Former Bison committed to Alaska

Times Reporter   

 

Former UFA Bisons defencemen Tristan Thompson is getting the opportunity to move up in the hockey ranks as he earned a full time roster spot with the Drumheller Dragons for the next couple of seasons. 

The Canmore native has signed a letter of intent to commit to Alaska-Fairbanks in the NCAA starting in the 2016-2017 season.

Thompson accredits his development as a player to having played for a strong developmental program such as the Bisons.

“It was a huge, it was a great step playing there with some of the best midget-aged players in Alberta and playing in the Mac’s tournament was a great experience,” said Thompson. “(I) had some of the best coaches in Strathmore and making the step to Junior A was real easy.”

When he was with the Bisons, Thompson was relied on to be a power play specialist and help the team produce points on a nightly basis.

“I was relied to be power play guy and put up points,” said Thompson.

Thompson’s most memorable moment being a Bison was going to the Mac’s Midget Tournament and seeing thousands of fans watching every game. 

“One of the biggest moments playing in the Bisons program was playing in Mac’s for two years and getting to experience that was huge in front of all those fans,” he said. “You don’t know what it’s really like playing midget hockey until you go to the Mac’s where there are thousands of people at your game. It’s eye opening.”

Thompson’s former coach, Dan MacDonald, has really admired what he has been able to accomplish and believes it’s a true testament to how the Bisons operate.

“The fact that Tristan got a scholarship this early in the season is a good testament to program we run here. Essentially he got the scholarship because he played well last year,” said MacDonald. “He worked very hard and you know he was a gifted scorer from the defense – you have an offensive defensemen who is very good on the power play.”

As a coach, MacDonald feels that the goal is to move players up to junior so they can prolong their careers.

“Guys that are eligible are playing junior hockey, that’s our goal – to move them on and move them up,” said MacDonald.

As for going to Alaska for school, the future is that he will play two years in Drumheller where he will continue to develop.

“They’ve talked to me about it, I think the best thing for me will be to play two years of junior and play a bigger role for the Dragons before I move on and play at the 

University of Alaska,” said Thompson.

He plans on taking engineering or petroleum engineering in Alaska.

While with the Dragons, Thompson wants to develop, get better everyday and try to stay in the line-up.  

As of Sept. 16, Thompson was in his third game, which meant that he has played in all of the Dragons games so far.