The Lions de Trois-Rivières have agreed to terms on one-year contracts with defencemen Alex Breton and Francis Thibeault, as well as centre Conner Chaulk. These three important signings represent a significant achievement for Vice-President and General Manager Marc-André Bergeron.
“Alex Breton is a Québécois defenceman who we have had our eyes on for two years now. There’s no doubt he’ll be a leader on our defence corps next season. Francis Thibeault played very well for us last year with an aggressive style of play and he also contributed to our offence. These two signings will bolster our defence. Conner Chaulk is a complete centre who can win important face-offs and contribute to our offence. We are very proud of these three signings and the direction the organization is taking as we approach the start of the season” – Marc-André Bergeron.
Hailing from Sainte-Marie-de-Beauce, 24-year-old defenceman Alex Breton represents a major addition to head coach Éric Bélanger’s team. Breton was named the ECHL’s best defenceman in 2019-20 when he led all ECHL defencemen in scoring with 55 points in 61 games with the Allen Americans. He subsequently headed to Slovakia where he played for Banska Bystrica HC 05 as well as Bratislava Slovan. While overseas he maintained his excellent offensive work over the course of two seasons by amassing 54 points in 83 games. His arrival with the Lions should be a big boost to the team’s power play.
Marc-André Bergeron added a fifth defenceman to the roster in Francis Thibeault. The 23-year-old joined the Lions towards the end of last season, but an injury restricted his playing time to just six games. Despite his limited time on the ice, he still managed to make a good impression and collected a goal and an assist. Able to support the offence, Thibeault’s imposing size means opponents always have to keep their heads up. He has all the qualities required to quickly become an important pillar on the defence for the Lions in 2022-23.
Conner Chaulk was Marc-André Bergeron’s third signing today. The 23-year-old center recently completed his university career with the University of Regina Cougars where in three seasons he amassed 37 points in 59 games. A native of Regina, Saskatchewan, Chaulk had a terrific final university year with nine goals and eight assists in 17 games. He will play an important role for the team at centre, where currently only William Leblanc is signed.
To purchase season tickets starting as low as $16.50 per game or to get all the latest information about the team’s signings, please visit www.lions3r.com.