The Niagara IceDogs have named 19-year-old forward Zakary Lavoie as captain.
Zakary Lavoie has been named the new captain of the Niagara IceDogs for the 2023-2024 season.
Zak Lavoie will look to lead the IceDogs to a playoff spot this season, despite this incredibly young roster.
The Ottawa, Ontario-native was traded to the IceDogs at the mid-point of last season from the Mississauga Steelheads. He played one-and-a-half seasons with the Steelheads before joining the IceDogs.
Lavoie was able to come into the OHL and make an immediate impact in his rookie season. His offensive ability from minor hockey was able to translate to the junior level seamlessly. His shot release and goal-scoring ability has always been at the forefront of his game.
Lavoie has been passed on in the past two NHL Entry Drafts, and the major reason for this is his stagnant development. The sharpshooting winger was able to come into the OHL and make his mark, but he hasn't improved much over the past three seasons.
Now that Lavoie is one of the veterans on his team, it is his time to take charge of this team. The Niagara IceDogs need someone to lead them to the "promise-land" and to capture a playoff spot. Zak Lavoie can be that player, and being named captain should add to his confidence.
Niagara currently sits in last in the Eastern Conference, six points back from the Oshawa Generals. With the new coaching change — the hiring of Ben Boudreau last week — the IceDogs are ready for a "fresh start" on-and-off the ice.