Brandon Manning is the new captain of the Chilliwack Bruins.
Manning, a 19-year-old defenceman from Prince George, was given the 'C' after the Bruins dealt former captain Mitch McColm to the Regina Pats at the Western Hockey League trade deadline.
"It's obviously an honour, but it's just a letter on the jersey to me," Manning told the Chilliwack Progress. "The leadership comes from several guys, and I can't say enough about guys like (teammates) Jesse Craige and Colton Grant and Shayne Neigum."
Manning is the first 19-year-old in the history of the Bruins' franchise to fill the role of captain on a full-time basis.
Manning first joined the Bruins at the tail end of the 2007-08 season. After 58 games with the B.C. Hockey League's Prince George Spruce Kings that year, he skated in six for Chilliwack. He played the full 72 games last season and finished with 11 goals, 29 points and 140 penalty minutes.
This season, in his first 44 games, Manning had nine goals and 37 points -- the third-highest total on the team. He also piled up 97 minutes in penalties, more than any other Bruin.
Bruins forward Ryan Howse, also from Prince George, had a league-leading 34 goals and a team-leading 50 points heading into a Friday game against the Everett Silvertips.
Manning attended the training camp of the Toronto Maple Leafs prior to the start of the season. Howse is a draft pick of the Calgary Flames.
n Prince George's Brett Bulmer is on the radar of NHL scouts.
Bulmer, a rookie forward for the Kelowna Rockets, is the 164th-ranked North American skater in mid-term rankings done by NHL Central Scouting. The 17-year-old Bulmer put up nine goals and 21 points in his first 38 contests this season. The Rockets hosted the Portland Winter Hawks on Friday night.
Taylor Hall, who helped Team Canada win a silver medal at the recent world junior hockey championship, is at the top of the list. He plays for the Ontario Hockey League's Windsor Spitfires. Brett Connolly of the Prince George Cougars is fourth in the rankings even though hip problems have limited him to just 12 games this season. In those 12 contests, the P.G. product has seven goals and 13 points.
Tyler Seguin (Plymouth Whalers, OHL) is ranked No. 2 and Cam Fowler (Windsor) is No. 3.
