In British Columbia, there aren’t many hockey names more recognizable than that of Smyl. Stan ‘the Steamer’ won back to back Memorial Cups with the New Westminster Bruins before settling into a 13-year career that defined Vancouver Canucks hockey for a generation. His brother Harvey Smyl may not have had quite as much impact on the ice, but has become one of the top junior coaches in the game, and still helms the BCHL Junior A Chilliwack Chiefs.

So it should come as no surprise that Hailey Smyl, daughter to Harvey and niece to Stan — a hard-working, emotional player who leads by example — finds herself wearing the captain’s C for the Fraser Valley Phantom, one of the region’s top midget teams.

2013 Esso Cup schedule and results

More after the break.

Pacific region teams often play at a disadvantage in national tournaments like this, as there simply aren’t the number of highly competitive teams in the west or in the prairie provinces. Most of the country’s top teams are assembled in more populated regions of Québèc and Ontario. That phenomenon was borne out early in this year’s Esso Cup, as the host Phantom lost their first three games of the tourney 14-4. However, they were able to dictate play in game four, defeating Halifax 3-1, and then putting a scare into the strong Ontario team from North Bay before losing the final preliminary round game 1-0.

“We left it all on the ice,” said Smyl after game five. “There are no regrets, for sure. This [tournament] was an amazing experience.”