6th “C”

Sep 20, 2016

By: Ken Oda

Minot, ND – The Minotauros have named defenseman Jake Dittel as the sixth captain in franchise history.  Dittel follows Jarred Brandt, Jon Lizotte, Tim Donohue, Derek Tylka, and Ben Hughes as players to wear the “C” on their jersey.  The Tauros again will go with a rotating group of assistant captains with Zach Bross, Derek Frentz, Tyler Jeanson, and Chase Springman all getting an “A” on their jerseys.

Like last season’s captain Brandt, Dittel is in his third and final season with the Tauros.  He becomes the third consecutive defenseman to wear the “C” for the Tauros.  Tauros Head Coach and General Manager Marty Murray explained his choice of Dittel saying; “he’s been here for three years he’s a very competitive guy, he brings his work boots every day, he’s all about what the Minotauros are.”

Dittel, who has posted 8 goals and 29 assists in his first two seasons in Minot alo_09A1531ng with a +26 rating, was honored to be selected, “it’s a huge opportunity following Jon Lizotte and Jared Brandt as captain, but all of the veterans will have a leadership role.”  He also said he has learned how to be a captain from watching Lizotte and Brandt, “they showed the key is to be the best leader you can be off the ice and then give everything for 60 minutes on ice.”

As for the assistant captain group Murray said; “they’re all capable of being leaders on the team and bring a lot to the table as far as our team success so, happy to give them all responsibility and we expect them to lead the way both on and off the ice.”   Like Dittel, Springman is going into his third and final season as a Tauro; Bross, Frentz, and Jeanson are all in their second seasons in Minot.

The Tauros begin their sixth season Wednesday afternoon at the NAHL Showcase in Blaine, MN, where the Tauros take on the Kenai River Brown Bears.  The puck drops at 4:00 p.m. with the pregame show starting at 3:45 on all three outlets of the Minotauros Network (1390 AM KRRZ, fasthockey.com, and prostyleproduction.com).