Burnaby defenceman Chris Busto will captain this season's Grandview Steelers through the Pacific International Junior Hockey League season.
Entering his fourth season of junior hockey, the 20-year-old Busto will head a veteran backline consisting of returning players Colton Shock, Cody Rowand and Simon Horlick.
The Steelers are a little younger up front with Burnaby's Alex Roberts and Geoffrey Soo headlining a rookie crop of almost a dozen teenagers, including Northwest Giants graduates Sean Lan and Jordan Hall.
The Burnaby-based club also signed Joel Gaudet and Vik Sanghera from the Semiahmoo midget program and Anthony Bori from Coquitlam.
Also new to the Steelers are Brandon Gantz, Tyler Bognar and 17-year-old Julian Davis, who was traded to the North Vancouver Wolf Pack on Tuesday in return for veteran Mico Dragutinovic.
The 20-year-old Surrey forward played for three teams last season, including Port Moody and Mission, before ending up with the Wolf Pack.
David Banka and Tyler Read from the major midget Fraser Valley Bruins will share the goaltending.
The Steelers also moved a couple of players off last year's squad to the junior A ranks.
Robert Wilkinson, whose playing rights were traded to the Weyburn Red Wings of the Saskatchewan league for future considerations Sept. 16, signed on with the Prairie club.
Nic Gushue also signed a junior A card, hooking up with the new Langley Rivermen of the B.C. Hockey League.
Grandview will find itself in tough company again this season in the Tom Shaw conference.
Defending league champion Richmond Sockeyes and runner-up Delta Ice Hawks are both returning experienced lineups this season.
"But with a balance of veteran leadership and youthful enthusiasm, we feel it will keep us right in the mix of things," said assistant Steelers' coach John McDade.
Grandview opens league play on Friday in Maple Ridge.
The Steelers open at the winter club on Sunday against North Vancouver. Game time is 4 p.m.
