Overage blueliner looks to be a calming influence

For Ryan Thompson, northern Ontario has always held a special place in his heart.

Acquired from the Erie Otters in a summer trade, the opportunity to join the Soo Greyhounds is one the veteran blueliner was excited about.

“It’s been great so far,” Thompson said during training camp. “I’ve always loved being up north. My parents are both from Sudbury, so I’m used to being up north. I love it up here so far.”

Acquired in exchange for a 10th round draft pick, Thompson said he was excited when he found out about the deal in late-June.

“The Sault has a great reputation of developing players and they’ve graduated a lot of really high-end talent,” Thompson said.

Originally drafted by the North Bay Battalion in the 2019 OHL Under-18 draft, Thompson enters the 2022-23 season with 93 games under his belt.

Joining a blueline that got younger over the summer due to the graduation, Thompson has looked to help the young defenceman along during training camp.

“I’m just trying to give the younger guys a sense of comfort,” Thompson said. “I remember when I was first coming into the league, that’s one of the most important things is getting comfortable quick because that’s when you play your best hockey. I just try to do my best to make sure everybody is getting comfortable and giving any tips that I can.”

Throughout training camp, Thompson was paired with rookie defenceman Matthew Virgilio during scrimmages, an opportunity he enjoyed.

“It’s been great so far,” Thompson said. “He’s a really good kid. I’m just trying to help out everywhere I can and give some tips to help kids feel more comfortable in camp and bring out the best in them.”

Virgilio said he learned a lot in camp playing with the veteran.

“It’s been really good for me,” Virgilio said of being paired with Thompson in camp. “He’s giving me little tips and tricks.”

“He comes in as a senior guy and he’s got great experience,” Greyhounds coach John Dean said. “Just his presence physically, the way he conducts himself, the way he has conversations with me and the other players, that has an impact on the group. He’s calming and he’s also very deliberate in the way he plays.”

A self-described defensive-minded, physical player that moves the puck well, Thompson said he’s looking forward to being a part of the Greyhounds system this season.

“It’s really exciting,” Thompson said. “It’s something that I haven’t been exposed to yet. I’m really excited to get going with it.”

Like all OHL players, Thompson spent the summer honing his craft ahead of the new season but focused on a pair of aspects specifically.

“I worked on my speed a lot,” Thompson said. “I was really focusing on getting my speed to the next level and being able to make plays quickly.”

Meanwhile, Dean believes there’s some untapped potential in Thompson’s game

“What I’m excited about is, I think there are pieces to his game that he hasn’t utilized and that we’re going to try to bring out of him,” Dean said. “Don’t get me wrong, we’re going to make sure he stays true to who he is. He’s that nice, calming presence on the blueline, but there’s some offensive side to that game.”