Surrey Minor Hockey Association alum Brenden Dillon will be playing close to home this weekend.
The defenceman with the American Hockey League’s Texas Stars will be with his team in the Fraser Valley, facing off against the Abbotsford Heat in games tomorrow (Friday) and Saturday.
Dillon, a 22-year-old defenceman, signed with the Dallas Stars organization as a free agent on March 1, 2011 and made his AHL debut three weeks later, and appeared in 10 games.
Last season was his first full year in the AHL, and he played all 76 games while scoring six goals and 29 points, earning 119 penalty minutes. The highlight was his first NHL game on April 7, 2012 against the St. Louis Blues.
In 23 games play this season, Dillon has scored twice and added five assists.
Prior to turning pro, Dillon spent four seasons with the Seattle Thunderbirds of the Western Hockey League, the last in 2010-11 as the team captain.