TRENTON - The 2012-13 hockey season began with Sean Taylor being named the captain of the Strait Pirates, but in December his third season with the Pirates was cut short in a trade with the Pictou County Scotians.
Taylor, a 21-year-old in the NSJHL said the Pirates determined they wouldn't win the league this year and wanted to prepare for the 2014 Don Johnson Cup that they are hosting next season.
"I'm excited to come into a team like Pictou County although it is tough after being in Port Hawkesbury for three years," he said. "You get to know everyone on the team well and coming here I didn't know too many."
Coming to the Scotians, a team looking to win the league this season, Taylor wants to bring his strong two-way defensive skill set to the team. Coming in as an overage player he also hopes to add leadership and experience to the lineup, but he respects the leadership that was in place before his arrival.
"Coming in after being the captain of the Pirates, I feel I have a significant amount of leadership and have a lot of experience being around the league," he said.
"Being a leader is just who I am and I like to be in that kind of role. If I'm asked to be in that kind of role I will, but I respect the current leaders on the team and the work they're doing."
Going into the weekend the Scotians are only one point behind the Pirates for second place in the Sid Rowe Division and with the end of the season nearing the two teams will likely meet in the first round of the playoffs, with only home ice advantage to be determined by who finishes second. Knowing he'll have to face his former team is something Taylor isn't necessarily looking forward to.
"It's definitely going to be weird in the playoffs to be on the other side of the ice from the guys I played with for a few years," said Taylor. "You know the guys you're playing against well and you're still friends, but you still want to win. It will definitely be interesting, but something I didn't expect at the beginning of the season."
Although the playoffs are approaching quickly, the Scotians still have five regular season games remaining, including their home game this weekend against the Antigonish Bulldogs at 7:30 p.m. at the Trenton Rink. The Pirates have a game in hand on the Scotians and only play one game this weekend as well, Friday night against the Cumberland County Blues.
