By: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings
HARTFORD, CT – For Paul Thompson, ex-Hartford Wolf Pack, Bridgeport Islander, & Springfield Thunderbird, or any athlete, the decision to retire is always tough.
“I was fortunate enough to play as long as I did. Wasn’t the easiest or most glorious of times, but I’m very proud of what I accomplished,” Thompson said. “The lessons I learned, the adversity I had to deal with to grow as a player, and experiences as a player were oh so important. When I look back, it’s a bit emotional. There are so many memories of teammates and coaches, plus everybody you meet because of the game of hockey on and off the ice.”
Thompson elaborated.
“You just don’t get too many bad people in hockey. I met my wife because of the game, and have my kids now. It was so cool, that my kids got a chance to see me play and have a memory, and I got to share my career with family and friends,” Thompson said.
Thompson can count his cousin and former Bridgeport Sound Tiger player, who’s now the UNH head coach Mike Souza, among the many.
He knew the clock on his career was ticking.
TIME WAS RUNNING OUT
“I had trained over the summer as if I was going to play again. As I kept going, I realized I didn’t have the same fire to go back. So, I realized I couldn’t go out and be 100% committed and give my all for myself or my teammates. So, I couldn’t go out with one half there and the other half at home.”
His daughter, one of his two kids, was ecstatic and said as only kids could do.
“Now, I can root for the Springfield Thunderbirds!”
As Thompson was working on his post-playing career, he’s been looking at several options, but he can’t reveal the details of what he’s accepted until he is cleared to do so.
In 697 AHL games, he tallied 192 goals, 373 points, and 932 PIMs. His memories burn bright. He had a brief NHL with the Florida Panthers (21 games) and the New Jersey Devils (3 games) that stand out as the brightest.
“I had a short time in the NHL with Florida. The two things that stood out. The father’s weekend to see my dad enjoying the high life after all the things he did for me growing up. It was very special. Then coming back on New Year’s Eve one night on the plane sharing a glass of wine with Jaromir Jagr in the back of the plane, those two things are real highlights.”
His AHL career took him to other AHL destinations, the Albany Devils, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, and the Chicago Wolves.
ALBANY PAYS DIVIDENDS
While Thompson was in Albany, a relationship developed that paid off at the end of his career. It allowed him to be one of the few players to play for all three area AHL teams, which was by Thompson’s design.
“I didn’t have special skills, but working hard I created a set of (work) habits that followed me my whole career. Once my wife and I had a family, I always wanted to be close to them, so I always targeted playing in Springfield, Hartford or Bridgeport. It took me a little longer to figure out the pro hockey game,“ Thompson remarked.
Thompson started because of the now-defunct Manchester Monarchs and their junior Monarchs program. He then went on to a successful four-year Hockey East career at the University of New Hampshire (HE).
“I kinda woke up early in my career to how hard it is to maintain your position in hockey and be effective if you’re scoring or you’re not. For me, it was never really pretty.
“Once I realized that, I made a steady mark on the teams that I played with. I learned early as I had a tough coach (John Hynes in Wilkes Barre/Scranton and Rick Kowalsky, now the head coach in Bridgeport) my first two years and realized what I had to do to stay here. I was gonna have to be hard-nosed, finish your checks and go to those dirty areas as they say. It was a skill, I was proud of,” remarked Thompson, who occupied net front kinda like current Wolf Pack Anton Blidh.
INFLUENCES
Current Colorado Avalanche head and assistant coach Jared Bednar and assistant former Beast of New Haven defenseman Nolan Pratt helped shape his career, too.
Thompson is a Springfield area resident. He is one of the few players to have played for both the Springfield Falcons and Thunderbirds.
Thompson arrived in Hartford at an inauspicious time; the pandemic shortened 2020-21 25-game season. Sitting out the season was something he was prepared to do, and the possibility the end of the road had come earlier than expected.
“It was very unusual; it was a tough year for everybody. I had my mortgage license; nobody really knew, especially guys like me coming to the end of my career. I wasn’t hearing much from anybody, and it came out of the blue. I figured it might be all over then.
It was weird in so many ways; the schedule was so short and condensed, and playing mostly two teams so often (Bridgeport & Providence) was difficult. We had a good group and bonded as the season went along; it was an odd time for everybody,” remarked Thompson, who played his 400th game with the Pack that season. Springfield canceled its participation at the last minute, which really unsettled things in an already crazy situation.
