The Surrey Eagles continue to add new players to the nest for the upcoming BC Hockey League season – and the most recent pair come with pretty impressive resumes.
Earlier this month, the Eagles – who are looking to retool after struggling to a last-place finish on the ice last year – acquired veteran goaltender Justin LaForest from the reigning RBC Cup champion Portage Terriers of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League.
Last week, the Eagles also announced they’d signed Danish defenceman Ludvig Adamsen, who is expected to play for his home country at this year’s World Junior Hockey Championships.
In return for LaForest, Surrey will send Quinn Lenihan – who played both forward and defence for the Birds last season – and Jordan Weist to the Terriers, along with future considerations.
LaForest, a 20-year-old Ontario native, was one of the country’s top junior ‘A’ netminders last season, finishing the MJHL season with a 30-3 win-loss record, a goals-against average of 2.13 and a save percentage of .911.
In Surrey, he’ll replace former starter Christian Short, who graduated from the BCHL last season and will play this coming year at the Rochester Institute of Technology in the NCAA.
“We have been in pursuit of a high-calibre goaltender ever since (Short left)… We wanted to make sure we got the right guy and we feel we did in this transaction,” said Eagles head coach and director of hockey operations Blaine Neufeld.
LaForest – who has played in the past two RBC Cup tournaments – said he was excited to be heading to Surrey, and hopes his experience can rub off on his new teammates.
“Going to two consecutive RBCs has been an amazing experience and given me some of my fondest hockey memories to date,” he said.
“It showed me what it takes to be a part of one of the top teams in the nation and has given me experiences I will never forget.”
Adamsen, meanwhile, should add some mobility and skill to the Eagles’ blue line.
The 18-year-old defenceman – who played Junior ‘B’ last season in the Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League – was brought to the attention of Neufeld through a former Denmark coach, Enio Sacilotto, who is now an assistant with the Western Hockey League’s Victoria Royals.
“Enio was a big factor in bringing Ludvig over to us,” Neufeld said.
Adamsen, who is a six-foot-three, left-handed shot, will suit up for Denmark at the world juniors, which means the Eagles will be without him from mid-December until Jan. 5.
“It is such a great experience and honour for any player to play on a national team at that level, so we’re proud to have him as a Surrey Eagle,” said Neufeld.
Billets needed
The Surrey Eagles are also currently seeking billet families willing to house a member of the team for the coming season.
For more information on how to become a billet – and what it entails – visit the team's official billet website. You can also inquire via email, at bneufeld@surreyeagles.ca