‘Unsung Hero’ captains Surrey Knights to respectability in Junior B hockey
Published 4:14 pm Thursday, April 30, 2026
Surrey Knights have a new Unsung Hero trophy named for aged-out team captain Alistair Lau, also given the Pacific Junior Hockey League’s Most Inspirational Player award for the 2025–26 season.
Lau, a 2005-born forward known for leadership and defensive skills, played three-plus seasons with the PJHL Knights, who recently gave season-end awards to several players.
“I took pride in blocking shots and defensive-zone things, checking, things that maybe didn’t show up on the scoreboard but help a team win,” said Lau, 21.
The Andy Liboiron-coached Knights just ended their best season yet, led by points producers including Kirit Sran, Parkor Sarai and Bronson Sales, all now aged out, too.
The team’s new Alistair Lau Unsung Hero trophy will be presented annually to a player who exemplifies strong character, a team-first mindset and contributions that go beyond the scoresheet.
“We were looking for a way to honour Alistair for the commitment he had shown to our program,” Liboiron said.
“Alistair is as rare of a player as they come these days. In a game driven by offence, Lau took pride in the defensive side of the game. He put his body on the line every night blocking countless shots, playing against other team’s best players and making it his mission to shut them down. He always found a way to contribute to the team’s success, even if it wasn’t on the scoresheet.”
Knights team owner John Craighead calls Lau “a bit of a unicorn” in hockey.
“As an owner or coach, you can only hope to have a player with his character, consistency, and leadership. He’s the kind of young man who represents everything you want your program to stand for, both on and off the ice. Full credit goes to his parents and family. He’s an exceptional human being first, and a great hockey player second.”
Lau will return next season as an assistant coach to replace Billy Thompson, who has left to be head coach of rival White Rock Whalers.
“That’s something we take a lot of pride in, developing not just players, but people and staff, even if it means helping them move on to other teams in our league,” Craighead said. “I’m really proud of both Alistair and Billy. They represent what we’re building here.”
Other Knights award-winners for the 2025-26 season are Koen St. Hillaire (Top Goaltender, MVP), Noah Cook (Rookie), Sorash Ramlal (Most Improved), Jackson Jesson (Most Dedicated), Wes Rowley and Lucas Randall (Most Sportsmanlike, shared), Kirit Sran (Top Scorer) and Kris Ramos (Best Defenceman).
Other PJHL Brittain conference awards went to St. Hillaire (Top Goaltender) and Rowley (Most Sportsmanlike).
Meantime, B.C.’s junior hockey landscape is changing again with the arrival of British Columbia Hockey Conference (BCHC), a new 22-team Junior A league launching this fall.
The BC Hockey-sanctioned BCHC will include Delta Ice Hawks and seven other teams exiting the Pacific Junior Hockey League (PJHL), which continues as an eight-team Junior B circuit for Surrey Knights, White Rock Whalers, Cloverdale HC and other franchises.