The Kamloops Blazers have named forward Tyler Shattock as the team’s captain for the 2009-2010 season.

Forwards C.J. Stretch, Shayne Wiebe and defenceman Zak Stebner will be the alternate captains.

On the injury front, forward Dalibor Bortnak will be out of action four to eight weeks with a torn spleen, centre Colin Smith will be out six to eight weeks after fracturing his humerus at practice last week and Matej Bene is day-to-day with a groin injury.

Meanwhile, the Blazers have signed two 16-year-old forwards — J.C. Lipon of Regina and Dylan Willick of Prince George — to standard WHL contracts.

Also signed a standard WHL contract with the club was 15-year-old goaltender Troy Trombley of Sherwood Park, Alta., who was chosen in the third round of the 2009 bantam draft.

Dan De Palma — a former Prince George Cougars scout and goaltending coach — has been hired as the team’s goaltending coach. De Palma takes over from Steve Passmore, who recently stepped down.

On the ice, Kamloops, which split a home-and-home series with the Vancouver Giants on the weekend, faces Chilliwack in an exhibition game tonight in Hope.

Interior Savings Centre will host a Kamloops junior hockey doubleheader on Friday as the Kootenay International Junior (B) Hockey League’s Kamloops Storm host the Chase Chiefs at 4 p.m., followed by a WHL contest between Kamloops and Chilliwack at 7 p.m.

Goaltender John Keeney and forward Logan McVeigh have both been returned home. Keeney will play this year for the Los Angeles Selects midget AAA under-18 team, while McVeigh will play for the midget AAA Saskatoon Contacts.

There are 32 players are left on the club’s roster, including two goaltenders, 12 defencemen and 18 forwards.  

• Paddling for glory

The Kamloops Canoe and Kayak Club sent four paddlers to the B.C. Bantam Championship Regatta in Nanaimo — with Zach Morgan and Brook Mclean crowned champions.

Morgan finished first in the men`s 500-metre C1, first in the 2000-metre C1, first in the mixed 500-metre C4 and second in the mixed 500-metre K4.

Mclean placed first in the women`s 500-metre K1 and the women`s 500-metre C1. She also finished first in the mixed 500-metre C4, second in the mixed 500-metre K4, second in the women`s 500-metre K4 and third in the open women`s 2000-metre K1. 

Jake Goddard finished first in the mixed 500-metre C4, second in the mixed 500-metre K4, fourth in the men`s 500-metre K2, sixth in the men`s 2000-metre K1 and made the final of the men`s 500-metre K1, finishing fifth. 

Owen Paetkau finished first in the mixed 500-metre C4, second in the mixed 500-metre K4, fourth in the men`s 500m K2, seventh in the men`s 2000m K1 and made the final of the men`s 500-metre K1.