THUNDER BAY – A former Thunder Bay forward is heading home to join the Lakehead Thunderwolves.
Josh Laframboise, who left the city for Regina as a teenager and spent three seasons playing in the British Columbia Junior Hockey League, has agreed to play for LU starting next falls.
The 6-foot-1, 185-pound forward scored 53 points in 51 games this past season with the Trail Smoke Eaters, finishing third on the team with 25 goals.
Laframboise said he’s very familiar with the Thunderwolves program.
“My family had season tickets and I was a hard-core fan growing up,” Laframboise said in a release issued on Monday by the team.
“I would come to the games with my face painted, wearing my Lakehead jersey as I cheered on my heroes, and in the summer I went to the Thunderwolves hockey camps. When I think that now I’ll be on the ice wearing that jersey in front of the big crowds in the Gardens, it’s kind of surreal. I hope I can impact some other kids in the same way I was.”
He thinks he can play a part in the team’s revival.
“I watched Lakehead win the Queen’s Cup in 2006, and I’d like to help the team get back to those winning ways,” he said. “Plus, I’m looking forward to returning home as I still have a lot of friends and relatives living in Thunder Bay. This is really exciting for me.”
Lakehead coach Bill McDonald said it’s great finding another player with Thunder Bay roots to play for his team.
Forward Daniel Del Paggio earlier this month inked a commitment to play for the Wolves after three years in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.
“Josh will bring us some more offense and he plays with an edge -- he gets to the hard areas. He’s coming off a great year in the BCHL, and after spending time with him I can tell he loves the game,” McDonald said.
