One of the all-time greats in Prince George Cougars history is returning home for the Subway Super Series game, slated for next Thursday.
Defenceman Dan Hamhuis, now an NHL star with the Vancouver Canucks, has been named the honorary captain for the game that will see Team WHL take on Russia at CN Centre, a 7 p.m. start on Nov. 18.
The Canucks are going to allow Hamhuis, a product of Smithers who played four seasons for the Cougars, to come to Prince George for the evening, and he will be part of pre-game festivities for the matchup, which is on course to be a complete sell-out.
An autograph session will also be set up during an intermission.
Local products Brett Connolly (Prince George Cougars) and Ryan Howse (Chiliwack Bruins) will be joined by Cougars forward Charles Inglis on Team WHL, a squad that will be watched closely by scouts who put together the national junior team for the upcoming world junior hockey championship. Hamhuis, a former WHL and CHL defenceman of the year, twice suited up for Team Canada at the world juniors, a key factor in him being selected in the first round of the NHL draft by the Nashville Predators. Hamhuis signed with his home-province Canucks this past summer, agreeing to a lucrative free-agent contract.
More details to come in Friday's edition of The Citizen.
