The Surrey Eagles have bolstered their offence for the upcoming season by acquiring forward Eric Linell from the Coquitlam Express in a blockbuster trade. Forward Chase Danol is heading to Coquitlam from Surrey packaged with future considerations to complete the deal. Linell, who has a 2019-20 commitment to the University of Connecticut, led the Express in scoring last season with 28 goals and 46 points in 58 games.
“I’m excited to go to Surrey,” Linell told SurreyEagles.ca. “I know it’s a great organization. It’s close to the city of Vancouver. The coaches are great there. I have one year to develop before I go play college hockey, and I think Surrey is the place to do it. In that facility and with those coaches, I know I can go into college as a top-9 player and make an impact right away.”
Linell, 19, is from Great Neck, New York and joined the Express for his first season in the BCHL last year. He appeared in all 58 regular season games for the Express, including an additional four playoff games. He finished eighth in league scoring.
“Eric was a player that we have worked hard at acquiring for a long time, dating back to years before he came to the BCHL,” Eagles general manager Blaine Neufeld commented. “He is an elite player and we have high expectations of him helping us obtain our ultimate goal of winning a championship.”
Linell also spoke about his time in Coquitlam, thanking them for his time with the organization. He was proud of the team’s second-half surge, but also emphasized the importance of needing a change of scenery.
“I enjoyed my time in Coquitlam. I made some great friends and had some great teammates. Coach [Barry] Wolff and [Jason] Fortier were both great to me. They treated me very well. I had a great season there, but it’s time for a change.”
“I’d love to take on a scoring role with the Eagles, I can handle the pressure. I have a goal set in mind, and I’m going to do whatever it takes to help the team win games.”
The Eagles would like to thank Chase Danol for his time with the club. His dedication to the team during his time in Surrey was appreciated, and we wish him the best with his new organization.
“Chase really found his game as the year progressed and we saw his high potential. He has a bright future in the game of hockey,” Neufeld added.
This is the second trade that the Eagles have completed with the divisional-rival Express this offseason. Forward Jake Toor was acquired earlier in the summer in exchange for future considerations. The Eagles also acquired forward Chase Stevenson from the West Kelowna Warriors in another move geared at improving the team’s offence heading into the 2018-19 season.
The Eagles will be hitting the ice on August 20th for training camp, with exhibition dates to be announced soon. The season officially kicks off on September 7th at home against the Coquitlam Express. Season tickets and special 5-game ticket packs are available now!
Stay tuned to SurreyEagles.ca for more news and information as the summer continues.