“It was so strange. We had a team, but we had to be separated when we were there for practice and when we tried to do things together when you were so used to being together as a team.
Guys like Ty (Ronning now playing in Germany) was a great kid. We were great teammates, but what we all had to do on and off the ice, like live with so many restrictions. We had two separate locker rooms,” said Thompson.
KNOBLAUCH COMMENTS
Wolf Pack head coach Kris Knoblauch fondly remembers him.
“It was a pleasure to coach Paul. Obviously, a veteran who had been in this league when I first came to this league. He always knew how to play the game right. We certainly got a lot of character from him. He not only helped his team, he got the opposition off their game.
Whether it was a pass or a hit, sadly, he wasn’t here very long because of the COVID year. I did get the chance to coach him and get to know him a little bit.”
Knoblauch paid him an opposition complement of coaching against him.
“He was a bit of pain to deal with because of his (style) of game he played. (Thompson) was a very valuable player to have on your team and not so against us. He did a lot of his scoring before I joined the league. He had the knack of scoring big goals and the goal when you needed it,” commented Knoblauch.
RELATIONSHIPS
Relationships over the course of his career were very important.
“I developed a close one with Alex Grant in Springfield (still playing in the KHL) and it’s been tough with the distance, our scheduled often don’t mesh, we both have families, but we have Face Time, e-mail and text now, so when we do chat, we pick it up right where we left off.”
He did have European offers, but the situation in his career, but nothing came to pass.
“I thought I would do it when I was younger. I always thought we would do it for a few years.
Once my wife and I had our children, it became a less viable option. The kids are now school age, and I still had options here,” said Thompson, who would have been a European “bachelor.” his time with his kids was much too important…
The relationship in Bridgeport near the end of his career from early in his career paid off.
He got to know GM Chris Lamoriello in Albany (and Bridgeport) and his famous father Lou (New Jersey and now Islanders GM), and he got to play there. He knew ex-Pack and Bridgeport head coach Brent Thompson (now in Anaheim as an assistant coach) and (now head coach) Rick Kowalsky (then an assistant).
“Chris, gave me a chance and we he had a lot of veterans. I had agreed to go to Worcester to start the year to be close to home.”
He got the time to play as his kids grew up to see him play.
“It was always such a treat when my son and his teammates, plus his little buddies, came to the rink and were at the glass during the pre-game skate. My first game back last year after I went to Worcester (ECHL) to play for Bridgeport was in Springfield, so that was a special night for my kids to remember. I really cherish that memory, and I never took it for granted. A lot of guys don’t get the chance, ” remarked Thompson, a rough and ready player throughout his career.
LOOKING BACK
He had an honest self-reflection on his time in the AHL.
“I was competitive and loved to play and brought that energy every night. I knew I was done, though.
It was time to step back and start the next chapter of my life and career. It was time, and the timing was right. I feel good about it and confident about the decision I made. It was good to reflect on how much the game had given me. Yes, the relationships are very important and how many good friends we made.
I do look forward to getting some normalcy and a set schedule back in my life,” said Thompson.
His big smile and efforts will be missed around the AHL rinks in our region.
NOTES:
Two ex-Packs sign early-season deals in Europe after the first month of their regular season.
Anthony Greco, from the Pack team from two years ago, switches Swedish teams and signs with Linköping HC (Sweden-SHL).
Adam Clendening, from last year’s team who was without a deal in North America or Europe, who attended Ranger’s training camp on a PTO deal was cut, has surprisingly signed with Ilves Tampere (Finland-FEL).
-Mathis Rousseau, grandson of former Ranger and Canadiens legend Bobby Rousseau, goalie of the Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL), scored a goal, dead center of the net against the Rouyn Noranda Huskies in a 5-4 win on Friday night in Halifax at the Scotiabank Centre.
Halifax is a former AHL city nearly upstaging the return of reigning QMHL MVP Jordan Dumais from Columbus and his five-point game.
Rousseau celebrated in style, leading the high-fiving scoring line back to his bench with an animated scorers pose. Brady Schultz (Monroe, grandson of former Whaler Norm Barnes, two assists on the night) was the first teammate he hugged following the goal. He also had 38 saves on the night and was named the game’s third star.
He won the Memorial Cup last season with the Quebec Remparts. His Halifax team is an early season contender to be in this year’s Memorial Cup (May 24-June 2,2024) to be held in the US in Saginaw, Michigan; the last time it was held in the States was 1998 in Spokane, WA, and just the fourth time the tournament has been held in the US.
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