A trio of 2003-born Valley West Giants minor midget players familiarized themselves at Surrey Eagles practice this week. Aiden Dufty, Darian Tamas, and Connor Farren all joined the team during drills and received first-hand instruction from the Eagles coaching staff at South Surrey Arena. The three players are considered top BCHL prospects, and are currently being watched closely by the Eagles.
Dufty, the lone defenceman of the group, is a South Surrey native who spent the previous season with the Okanagan Hockey Academy before signing with the Valley West Giants. Currently in his first year of midget hockey, he has been splitting time with the Valley West minor and major midget squads this season – playing in 2 games with the major team and 5 games with the minor team. Listed at 6-foot-1, 192 pounds, he is a big physical presence on the ice. He has also racked up 19 penalty minutes with the minor midget squad already this season.
Tamas is another Surrey-born player who is also in his first year of playing midget hockey. In six games with the Giants this season, he has scored one goal. At 6-foot-1, he is another player that can use size to his advantage, and did not look out of place at the BCHL practice.
Farren, whose brother Michael plays in the Western Hockey League with the Kelowna Rockets, also hails from Surrey, British Columbia. The 15-year-old has scored one goal in three games with the Giants minor midget this team already this season. At 5-foot-5, 140 pounds, Farren is a crafty forward with great hands and playmaking ability.
The three players will likely be invited back to practice with the Eagles as the year goes on, as they begin to acclimatize themselves against junior ‘A’ calibre players. Keep checking back on SurreyEagles.ca as the season goes on for more information and features on future Eagles players!
