When the Lac La Biche Lakers hit the ice at the Bold Center this fall, the new junior-level hockey team will do so under the direction of head coach Tyr Thompson.
Thompson, who previously coached the Olds Grizzlys of the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL), was recently announced as head coach of the Lakers. Lac La Biche was awarded a junior franchise with the independent eight-team National Junior Hockey League (NJHL) last year.
Thompson, who is Métis and originally from Sherwood Park, is looking forward to going into the inaugural season as coach of the NJHL’s newest team.
“I’m excited to get out to Lac La Biche and get into the Bold Center and get our team set up there, and get ready for a good season,” he told the Lac La Biche Post newsroom.
With the Lakers being a first-year team, Thompson continued, there will be challenges to overcome. He added that team officials have been recruiting players they believe will help them win a championship.
The fact that this is the Lakers’ inaugural season, Thompson said, won’t hold the team back from working hard to reach the post-season.
“At the end of the year, we’re hoping to have a deep playoff round as well,” he said. “We’re looking forward to a successful season.”
Before stepping into his role as coach of the Olds Grizzlys and now the Lac La Biche Lakers, Thompson was on the rosters of the Wichita Thunder, an Edmonton Oilers affiliate in the East Coast Hockey League, as well as the Huntsville Havoc of the Southern Professional Hockey League (SPHL) based in Huntsville, Alabama. He has also worked as a skills and power skating coach.
Thompson describes his coaching style as being ‘hands-on’, adding that he likes to work closely with his players. During his career as a hockey player, he was a forward, and the offensive style of playing he developed is reflected in his coaching.
“I consider myself to be more of an offensive-minded coach,” he said, adding that he also places a considerable amount of emphasis on skills and the “finer details” of the game.
Camp time
Moving forward towards the fall, Thompson said there are many things to work on, including making sure the power-play is successful. The team was also getting everything lined up for its first spring training camp, which took place May 11-12 at the Bold Center.
Thompson says at least two dozen new players came to the spring camp.
This team's introductory camp had three ice times where players will work on skills and participate in intersquad games.
The team will be hosting its main training camp in September, weeks ahead of the start of the 2024-25 season.
During the main camp, Thompson explained, every member of the team together will be on the ice practicing and getting ready for the approaching season. They will be joined by coaches and staff.
“We’re really looking forward to that because that’s basically like the start of our season,” Thompson said.
The format of the Lakers franchise is similar to a hockey academy, where players can pay a tuition to skate, learn and grow their skills while playing competitively.