Trail Smoke Eaters name new leadership group
Published 9:00 am Tuesday, September 22, 2026
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The Trail Smoke Eaters selected their leadership group to open the BCHL season on the weekend.
Smoke Eaters head coach and GM Eric Thurston said the election of 20-year-old veteran Colton Whitfield as team captain was an obvious choice, and the assistant captains – all talented veteran players.
“It was beyond unanimous,” said Thurston. “In my opinion, he (Whitfield) was our guy, just his presence, he plays so hard and he has a really good up-side.”
A Warwick, RI product, Whitfield came to the Smoke Eaters from Tri-City of the USHL in October, 2025.
Whitfield quickly established himself as a dominant presence on the back end and committed to NCAA Div. 1 Army soon after his arrival.
The six-foot-two, 185 pound defenceman tallied four goals and 12 points in 41 games last season, in addition to 25 penalty minutes.
“Army has a fantastic player in him. He’s a leader, he’s big, he’s tough, and he shoots the puck well,” said Thurston.
“As a 20-year-old he’s exactly what you’re looking for in your leader and in your captain, but also the play that he brings to the table.”
The Smoke Eaters will have three assistant captains on any given night with defenceman Ted Welander and forward Daniel Rassega elected to wear the ‘A’ full time, and forwards Brayden Rotach to wear it at home and Caden Stoltz for the road games.
Welander, from Loddekopinge, Sweden, joined the Smoke Eaters in late November 2025 and proved a strong addition to the back end, scoring 16 points in 34 games.
He made the transition to the BCHL after playing in the U20 Nationell, the highest-level junior hockey league in Sweden, where he suited up for the Malmö Redhawks U20 squad.
Welander brings stability, a left-handed shot, and elite experience to the Smoke Eaters’ backline.
Rassega is a Scottsdale, Arizona product who played the past two season with the Amarillo Wranglers of the NAHL. The 20-year-old forward put up impressive numbers scoring 16 goals and 56 points in 58 games last season, and is a talented addition to the Smokies offence.
Castlegar native, Rotach, tallied four points in 31 games for the Smoke Eaters in his rookie season. Rotach thrives in the tough areas, and as a 19-year-old power forward is both physical and smart, and he will be key to the Smoke Eaters successful rebuild.
Stoltz, a Medical Lake, WA product, brings high energy and speed to the forward group, playing a fearless and physical game despite his five-foot-nine frame. The 18-year-old can be a game changer, with his electric and relentless play and win at all costs attitude.
The Smoke Eaters got off to a disappointing start, losing a close 2-1 game to Langley to open the season Friday, and fell 4-0 to Vernon on Saturday, but have 52 games remaining.
“Our guys were certainly disappointed, and know their responsibilities to provide that offence, and they know they can do that, and we know they can do that,” said Thurston. “It’s just a matter of us as a group putting it together consistently game in and game out.”
The Smoke Eaters head to Cranbrook to take on the Bucks on Saturday, Sept. 26, and return to Cominco ice on Wednesday, Sept. 30 for a 5 p.m. match vs the West Kelowna Warriors in honour of National Day of Truth and Reconciliation.
Despite finishing fourth in the Interior West division last season, Cranbrook beat top seed West Kelowna and Salmon Arm in the playoff before falling to eventual champion Brooks Bandits in the Interior Conference final.
“It just shows you how good the BCHL is,” Thurston added. “It’s such a good league, it’s so competitive, it’s so tight-checking, you have to be ready to play every night, and you have to play hard every night. It’s not a gimme, you have to be able to come and battle.”