“It has been a lot of fun here, and it has been a good experience,” said Thompson, who had never travelled to Europe prior to signing with Surahammars. “It’s really nice to be playing hockey again.
“The ice is bigger and you’re playing against men, so it’s a different kind of hard. In the OHL, there’s a lot of skill and you don’t have a lot of time, because the ice is smaller. When you come over here, that’s a big thing, because you have a little more time with the puck, but the guys are also bigger and stronger. It’s a different style of hockey, so it takes a little bit to get used to.”
Thompson’s success in that setting has only made the Tampa Bay Lightning prospect more confident in his abilities, and more eager to show off his new skill set once the OHL finally returns to action.
“I had a long off-season with COVID, so I had a lot of time to work out and I got stronger,” Thompson said. “I feel like I’m in the best shape of my life, so that has been huge, and being drafted gives you a bit of a boost, too. I’m having fun and playing hockey and I love to do it, so that’s why I’m here.”
