Slavin Named to Team USA, Thompson NCHC Player of the Month

Colorado Thunderbird alumni Jaccob Slavin (’94) and Aidan Thompson (’02) dotted hockey headlines this week in star fashion, with Slavin being named to Team USA for the upcoming Four Nations Face Off and Thompson bringing home NCHC Player of the Month honors for November.

Slavin, who last played for the Thunderbirds in 2011 as part of the 18U program, has long been regarded as one of the league’s most complete defenseman. He signed an 8-year, $51.2M deal in the offseason to extend his time in Carolina where he was drafted 120th overall in the 4th round of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft. Slavin has 1 goal and 7 assists in 25 games this year and will eclipse the 700 career games played mark by mid-December. Slavin will join Brock Faber, Adam Fox, Charlie McAvoy, Noah Hanifin, Zach Werenski and Quinn Hughes on the American blueline.

Thompson’s junior year at Denver comes 5 years after his last stint with the Colorado Thunderbirds as a 16U in 2019. Already an NCAA National Champion, Thompson recorded 30 points as a sophomore in 44 games en route to Denver’s historic 10th title. This season as an assistant captain on David Carle’s top-ranked Pioneer program, Aidan has 10 goals and 12 assists in 14 games and led all NCHC players with 11 points and 6 goals in the month of November. Thompson was selected by the Chicago Blackhawks at 90th overall in the 3rd round of the 2022 NHL Entry Draft.