Drumheller, AB: Following the end of the 2022-2023 Dragons season, the team saw six players graduate from the program. Over the past few weeks of the off-season, three graduating 20-year-olds have earned commitments to play college hockey for next season.
Dragons goaltender, Garrett Fuller, played three seasons with the Dragons. He ended his career with the team playing some of the best hockey he ever has, which saw him take home Defensive Player of the Week honours in the AJHL during the last week of the season and be one of the Dragons best players throughout the 2023 AJHL Playoffs. Fuller will be heading to San Diego State University next season to compete in the American College Hockey Association.
Defenceman and two-time winner of the Community Player of the Year Award, Ben Christian, announced his commitment to play hockey next season at Concordia University in Edmonton, Alberta. The Concordia Thunder play in the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference. Ben played three years for the Dragons and was named an assistant captain in his last season with the team. Ben was known as a tremendous leader in both the dressing room and the community and will be missed by the organization.
Lastly, Dragons captain Sam Simard announced his commitment to play college hockey next season at MacEwan University in Edmonton, Alberta. The MacEwan Griffins are a member of USports, which is the national governing body of university sport in Canada. Simard had an outstanding final season with the Dragons, scoring 22 goals and putting up 53 points in just 52 games. He was a three year member of the team and was known as an amazing leader and teammate in the locker room and an outstanding volunteer in the community of Drumheller.
The Drumheller Dragons Hockey Club would like to congratulate Garrett Fuller, Ben Chrisitan, and Sam Simard on continuing their hockey career and education at the next level and thank them for their dedication and effort to the team for the past three seasons!