A pair of Abbotsford hockey talents will represent Team BC at the upcoming Canada Winter Games.
Abbotsford’s Graham Sward and Jake Chiasson have been selected for the team, which will compete at the Games in Red Deer in February.
Sward, a defenceman, has been a key part of the first-place Fraser Valley Thunderbirds of the British Columbia Major Midget League this season. He has recorded six points in 15 games for the team, and previously spent two seasons with the Yale Hockey Academy.
He was chosen 17th overall by the Spokane Chiefs at the 2018 WHL bantam draft.
Chiasson, who was selected 15th overall by the Brandon Wheat Kings at the same draft, has collected an impressive 32 points in 19 games with the Yale Lions midget prep team this season. He’s 16th overall in league scoring this season in the Canadian Sport School Hockey League.
Victoria’s Nolan Bentham, another YHA product, has also been named to the team.
Team BC opens on Feb. 16 against Manitoba, and also takes on Saskatchewan and Alberta in preliminary play before the playoffs begin on Feb. 20. The gold medal will be awarded on Feb. 22.
Team BC last won the gold back in 2011. The team finished fifth in 2015.
“This is an exciting time for a special group of players,” stated BC Hockey chief executive officer Barry Petrachenko. “The opportunity to represent their province in a multi-sport event will be great experience and stands as a tremendous accomplishment for the players, and we want to thank the coaches and staff for all their efforts in bringing our team together and supporting them throughout this journey as members of Team BC.”
For more on the team, visit bchockey.net.