The American Hockey League gets underway in Abbotsford with the Heat hosting the Peoria Rivermen. Like many of their previous teams, the Heat will be bringing in a number of BC players hoping to make a difference for their team.

Veteran AHL player Ben Street, from Coquitlam, is excited about playing so close to home. ‘I know a lot of friends and family are getting geared up for Friday night,’ explained Street. ‘It will be exciting to play at home and also get some competition as we have been playing against ourselves a lot.’

Rookie Max Reinhart, who has hockey in his blood in these parts with father Paul a former Canuck and Flame, while brothers Griffin and Sam are in various stages of their hockey careers.  For Rinehart, playing in front of family is still fun. ‘It’s a cool thing to have my parents just down the way (in North Vancouver),’ says Reinhart. ‘But we have all done this before at different levels. I remember when I was 17 and playing my first WHL game in Vancouver, I had to have a couple of hundred friends and family cheering me on.’

The Heat will kick off their season Friday night with five players from BC, including three from the Lower Mainland.