HomeZach Hamill and Andrew Bodnarchuk will be the assistant captains for Providence Bruins home games this season and Jeremy Reich will be captain, coach Rob Murray said this morning.
After this weekend, Murray said he will choose two assistant captains for road games.
Murray is upbeat about the progress of Hamill, the eighth overall draft pick in 2007 who was one of Boston's late cuts.
"He's taken a little bit more of an ownership of the team this year so far. He's a third-year guy, I think it'll help . . . make him confident and comfortable,'' said Murray.
"He's stepped up. He's playing well right now. He had a good training camp. He came in in great shape. I want to give him that little extra responsibility.''
"It's nice, obviously,'' said Hamill. "I'll try to lead by example. In Boston, guys like David Krejci and Patrice Bergeron are not real vocal guys, but the way they lead on the ice is exceptional. I want to do it the way they do it.''
Hamill said he wore an 'A' for three seasons with Everett of the WHL.
Of Bodnarchuk, a fifth-round draft pick in 2006 who is entering his third season in Providence, Murray said, "He's my Adam McQuaid this year. He's grown into his position and his role on the team. He's definitely progressed.''
The choice of Reich as captain was expected. One of the reasons he was brought back to the organization this summer was to provide leadership for the young players in Providence.
This will be his second stint as P-Bruins' captain. He helped lead the team to the Calder Cup semifinals in 2008-09.
"It's a big honor. I embrace it. It's fun,'' said Reich. "We've got a lot of young guys again like two years ago. I'm a little older now, but the young guys keep me young.''
Last year's captain, Trent Whitfield, hopes to return in Febuary from a torn Achilles tendon. He will share the 'C' with Reich.
"When Whit comes back, they'll flip-flop, home and away,'' said Murray.
Here are the line combinations and defensive pairings for tonight's opener against Springfield:
Lines:
Smotherman-Colborne-Reich
Sauve-Hamill-Arniel
LoVecchio-Smith-MacDonald
MacDermid-Roussel-Knackstedt
Defense:
Bodnarchuk-Kampher
McIver-Alexandrov
Penner-Goulet
Dalton will start in goal. Hutchinson will be the backup.
Healthy scratches: Riendeau, Nelson, Wild, Donald
