Mason Smith

The Abbotsford Pilots forward Mason Smith and forward Hunter Brown have been selected to represent the Pacific Junior Hockey League in the 2020 Top Prospects game next weekend.

This year’s Prospects game will feature the PJHL’s top, young talent playing against the Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League’s Prospect team. The game will be hosted by the VIJHL’s Nanaimo Buccaneers and will take place at the Nanaimo Ice Centre on Sunday, January 12th at 2PM.

Hunter Brown
Hunter Brown

Brown, who is playing in his first year of junior hockey, is currently ranked 7th in the PJHL among rookie scorers with 13 goals and 9 assists through 30 games played. The 18-year-old product of Langley Minor Hockey also leads the Pilots with 7 power play goals this season and has 2 hat-tricks to his name.

Hunter Brown
Hunter Brown

Smith, who has been selected to his second Prospects Game, is having a breakthrough sophomore year. He leads his squad in points with 32 and has already quadrupled his point totals from last season.

“Obviously it is a huge honour to be invited back to something like this,” says Mason Smith. “I enjoyed it last year and I think it is going to be a cool experience playing against a different league and representing Abbotsford.” The 17-year-old forward originally from Rochester, NY is the lone Pilots player averaging a point per game.

Mason Smith
Mason Smith

The Pilots will begin 2020 at the annual PJHL Winter Classic Showcase held in Richmond at Minoru Arena. Neutral site games will be played on Friday, January 3rd, and Saturday, January 4th against the Sockeyes and Flames respectively. Puck drop for both games is at 7PM.

PAST PILOTS AT THE PJHL PROSPECTS GAME

2019: Ethan Willoughby, Mason Smith, Will Hazell-Penaluna

2018: Alex Beechey, Sahvan Gill, Jared Pitkethly

2017: Noah Giesbrecht, Travis Halladay, Nate Castonguay, Corbin Genge

2016: Landon Russell, Dryden Michaud, Mateo Toledo, Brady Morton, Sean Olson

2015: Alex Kong, Devon Becker, Tyler Fraser, Arsh Shergill, Trent Huitema, Mateo Toldeo, Alex Methorst, Hayden Guilderson