NEWS

 

Ontario Junior Hockey League resident reporter Ron Valentine is profiling the 2020-21 team captains of The OJ.

BY RON VALENTINE

The Markham Royals have named RYAN ROSBOROUGH their club captain for the 2020-21 Ontario Junior Hockey League campaign.

The native of Mt. Brydges, near London, had 43 points in 55 games in his breakthrough campaign and wore an 'A' for the team in York Region last season.

The Royals’ hockey staff on the new captain:

“Ryan has been and will continue to be a huge part of our successes,” said Head Coach/GM Mike Galati. “He's not only a leader on the ice with his play but off the ice and in the room with his teammates. He has bought in from Day 1 and shows exactly what it is to be a Royal. I am excited to keep working with him and watching him develop."

Assistant GM/coach Spencer Hyman: “Ryan is an amazing person, teammate and leader. We are honoured to announce him as our captain. He has earned it.”

Rosborough played his minor hockey for the Elgin-Middlesex Chiefs and then for the Lambton Jr. Sting in the 2016-17 season.

“I've played for two captains in my career with the Royals,” Ryan noted. “The first was Braedyn Aubin (who is now with the Division III Norwich University Cadets in Vermont) and last season it was (blueliner) Dominic Della Civita. I want to take the best from each of these two guys into my captaincy. I learned a lot from both of them."

Those former captains weighed in.

"Rosey is a great player and a better teammate,” Aubin said. “He is very deserving of leading the Royals next season. I have no doubt he'll be a great captain."

"He is a hardworking team leader,” said Della Civita. “He is determined to succeed on and off the ice. I would say he is someone you can really count on, he is a smart individual. He's a great person and was an excellent teammate. If I had another year of junior hockey left I would want Ryan by my side. He's a character kid and hopefully Division 1 bound."

The new captain has a plan.

"Last season was a disappointment to all of us, going out in the sudden-death game against the (Georgetown) Raiders and we want to get the Royals back to the top in the division,” Rosborough said. “Personally, I felt I had a good second half of the season and I was named runner-up to the Junior Sabres Nathan Berke (good company there) as January Player of the Month in the North-West Conference. But we did not reach our ultimate goal and that does not sit well myself or with anyone else involved. Not only are we looking at making the playoffs this time around but doing some damage when we get there!"

Prior to his two seasons with Markham, Ryan got his start in junior suiting up for the Jr. B GOJHL's St. Thomas Stars. 

In his first campaign for the Royals, he really started to get rolling in the playoffs and carried that on in 2019-20.

"It's going to be an important year for me now,” said Ryan. “My goal is a to get a scholarship and I want to lead by example and help the Royals to success." 

Ryan is an accomplished soccer player who commands the midfield and has had success in that sport. He is now looking to help lift the Royals back to the top on the ice.

"Hockey is in my blood, my dad played many years and ended up playing Senior A and I have cousins that played junior." 

I put Ryan on the spot by asking him, as is my wont, how he would describe himself as a hockey player. He replied: “I look at myself as a reliable, two-way centre who takes pride being effective in the defensive zone. I have put on some pounds during the pandemic and I think this will help me improve my physical game. I always give 100 per cent, don't cheat on assignments and I try to lead by example on the ice and off.”

“Each player on the club has different strengths and needs and as captain it will be my responsibility to get the best out of all of them. I like to keep things 'light' in the room but I will speak up whenever I feel it's necessary.”

Ryan has been keeping himself in shape and has been able to get in five or six rounds of golf recently, elevated cups and all, but he is keenly anticipating being able to get back on the ice and getting ready for the upcoming campaign.

He wants to put that 'just missed' last season well into the rear view mirror this time around and he has the ability and confidence to do just that as the new captain of the blue and white.

Follow Ron Valentine on Twitter @ronandlynda

Photo by Andy Corneau of OJHL Images