Venom Welcomes Hope, BC Standout Dayton McRae

ABBOTSFORD, BC — September 4, 2026 — The Venom HC AAA Program is excited to officially announce the signing of Hope, BC Forward/Defenseman Dayton McRae to the 2026/27 NAPHL season with the Venom HC 16U AAA team.

McRae joined the Venom HC program for a couple of practices prior to signing, and it did not take long for the coaching staff and players to notice his presence on the ice.

Standing at an impressive 6'0" and 215 pounds, Dayton brings an exceptional combination of size, strength, mobility, and skill for his age. Despite his size, he moves extremely well around the ice and has shown the ability to handle the puck and make plays with confidence.

“We noticed Dayton right away when he came out to practice,” said Venom HC 16U Head Coach, Brendan Werbin. “Obviously, the size jumps out at you immediately, but what really impressed us was how well he moves for a player his size and age. He has some really nice hands, he can handle the puck, and there is a lot of potential in his game.”

Coming off a tremendous 2025/26 season with the U18 Hope Wildcats, McRae recorded 16 goals and 17 assists for 33 points in 40 games. It was a significant offensive season as he continues developing toward his goal of becoming a Junior hockey player over the next 2–3 years.

With his Junior hockey future in mind, McRae has already identified several areas of his game that he is committed to improving. His continued work on his skating, speed, hands, and stickwork will be a major part of his development throughout the upcoming season.

“He has the physical tools, but he also has the willingness to work on the areas of his game that are going to take him to the next level. If he continues improving his skating and speed while developing his hands and stickwork, we believe there is a lot of upside there.” added Werbin.

Perhaps just as importantly, McRae has quickly made an impression away from the scoresheet. The Venom HC coaching staff and players have already enjoyed having Dayton around the group, describing him as a great character kid who has fit in extremely well with the team.

President/GM Brady Douglas had this to say: “He is a great kid, works hard, and has a personality that fits really well with our team. Character is a huge part of what we're building here, and Dayton has shown us that he is the type of person we want in our dressing room.”

For McRae, the 2026/27 season will provide an important opportunity to take another major step forward in his development, compete against high-level competition in the NAPHL, and continue preparing himself for the next stage of his hockey career.

The Venom HC organization is excited to welcome Dayton McRae to the 16U AAA family and looks forward to watching him continue to grow throughout the 2026/27 season.

Welcome to Venom HC, Dayton!

The Future Is Venom. 🐍