For home games during the 2017-18 season, the Carleton Place Canadians will be profiling one player from the team. This time, the profile is on Brett Thorne.
Quick Bio
Birthdate: Mar. 15, 1999
Hometown: Bedford, N.S.
Height: 6’2″
Weight: 190 lbs
Shoots: R
Position: D
Thorne is taking part in his first season with the Carleton Place Canadians after being picked up from the OJHL’s Wellington Dukes earlier in the year.
“Honestly, it caught me off guard, I didn’t think I was going to get traded but I just took it in stride and said ‘Hey, it’s a new opportunity and I’ll start a new chapter,’” he said. “I came here and I couldn’t be happier with where I am and what’s going on.”
This season is Thorne’s first as a junior hockey player. Prior to this season, he spent time in the Nova Scotia AAA system, playing for three associations in three years, before attending Ridley College last season.
“Major midget back home wasn’t as high a calibre as other places like Ontario, but when I moved to Ridley I got a taste of high-level hockey. Coming to junior, I was a little more prepared than if I stayed home in Nova Scotia.”
While playing AAA in Nova Scotia, Thorne averaged nearly a point-per-game in two of his last three seasons there – including scoring 14 goals in 33 games during his major bantam season. His offensive production dipped slightly at Ridley, tallying 21 points in 32 games, but his point-production has nearly returned to his Nova Scotia levels as he has 20 points in 28 games with the Canadians.
“I’m kind of a pass-first type guy, I see the ice pretty well. I play on the power play but I’m not really used for scoring, I’m there to distribute the puck,” Thorne said, describing his style of play. “I’m more of a defensive guy, we’ve got our offensive defencemen, so I just like to keep the puck out of our own net.”
