The Surrey Eagles Hockey Club is proud to announce their leadership group for the remainder of the 2018-19 season. Defenceman Jeremy Smith has been named captain, with Cody Schiavon, Riley Hayles, and Dawson McKay serving as assistants.
“I’m very honoured by what the coaches have said about me, and how much trust they’ve put in me,” Smith said about the announcement. “What we have here is a special group of guys and I think we have the potential to surprise everybody. I’m really happy to be part of this group.”
Smith and Hayles are both 1998-born defencemen and are in their final years of junior eligibility. Both players are also first-year Eagles, as Smith was acquired earlier this season from the Trail Smoke Eaters in the trade that saw former assistant captain Chase Stevenson go the other way and Hayles came to the Eagles in a trade with the Powell River Kings. Smith had been previously wearing an ‘A’ for the team before this announcement.
Cody Schiavon is a 2000-born defenceman in his second season with the team and has retained his assistant captain status throughout the course of the season. Dawson McKay was recently signed and has made an immediate impact both off and on the ice. He has recorded two goals and one assist in his first six games with the team, and has proven to be a vocal leader in the dressing room.
“With the buzz in the dressing room, you can feel that we’re turning a corner,” said the newly-appointed captain Smith. “We’re all fired up to play our next game. We know we’re a handful of points out of playoff position, but we’re definitely going to push for that last spot.”
