Ams Pick 2009-2010 Team Captain

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By Keith Leventhal

Story Published: Sep 17, 2009 at 9:51 PM PST

Over their 21 year history, the Tri-City Americans have had some great captains.

Some, such as Stu Barnes and Daymond Langkow, have gone on to have great NHL careers, while others, like T.J. Fast, are working their way up to the pros.

Now, just 48 hours before their first game this year, the team has picked their on-ice leader.

On Thursday afternoon, the Americans introduced defenseman Jarrett Toll as their captain for the 2009-2010 season.

Toll is entering his 5th year with the Ams, and he's coming off a season where he set career highs in goals and assists.

Also wearing letters on their jerseys this year will be alternate captains Kruise Reddick, Tyler Schmidt, Johnny Lazo, and Brett Plouffe.

Toll replaces Taylor Procyshen, who's now playing in college...and he says he'll do his best to lead this team.

Ams captain Jarrett Toll says, "Obviously, Pro's gonna leave some big holes that have got to be filled and I'm not gonna try to be Pro, but I'm gonna try to bring a lot of the things he did, his off-ice contributions and in the locker room were huge, so, it's a good role model for me to look after."

Ams head coach Jim Hiller adds, "I think to have the guys around him in Kruise and Plouffer and Schmitty and Johnny and Neal Prokop, even though he's not going to wear a letter, that makes it so much easier for a captain, you always, you need a group of 4 or 5 guys, its not 1 guy and we feel really good with the strength of the entire group."

The Americans will open the regular season on Saturday night.

The Ams will be taking on the team that knocked them out of the playoffs last year, the Kelowna Rockets.