Captain Claffey

Press release:

Swift Current Broncos Head Coach and General Manager Dean Chynoweth announced the players wearing captain letters for the remainder of the 2008-09 Season.

Broncos’ defenseman Derek Claffey will be the Captain for the remainder of the year. Claffey, 19 years old, from Red Deer Alberta was named October captain as the Broncos have rotated the captaincy so far this campaign.

Chynoweth says: “Derek has been our most consistent competitor from the start of the season, that along with his level headed thinking make him the ideal choice to be our Captain for the remainder of the year.”

The assistant captains are: Matt Tassone, Cody Eakin and John Negrin.

Chynoweth adds: “In rotating the C’s and A’s for the start of the year it gave the players an opportunity to be rewarded by the coaching staff for their efforts. Now that the trade deadline has passed and this will be our team for the remainder of the season, I think it is important that we have a set group that will lead us in the 2nd half.
Each of these players have shown over the first half whether it be here with our team, or in John’s case in Kootenay, that they are prepared to take the necessary steps for our team to have success. We will need this group to grow and the others that have worn letters during the year will also be an important part of this group.”

Tassone is in his 3rd season with the Broncos and is second on the team with 24 goals. Matt was the December captain.

Eakin, fresh off player of the game honors at the CHL Top Prospects Game, is in his second season with the Broncos. He has 16 goals and 21 points in 28 games this season.

Negrin, recently acquired from the Kootenay Ice at the Trade Deadline, is in 4th WHL season and was a member of Team WHL at the ADT Canada/Russia Challenge in November