On Thursday, the Thunderbolts and Head Coach/Director of Hockey Operations Jeff Bes announced the signing of forward Nolan Dawson to a Professional Tryout (PTO).
Dawson turns professional with the Thunderbolts from Western New England University, where he just completed his five year collegiate career. This season, the native of Airdrie, Alberta scored 6 goals and 15 points in 20 games while also serving as alternate captain, with his 15 points tied for the most on the team and his 6 goals tied for 2nd most. Dawson played with Western New England between 2023-2025, preceded by two seasons at Curry College between 2021-2023 and one season at Saint Mary’s University in 2020-21. In 89 total collegiate games, Dawson scored 16 goals and 41 points. Prior to college, Dawson played four seasons of Junior A hockey in Canada between 2016-2020 with the AJHL’s Calgary Mustangs, Drayton Valley Thunder and Old Grizzlys, the SJHL’s La Ronge Ice Wolves, and the MJHL’s OCN Blizzard, Virden Oil Capitals and Selkirk Steelers, scoring 25 goals and 73 points in 170 Junior A games.