The Axemen veteran is hoping to pursue a dream in his graduating year – a return to the University Cup.
Acadia’s men’s hockey team made it to the Canadian Interuniversity Sport championship last March, but suffered a disappointing overtime loss to Trois-Rivières in the opening game.
“We definitely know what he have to do to get back to nationals,” Thompson said. “There’s not been much talk about last year, but it’s in the back of people’s minds. I know it’s in the back of mine.
“It’ll become more of a focus as the season goes on,” the 24-year-old centre added.
On the go
Thompson came to Wolfville in the fall of 2012, after a major junior career that involved a lot of moving around.
After coming up through minor hockey in his native Sault Ste. Marie, Thompson started his major junior career in 2007 with the Ontario Hockey League’s Sudbury Wolves. Midway through his second season, he was traded back to the Sault, where he blossomed as a goal-scorer while playing parts of three seasons with the Greyhounds. At 19, he was traded to the Erie Otters and then, the next year, to the Sarnia Sting.
“I moved around a lot,” he says. “My four years here is the longest I’ve ever been with the same team, at least since before junior.”
Thompson and Mike Cazzola, who he met with the Otters, were both recruited to Acadia the same off-season.
“We weren’t part of the same recruiting trip, but we had talked about maybe ending up in the same place,” Thompson said of his friend and current teammate.
Scoring line
At Acadia, Thompson and Cazzola ended up on a line with second-year winger Liam Heelis, forming one of the most productive lines in recent Atlantic University Sport history. The three helped lead the Axemen to a 2014 AUS championship win.
“Playing with Liam helped both Mike and I settle in,” he says. “The three of us connected right away, both on and off the ice.”
Thompson has improved his scoring total all three years he has been at Acadia, from 26 points in his rookie year to 38 points last season, when he was named a first-team AUS all-star and a second-team All-Canadian.
This season is a fresh start for the forward lineups. Heelis has graduated and coach Darren Burns has broken up Thompson and Cazzola while trying out new combinations.
“I’ve played with a variety of linemates so far,” Thompson said. In the Nov. 4 3-2 win over Dalhousie, he was on a shift with Kyle Farrell and Dylan Anderson.
“(We) have four lines that can all score goals. There are a lot of hard working guys, but who can also put the puck in the net, which is a real bonus.”
Looking ahead
Thompson expects to graduate in May with a degree in recreation management. “Whether or not I’ll be done (playing hockey for Acadia), I’ll have to wait and see what my options are at the end of the season, and go from there,” he said.
“(I’m) interested in maybe playing pro someday, and potentially getting to play in Europe, but I don’t make those calls. Having a good season will help me, but I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.”
With the win over the Tigers, Axemen improved to 6-1-1, tied for first place with UNB in a tightly packed conference.
“I’m happy with our start,” Thompson said. “The first couple of games, we weren’t at our best, but we’ve rebounded with some pretty strong games.”
That included a 3-2 win over the Varsity Reds Oct. 30 in Fredericton.
Former teammate Jonathan Laberge “told me he played five years here, and Acadia didn’t beat UNB once in their rink in his five years,” Thompson said.
“We have a pretty balanced team. There’s always some pressure when you have a big year, but I don’t worry about it and try to play the same way every time out.”
By the numbers
101 - Points in his Acadia career
42 - Goals in 67 games with Sault St. Marie in 2009-2010
38 - Points with the Axemen in 2014-2015
19 - Goals in 2014-2015
The Axemen veteran is hoping to pursue a dream in his graduating year – a return to the University Cup.
Acadia’s men’s hockey team made it to the Canadian Interuniversity Sport championship last March, but suffered a disappointing overtime loss to Trois-Rivières in the opening game.
“We definitely know what he have to do to get back to nationals,” Thompson said. “There’s not been much talk about last year, but it’s in the back of people’s minds. I know it’s in the back of mine.
“It’ll become more of a focus as the season goes on,” the 24-year-old centre added.
On the go
Thompson came to Wolfville in the fall of 2012, after a major junior career that involved a lot of moving around.
After coming up through minor hockey in his native Sault Ste. Marie, Thompson started his major junior career in 2007 with the Ontario Hockey League’s Sudbury Wolves. Midway through his second season, he was traded back to the Sault, where he blossomed as a goal-scorer while playing parts of three seasons with the Greyhounds. At 19, he was traded to the Erie Otters and then, the next year, to the Sarnia Sting.
“I moved around a lot,” he says. “My four years here is the longest I’ve ever been with the same team, at least since before junior.”
Thompson and Mike Cazzola, who he met with the Otters, were both recruited to Acadia the same off-season.
“We weren’t part of the same recruiting trip, but we had talked about maybe ending up in the same place,” Thompson said of his friend and current teammate.
Scoring line
At Acadia, Thompson and Cazzola ended up on a line with second-year winger Liam Heelis, forming one of the most productive lines in recent Atlantic University Sport history. The three helped lead the Axemen to a 2014 AUS championship win.
“Playing with Liam helped both Mike and I settle in,” he says. “The three of us connected right away, both on and off the ice.”
Thompson has improved his scoring total all three years he has been at Acadia, from 26 points in his rookie year to 38 points last season, when he was named a first-team AUS all-star and a second-team All-Canadian.
This season is a fresh start for the forward lineups. Heelis has graduated and coach Darren Burns has broken up Thompson and Cazzola while trying out new combinations.
“I’ve played with a variety of linemates so far,” Thompson said. In the Nov. 4 3-2 win over Dalhousie, he was on a shift with Kyle Farrell and Dylan Anderson.
“(We) have four lines that can all score goals. There are a lot of hard working guys, but who can also put the puck in the net, which is a real bonus.”
Looking ahead
Thompson expects to graduate in May with a degree in recreation management. “Whether or not I’ll be done (playing hockey for Acadia), I’ll have to wait and see what my options are at the end of the season, and go from there,” he said.
“(I’m) interested in maybe playing pro someday, and potentially getting to play in Europe, but I don’t make those calls. Having a good season will help me, but I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.”
With the win over the Tigers, Axemen improved to 6-1-1, tied for first place with UNB in a tightly packed conference.
“I’m happy with our start,” Thompson said. “The first couple of games, we weren’t at our best, but we’ve rebounded with some pretty strong games.”
That included a 3-2 win over the Varsity Reds Oct. 30 in Fredericton.
Former teammate Jonathan Laberge “told me he played five years here, and Acadia didn’t beat UNB once in their rink in his five years,” Thompson said.
“We have a pretty balanced team. There’s always some pressure when you have a big year, but I don’t worry about it and try to play the same way every time out.”
By the numbers
101 - Points in his Acadia career
42 - Goals in 67 games with Sault St. Marie in 2009-2010
38 - Points with the Axemen in 2014-2015
19 - Goals in 2014-2015
