During exit interviews conducted by head coach Craig Didmon following the Victoria GrizzliesB次元官网网址� deep B.C. Hockey League playoff run, the teamB次元官网网址檚 group of aging-out veterans identified Lucas Clark as one of the teamB次元官网网址檚 leaders going forward.
Didmon took that information under consideration while making the ultimate decision to name Clark as the teamB次元官网网址檚 next captain, and cited his personality and performance on the ice as other factors.
B次元官网网址淗eB次元官网网址檚 a great kid. HeB次元官网网址檚 very likeable and heB次元官网网址檚 really good to his teammates. All of those parts made it a great decision and weB次元官网网址檙e excited about it,B次元官网网址� he said.
An experienced rookie last year after having played three seasons of Junior B次元官网网址楥B次元官网网址� hockey with the Port Perry MoJacks in the Ontario town he grew up in, Clark came to the Grizzlies a year ago knowing that the BCHL would be a step up.
The 6B次元官网网址�0B次元官网网址�, 181-pound centre delivered, posting 17 goals and 26 assists for 43 points in the regular season while playing a solid 200-foot game. He saw his role with the club grow as the season wore on and was a key player in the GrizzliesB次元官网网址� run to the semi-finals.
B次元官网网址淚t was kind of an intimidating jump,B次元官网网址� he said of the move to the BCHL. B次元官网网址淚 had a slow start to my season but I think as I got more comfortable and got to know each team that we were playing against, things started started to click.B次元官网网址�
The 20 year-old heard the good news directly from his coach.
B次元官网网址淚t was a very exciting thing to hear. EveryoneB次元官网网址檚 always honoured to be named a captain and obviously for an organization like the Victoria Grizzlies, itB次元官网网址檚 definitely a huge compliment to me,B次元官网网址� he said.
Clark takes over the captaincy from fellow Ontarian Cody Van Lierop and he says heB次元官网网址檚 already been in touch with the former Grizzlies defenceman about the intricacies of his new role.
B次元官网网址淲e became friends the summer that I was going into the teamB次元官网网址ody was a great captain. He was definitely an on-ice leader and he was the hardest working guy,B次元官网网址� Clark said.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e been able to keep in touch with Cody and IB次元官网网址檝e asked for some pointersB次元官网网址eB次元官网网址檚 been there to help me. IB次元官网网址檒l take what I can get from a guy thatB次元官网网址檚 already been in that seat.B次元官网网址�
Clark played with fellow rookie Jamie Rome throughout much of the year, a player that Didmon identified as a potential alternate captain as the Grizzlies transition from last yearB次元官网网址檚 group that featured veteran leaders like Cole Pickup, Tyler Welsh, Jake Stevens, Nick Guiney and goaltender Matthew Galajda in addition to Van Lierop.
B次元官网网址淏ecause they were such a good leadership group they groomed the younger players well,B次元官网网址� Didmon said. B次元官网网址淭his group has that 19 games in the playoffs under their belt so theyB次元官网网址檙e coming with some experience. TheyB次元官网网址檝e been thereB次元官网网址 think it should be a good transition.B次元官网网址�
Like most junior coaches over the summer, Didmon has had little time to relax, racking up the kilometres on his car and on flights to destinations across North America.
While much of the clubB次元官网网址檚 roster is set, he says there will still be room for training camp battles at multiple positions.
The Grizzlies have a camp in Whistler from July 21-23 and the teamB次元官网网址檚 main camp opens on Aug. 21.
joel.tansey@goldstreamgazette.com
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