It was a trying season for the Brampton Beast. The ECHL affiliate of the Montreal Canadiens ended the season with a record of 23-38-7-4, good enough for just 57 points, and last place in the Eastern Conference.
But there were some bright spots, and one was Dalton Thrower, who might not have had a stellar season, but does have the potential to be an asset down the road.
The 22 year-old made his professional debut in 2014 for the Beast, grabbing six points in 37 games. In the 2015-16 season, Thrower got called up to play for Montreal’s American Hockey League affiliate, the St. John’s IceCaps, for nine games over various stints, making him one of the most traveled players in the Canadiens’ farm system. He wasn’t able to put up a single goal or assist in AHL play.
Selected 51st overall in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft by the Canadiens, the defenceman closed out the season with the Beast, scoring once and assisting on three goals through 29 games; less-than-impressive numbers in the third tier of North American professional hockey.
While not much of an offensive threat, standing at 6’0″ and weighing in at 203 pounds, Thrower can be a physical presence on the ice.
Dalton Thrower vs Kevin Harvey from Brampton Beast at Rapid City Rush Feb 10, 2015 https://t.co/cSn6rLUQwR
— hockeyfights (@hockeyfights) April 5, 2016
What next?
As mentioned previously, Thrower has potential, and is on the younger side, though if he’s going to make a big stride in his development, now is the time.
Brampton had the most goals against in the entire ECHL (255 in 72 games). Their defence needs to be better on the blue line, stopping the oncoming rush from breaking into the zone and getting to the net.
Thrower still has a year left on his contract, and, if all goes well at camp, will most likely be able to play a similar role to this year, splitting duties between St. John’s and Brampton. If he’s able to make a good impression at camp, he could challenge for a spot with the IceCaps.
Thrower has a chance to be a solid player in the coming years for Montreal’s farm system. He just has to work on getting noticed at this point, and perhaps making a greater contribution offensively.
