victory at Long Beach in Game Two of the 2005 West Division Finals after assisting on both goals in an overtime victory in Game One. Young finished the regular season at +22, second-best on the team.
One of the most talented players ever to come out of Anchorage, Young left East High School to play junior hockey, primarily with the Red Deer Rebels of the Western Hockey League, where he scored 107 goals in his final two seasons. He was drafted in the sixth round by the Detroit Red Wings in 1997, and played one game for Detroit during the 1999-2000 season. Young joined the Aces midway through the 2001-02 season and scored twice in a first-round loss to Idaho in the 2002 WCHL playoffs before serving as captain of the team during the 2002-03 campaign, scoring 42 points (17g-25a) and accumulating 233 minutes in penalties in 52 game.
"We were thrilled to see B.J. turn the corner as a player and a person last season," said Alaska Aces managing member Terry Parks. "I'm so sad to hear that such a promising life has been cut short. The entire organization sends its condolences to the Young family."
The Aces will honor Young prior to their game with Utah tonight before traveling to Long Beach for a pair of games Friday and Saturday.
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