Braden Schneider will have something new on his jersey when he joins the Brandon Wheat Kings in the East Division bubble that is based in Regina.
The 19-year-old blueliner from Prince Albert has been named as the team’s captain for the upcoming campaign, which will begin for the East Division on Friday, March 12 at the Brandt Centre.
“It’s an honour to be part of the leadership group again this season”, Schneider said in a prepared statement.
“It means a lot to me that our coaching staff has put the trust in me to lead our group. With so much history in this club, it’s a really special honour to be named a captain of the Wheat Kings”.
Schneider, who has posted 88 points in 185 regular season games since being selected 12th overall by Brandon in the 2016 WHL Bantam Draft, had been an assistant captain for the team during the last two seasons.
A first round pick by the New York Rangers in October’s NHL Entry Draft, Schneider captured a silver medal with Canada at the World Juniors in January and has an assist in two AHL games thus far with the Hartford Wolf Pack.
“Braden was a part of our leadership group last year and he’s a big part of our hockey club”, Wheat Kings head coach Don MacGillivray said in a prepared statement. “He’s coming back for his fourth year and is a respected leader on the ice and in our dressing room.
“He’s a player who has always done everything he’s asked and he was the obvious choice to lead our group this season. He’s a great person to show our players how to play in the Western Hockey League and how to be a Wheat King.”
One of Schneider’s former teammates with the Prince Albert Mintos will also be part of a leadership group this season as forward Logan Barlage has been named as an assistant captain for the Lethbridge Hurricanes.
The 20-year-old from Humboldt is coming off a career season with the Hurricanes as he finished fourth in team scoring with 58 points in 61 games.
Meanwhile, former Prince Albert Raiders forward Cole Fonstad will join blueliner and fellow overager Gianni Fairbrother as co-captains for the Everett Silvertips this year.
Fonstad had 65 points in 51 games for the Silvertips last season after he was dealt by the Raiders on Oct. 13, 2019.
