The Alberni Valley Bulldogs have added seven new players to their roster as they get ready for the 2026-27 season, Head Coach and GM Joe Martin announced. The signings include international talent from Sweden, Latvia, Germany, and France, along with experienced junior players from across North America.
Swedish defenceman Gustav Bryvall joins the club from Västerås IK U20. Martin called him a “great skating defenceman who has professional experience in Sweden.” Latvian forward Ricards Rutkis comes over from the New Jersey Rockets system after posting 22 goals and 46 assists in 67 games at the 18U AAA level. He also represented Latvia at the U18 World Championship, scoring 3 points in 7 games as his country finished fourth.
Ontario-born blueliner Trevor O’Dell brings 114 games of OHL experience from two seasons with the Sudbury Wolves, where he recorded 12 points and 53 penalty minutes. At 6’3″ and 190 pounds, Martin said O’Dell “brings a lot of junior experience, and we feel he’s going to be playing in many important situations.”
Up front, Drew Bowe arrives with a couple of seasons in the NAHL and is described as an intelligent, competitive player with physicality and playmaking ability. Malte Barthold, a German-born two-way forward, spent time practicing with the AHL’s Abbotsford Canucks. Alex Levasseur, from Edmundston, New Brunswick, comes from the AJHL and can play both centre and wing. French forward Andrea Meunier, who represented France internationally, is a quick north-south player who Martin says reminds him of former Bulldog Jesse Allecia.
The team also welcomes back two familiar faces: Port Alberni’s own Grayson Salmon, who had 7 points in 39 games last season despite injuries, and Rocky Mountain House product Leim Smith. The Bulldogs open their 25th anniversary season on Saturday, September 19, 2026 at Weyerhaeuser Arena. Fans can stay up to date through the Alberni Valley Bulldogs.
