Ward named Plymouth's captain

Overage defenseman Steve Ward has been named team captain of the Plymouth Whalers, while forwards Jared Boll, Evan Brophey and Andrew Fournier are alternate captains.

Boll and Brophey join Ward as Plymouth's three overage (20-year-old) players this season.

Ward came to Plymouth in a trade with Sarnia on Sept. 22, 2004 and has flourished for the Whalers, enjoying his best year in the OHL last season when he scored 14 goals with 33 assists for 47 points in 67 games.

Boll, a fourth-round pick of the Columbus Blue Jackets in the 2005 National Hockey League Entry Draft, came to the Whalers in a trade with Kingston on June 26, 2005. Boll scored 19 goals with 22 assists for 41 points and 205 penalty minutes in 65 games last year.

Brophey came to Plymouth last season in a trade with the Belleville Bulls on Nov. 23 and scored 19 goals with 42 assists for 61 points. Brophey’s biggest goal for Plymouth last season came on the final night of the regular season on March 18, when he scored the game-winning goal in overtime as the Whalers clinched the West Division, 3-2, over Saginaw. Brophey, a third-round pick of the Chicago Blackhawks in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft, was originally drafted by the Barrie Colts in 2002 and leads all Plymouth players with 253 career OHL games played.

Fournier was drafted by Plymouth in the 11th round (219th overall) of the 2003 OHL Priority Selection and had his best season in the OHL last year when he scored 23 goals in 67 games.

Ward photo by Walt Dmoch