BIG RAPIDS, Mich — The Ferris State hockey team announced its captains Monday afternoon in an unique way.
The Bulldogs brought out the big guns. Red Wings head coach Derek Lalonde came out to his old stomping grounds to make the big announcement.
He was an assistant on the Ferris State hockey staff from 2002 to 2006.
Lalonde announced Brenden MacLaren will wear the 'C' on his sweater for the second year in a row.
"Not many teams in the country get an NHL coach to come in and announce captains," MacLaren said. "It's very special and means a lot to all of us."
It was a special day for all involved.
"It's a huge honor for me," Lalonde said. "This program meant a lot to me. It was one of my first coaching jobs. I was really green and raw and I grew immensely. It really taught me how to treat people correctly, which is what people do in this program. It taught me to win. My first year here, we won the CCHA championship. We also learned how to win with a little chip on our shoulder. It's a program that loves to overachieve. It always has and always will. It was an honor when Bob [Daniels] asked. It couldn't have come together any better. We had our last practice in Traverse City this morning and then drove straight here on the way home. This worked out great."
Lalonde also says he spends quite a bit of time watching Ferris State hockey. It's one of the first things he checks on the weekend.
The Bulldogs open up the 2023-24 season on October 7.
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