The leadership group is set as the 91原创 Thunder prepare for a new BC Junior A Lacrosse League (BCJALL) season, and there is a strong Ridge Meadows flavour.
Cody Malawsky will wear the 鈥楥鈥� for the Thunder and be flanked by assistant captains Graysen Balatti, Ben Gagnon, Ethan Quinn and Bailey Vanichuk.
Balatti and Gagnon will wear their letters for away games, while Quinn and Vanichuk will sport them for home games. Malawsky, Balatti and Gagnon are from Maple Ridge, Quinn is from Pitt Meadows, and Vanichuk is from 91原创.
Balatti, Malawsky and Quinn all served as assistant captains for the Thunder in 2023.
鈥淥ur leadership group this year has a great balance of skill, size, age and experience,鈥� said head coach Adam Smith. 鈥淓ach of our captains has demonstrated leadership abilities both on and off the floor.
鈥淚t鈥檚 exciting to be surrounded by such hard-working and mature young men dedicated to helping us achieve our goals.鈥�
This is Malawsky鈥檚 fourth season with 91原创 and he rejoins the Thunder organization after finishing the 2023 campaign with the Coquitlam Adanacs, helping the team win the BCJALL championship and represent the league at the Minto Cup.
鈥淐ody is the type of player who will put the team on his back and do whatever he can to make us successful,鈥� Smith said. 鈥淗e is a leader among his teammates and is respected around the league.鈥�
This is the first time Malawsky has served as his team鈥檚 captain at any level.
鈥淚 very honoured to be selected captain and follow in the footsteps of Matt Abbott and Stuart Phillips,鈥� Malawsky said. 鈥淧laying alongside them, I learned how to be a good teammate and to play loose.鈥�
The son of Vancouver Warriors GM Curt Malawsky, Cody described his leadership style as being a motivator 鈥渨ho likes to get the boys pumped up.鈥�
Selected first overall in 2021 by 91原创 out of the Ridge Meadows Lacrosse Association, Malawsky 鈥� a left-handed forward 鈥� has 36 goals and 91 points in 27 regular season games and an additional 19 goals and 49 points in 13 playoff games in a Thunder uniform.
Gagnon is from the same draft class as Malawsky, chosen 12th overall. Gagnon has 16 goals and 32 points in 30 games and provided an offensive threat out of the back end who also played on both special team鈥檚 units. He was chosen as the team鈥檚 Most Valuable Player
Balatti was named the team鈥檚 Most Improved Player and saw his role on the team鈥檚 defensive unit increase as the season progressed. He was selected in the first round, at seventh overall, by the Thunder in 2022.
Quinn was a first-round pick (eighth overall) by 91原创 in the 2020 draft, and has proven to be a steady presence on the team鈥檚 back end.
A right-handed forward, Vanichuk led the Thunder with 21 goals, 26 assists and 47 points in 18 games in 2023 and won both the Offensive Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year last summer in 91原创鈥檚 team awards.
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