WHL alumnus Scott Walford signs AHL deal with Syracuse Crunch
Saskatoon Blades and Victoria Royals alumnus Scott Walford has signed a one-year deal with the Syracuse Crunch of the American Hockey League (AHL).
The Coquitlam, BC native played one season with the Blades for his graduating season in 2019-20. In 61 games, Walford scored a career-high 12 goals and 42 assists before the remainder of the season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Prior to being acquired by the Blades in August 2019, Walford spent four seasons with the Victoria Royals. The 6-foot-1 blueliner finished his Western Hockey League (WHL) stint with 30 goals, 144 assists, 174 points, and 203 penalty minutes in 290 career games.
Walford continued his hockey career at McGill University and began his first of three seasons as a Redbird in 2021. The newly signed pro won back-to-back-to-back Dr. Bobby Bell Memorial Bowls for being the men’s program’s most valuable player in the 2021-22, 2022-23, and 2023-24 seasons. Walford gathered nine goals and 46 assists in 59 career USPORTS games. McGill captured bronze at USPORTS Nationals this past spring.
For Walford, the pace of play between junior hockey and USPORTS was a welcomed surprise and challenge for the British Columbian.
“I think that’s one thing that gets kind of forgotten about when you’re making the decision between going to college or the WHL — Canadian universities might not get the notoriety that it deserves, but regardless, it’s producing great players and better and better players and teams every year,” Walford said in a previous interview with the Western Hockey League.
“I don’t think Canadian university gets the respect that it deserves. It is a very good league. There’s a lot of good, strong players there, and they’re older.”
"It's such an amazing program because I'll be able to come out of school debt-free, with a degree, and continue to play hockey."#WHLScholarship | @victoriaroyals | @BladesHockey pic.twitter.com/jy7uEb1iiN
— The WHL (@TheWHL) July 15, 2023
The Crunch signed Walford to an amateur tryout (ATO) in March 2024. Walford appeared in five games with the Crunch and left a positive impression on the club.
Walford has an opportunity to make an impact on a club that made it to the second round of the AHL Playoffs this past spring. The Crunch defeated the Rochester Americans in a winner-take-all Game 5 in Round 1 but were swept in Round 2 by the Cleveland Monsters.
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