LAKE PLACID, NEW YORK – Team Canada’s men’s hockey team named their leadership group for the remainder of the Lake Placid 2023 FISU Games men’s hockey tournament.
Former Vancouver Giants captain and current Saskatchewan Huskies forward Jared Dmytriw will wear the C for the Canadian squad for the rest of the tournament. At the same time, UNB’s Austen Keating, Calgary’s Noah King and UQTR’s Zachary Lavigne will serve as alternates.
Dmytriw, who scored a goal and two assists against Team Sweden on Friday, has been a leader with the group through the first week with the team, not only leading by example but also being vocal on the bench and during practice sessions. The 24-year-old from Craven, SK, served as a captain with the WHL’s Vancouver Giants in 2018-19, leading them to within a game of the 2019 WHL Championship.
Through 18 games with the Saskatchewan Huskies this season, he has 14 goals and 27 points. He has been one of Saskatchewan’s most responsible forwards on the defensive end, playing a 200-foot game that he’s translated over to his time with Team Canada. Through his three seasons in Saskatchewan, Dmytriw hasn’t dipped below a point-a-game pace.
Meanwhile, UNB’s Keating served as an assistant captain with the OHL’s Ottawa 67’s in 2017-18 and also brought previous experience with Team Canada to the FISU Games, having worn the maple leaf at the U17 World Hockey Challenge in 2016. Through two seasons with the UNB Reds, he’s scored 45 points in 41 games. Meanwhile, at the FISU Games, he picked up an assistant against Sweden and scored in the opener vs Ukraine.
Coming from the 2022 U CUP and OUA Queen’s Cup champion UQTR Patriotes, left winger Zachary Lavigne is a born leader. He’s captained the Patriotes the last two seasons as they’ve dominated OUA competition and also served as the captain of the Chicoutimi Saguenéens during his junior days in the QMJHL. This season he’s scored six goals and 14 points in 18 OUA games while adding a goal and an assist so far through the FISU Games.
Rounding off the leadership group is Calgary Dinos defenceman Noah King, who served as an alternate WHL captain with the Spokane Chiefs before having a cup of coffee in the AHL with the Stockton Heat and Manitoba Moose as part of the Calgary Flames and Winnipeg Jets organizations.
In his rookie season with the Dinos, he scored 10 points in 20 games as a shut-down defenceman before improving his two-way game in 2022, matching his point total from 2021-22 in just 12 games.
Canada is 2-0-0 to start the men’s hockey tournament, with a 6-1 win over Ukraine and a 10-2 thrashing over Sweden. They take on Team Japan on Sunday.
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