Willick named Blazer captain
The Kamloops Blazers finally have a captain — albeit an injured one.
Dylan Willick — who will likely be out of the lineup recovering from a broken ankle until the new year — was named captain in a team meeting before practice on Wednesday, Dec. 5.
"It's an honour for me and it's something I don't take lightly," Willick said.
"I want to do the best I can with the role."
Blazer head coach Guy Charron talked about the decision in a club press release.
"Dylan represents what a captain is by his on-ice work ethic and off-ice maturity.
“He is surrounded by three strong individuals who have only been Blazers and understand the Blazer way.”
Charron is referring to Colin Smith, Tyler Hansen and Brendan Ranford, the Blazer alternate captains.
Kamloops was waiting to find out the fate of Columbus Blue Jacket D-man Austin Madaisky before naming a captain.
A team vote was taken last week, when it became clear Madaisky — who recently underwent wrist surgery — won't play again until at least March.
"With the kind of guys we have in the dressing room, it really could have gone to anybody," Willick said.
The 20-year-old Prince George product said he doesn't plan on making any drastic changes to how he goes about his business.
"I've seen people in the past, not necessarily on this team, who have changed with a letter on the jersey and it's not exactly what the team wanted out of them," Willick said.
"I'll just keep doing what I've been doing."
The last player to don the 'C' for Kamloops was Chase Schaber, now a member of the Lethbridge Pronghorns.
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