Coquitlam, meet your captain.
For a fan of the Express over the past few seasons, Troy Robillard’s name is far from new. The Coquitlam native is entering his 4th and final BCHL season, all with the Express. After wearing an A on his sweater last season, the big d-man will now hold the honour of captaincy.
“The coaching staff believes that Troy was the easy choice. We spoke to our returning players and new recruits, after a brief chat they unanimously chose Troy to lead them this season. He is a motivated athlete that has the character and discipline to be successful in life. We all believe Troy will help us raise the standard and create a new culture. Alex Ambrosio was our past captain and did a great job so we are looking for Troy to build from which the passion Alex brought and create his own style. ” -Jason Fortier, Head Coach & GM
Robillard began his hockey journey with the Coquitlam Minor Hockey Association. At age 15, he spent year in Kelowna’s Pursuit of Excellence program on their Elite15 team. He returned home the next year to join the Vancouver NE Chiefs of the BCMML where he helped lead the squad to their first BC Midget AAA championship. The next year, as a 17 year old, Robillard joined the Express. He has since suited up for over 120 games and added 33 points. However, it was last season that Robillard really broke through. Playing top blueline minutes, Robillard scored 5 times and added 21 assists, while contributing as leader after the NCAA departure of captain Alex Ambrosio.
“I am extremely honored and grateful for this opportunity and to have the support and respect from teammates and staff, means a great deal to me. When the coaches announced my name, it was a surreal feeling. They explained their decision and made it very clear that being a good teammate and someone who puts the teams needs ahead of my own will be my priority.” – Troy Robillard
Troy will lead the Express into the 2018-19 season in just over 1 week’s time as we take on the Eagles in Surrey on September 7th.
