(RAPID CITY, SD) – The Rapid City Rush, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL’s Arizona Coyotes, announced today that forward Tayler Thompson has signed with the Rush for the 2020-21 ECHL Season. The signing marks the eighth Black Hills Chiropractic Roster Adjustment of the 2020 offseason.
Thompson joins Blaine Jarvis “Heart and Soul Award” Winners Tyler Coulter and Cedric Montminy, as well as veteran Mike Hedden on the forward lines. Also signed by the Rush for the 2020-21 roster are defensemen Mark Auk and Brandon Fehd, as well as goaltenders Adam Carlson and Gordon Defiel.
Thompson comes to the Black Hills after splitting the 2019-20 season between the 2nd Czech Republic Hockey League and the ECHL. He began with the Czech2 club Pirati Chomutov, earning a goal in 4 games before returning to the United States to finish the season with the Orlando Solar Bears. In his third stint in “The Sunshine State”, the 6’1”, 181-pound forward amassed 3 goals, 8 assists, and 11 points in 45 games.
“I’ve played with former Rush players that were coached by Coach Tetrault, and they all had nothing but great things to say about him, the city, and the organization. Add in the fact that it’s closer to my home in Saskatchewan, and it’s pretty hard to beat signing with the Rush,” Thompson explained on his signing with the club. “My compete level is always there. I want to win. I don’t mind playing over the edge, while mixing in some skill as well. I’ll also step up for my teammates, and feel like I can put the puck in the net. I do my best to bring an all-around aspect of hockey to the teams I play for.
“With that in mind, the goal is to win a championship. That’s number one, and it seems attainable given the conversations I’ve had with Coach and my new teammates,” Thompson concluded. “I just want to tell the fans I’m excited to get to the Black Hills, play some great hockey, meet all the fans, and get things rolling for next season!”
Rush Head Coach and Director of Hockey Operations Daniel Tetrault expanded on Thompson’s signing: “Tayler is a great signing for our organization, as his presence adds quality depth to the center position for our roster. Tayler is the true definition of a grinder. He’s a tough, physical presence that finishes every check, and isn’t afraid to go to the dirty areas to make scoring sequences happen. He’s also been known to stand up for his teammates and not back down from any challenge that comes his way on the ice. Entering his sixth year as a professional, I’m going to rely on Tayler for his ability to win draws, as well as his leadership as we develop our locker room and pursue our goal of bringing home a Kelly Cup Championship to Rapid City.”
A native of Bredenbury, Saskatchewan, Thompson enters his sixth season of professional hockey, and his fourth in the ECHL. His career has taken him all over the world, with stops in France, the Czech Republic, and the United States in the SPHL and ECHL. In his ECHL career, Thompson has 16 goals, 26 assists, and 42 points in 124 games with the Solar Bears and the Norfolk Admirals. As a second-year professional in 2016-17, he led the SPHL with 42 assists and 60 points as a member of the Fayetteville FireAntz, and was named an SPHL First-Team All-Star. Prior to turning professional, Thompson played four seasons of SJHL junior hockey with the Yorkton Terriers, winning back-to-back SJHL Championships in 2013 and 2014, in addition to the 2014 RBC Cup Championship. Additionally, he played for the WHL’s Prince George Cougars for two seasons, and spent one year at the University of Saskatchewan in USports.
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