Former Flin Flon Bomber Jason Lavallee is enjoying life on and off the ice in his home province.
Lavallee is in his second season playing hockey and studying at the University of Quebec at Trois-Rivières (UQTR). The men’s hockey team competes in USports, the highest level of university hockey in Canada.
“What I like most is the group of guys on the team,” Lavallee said, who is studying finance at UQTR.
In 26 games this season, the skilled forward had three goals and seven points. UQTR Patriotes head coach Marc-Etienne Hubert praised Lavallee’s speed, physicality, shot, and short area game. As well, Hubert emphasized that Lavallee was a good kid and a good teammate.
“At first sight, I was not sure if I was going to like it, but now I’m feeling like I could make a living with it, so this why I’m loving it,” said Lavallee.
University of Quebec at Trois-Rivières has about 14,500 students. Trois-Rivières is located approximately halfway between Quebec City and Montreal.
Lavallee grew up in Thetford Mines, just more than an hour-and-a-half away from where he currently attends school. Before starting his junior career, he played for the Sorel-Tracy Rebelles. On that team, he was teammates with future Bomber teammate Pierre-Luc Morin.
Both players started the 2015-2016 season elsewhere but were acquired by the Bombers. Lavallee joined the team from the B.C. Hockey League’s Penticton Vees, while Morin had been playing in Alberta. Both played roles in the Bombers’ run to the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League finals.
The next season, Lavallee played on one of the SJHL’s top lines with league Player of the Year Greyson Reitmeier and rookie Nate Hooper, who is currently the Bombers captain and leading scorer. Together, they helped the squad make it back to the SJHL championship series.
Lavallee has great memories of his time in Flin Flon. He billeted his first year with Maureen Reagan, the mother of Bombers head coach Mike Reagan. Jill and Travis Rideout billeted Lavallee for his second year in Flin Flon.
“We had an amazing group of guys and coaches, but what I loved the most was playing in the Whitney Forum with that amazing atmosphere – just good memories when I think about Flin Flon and the Zoo,” Lavallee said. “Also, my billet families made my journey in Flin Flon unforgettable.”
