John Wayne gave one of his finest performances in John Ford聮s The Quiet Man.
Tyler Stahl plays the quiet-man-with-the-steely-resolve role with the Victoria Royals. But despite his understated demeanour, Stahl聮s leadership skills haven聮t gone unnoticed with the Royals as the 20-year-old defenceman was named captain of the Western Hockey League club Monday.
聯I lead by example,聰 said the native of Drumheller, Alta.
聯Lots of guys talk. But if you don聮t [follow up] on-ice with your actions, [the talk] doesn聮t matter.聰
Royals head coach Dave Lowry, himself having played the captain聮s role during points in his NHL career, said the decision was made in a 聯democratic fashion聰 with the coaching-management staff and players all having input.
聯We like Tyler聮s presence and leadership,聰 said Lowry.
聯We聮re comfortable with our decision.聰
Any advice from a former captain to his present captain?
聯There聮s a reason you have the respect of the team and coaching staff. Be yourself. Don聮t change,聰 said Lowry.
That means a lot to Stahl, who was selected in the sixth round of the 2010 NHL draft by the Carolina Hurricanes but not signed.
聯It聮s good to know the guys respect you in the dressing room,聰 he said.
The six-foot-two, stay-at-home rearguard has played 169 regular-season and playoffs games over four seasons with the Chilliwack Bruins-Victoria Royals franchise and has one goal, 22 points and 435 penalty minutes.
Stahl succeeds defenceman Hayden Rintoul, now with the University of Lethbridge Pronghorns of the CIS, as Royals captain.
聯Tyler is an older guy who has been in the league a long time and knows what he聮s doing,聰 said Brandon Magee, who was named an assistant captain along with fellow Royals forward Tim Traber. 聯He is very intense.聰
The third assistant captain slot will rotate between forwards Logan Nelson and Jamie Crooks.
Stahl, resting a minor injury, did not practise Monday and will be a game-time decision tonight at 7 when the Royals (8-4) host the Brandon Wheat Kings (6-5-1) at Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre.
You just know he is itching to get out there with his new jersey stitching.
聯I will do everything I can to get into the lineup [tonight],聰 said Stahl.
ICE CHIPS: Spokane Chiefs coach Don Nachbaur has been named head coach for the WHL team that will play the touring Russian junior all-stars in the Subway Super Series game Nov. 15 at the Memorial Centre. Nachbaur will be assisted that night by Lowry and Derek Laxdal of the defending WHL champion Edmonton Oil Kings.
聯It聮s a tremendous honour and great opportunity,聰 said Lowry. 聯These [Subway Series] games are huge for these kids [the games will be heavily scouted by Canadian staff making evaluations for the 2013 world junior championship in Russia]. The kids will be prepared as well as the coaches.聰
There is a good chance Swift Current Broncos captain Adam Lowry, son of the Royals coach, will be on the WHL team, affording Dave Lowry a rare chance to coach his son.
聯To tell the truth, I聮ve not even thought about that,聰 said Lowry.
