'Pretty special moment': Cape Breton Eagles forward who battled cancer last season named captain

First at Five: From Cancer to Captain With his cancer in remission, Jacon Newcombe hopes to lead the Eagles to victory as team captain.

It's been a long, hard road for Jacob Newcombe, the new captain of the Cape Breton Eagles.

"It's a 360 from last year”, said Newcombe, a native of Sambro, N.S., who missed the first several months of last season while undergoing treatment for non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.

The Eagles opened their season Friday night in Bathurst, N.B., and the 20-year-old forward received a surprise video chat from back home.

"Obviously, a pretty special moment,” said Newcombe. “My mom and dad presented (the team captaincy) to me over a Zoom call."

Newcombe scored two goals in his first game wearing the captain's C.

This time last year, Newcombe visited his Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League team for its home opening weekend despite being relatively early on in his cancer battle.

In January, he returned to the lineup for the Eagles’ annual Hockey Fights Cancer night, facing off against his former team the Chicoutimi Sagueneens. In the spring, he played a major role in the Eagles’ playoff run to the QMJHL semifinal.

Head coach Louis Robitaille said his new captain provides other players with a unique perspective on dealing with big challenges.

"That in life, it's not always easy but when you overcome some adversity it's going to make you stronger. So for us, he's a really good example,” said Robitaille. “It was an easy decision for us.”

Heading into the team's home opener this coming Friday against the Halifax Mooseheads, the team says season ticket sales are up more than 50 per cent from last year.

"I think we have a great group of guys here, and we're ready to work here,” said Newcombe. “We hope to see everyone this weekend, and it should be exciting."

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