The Adirondack Thunder, who have started 3-0-0-0 on the season, will boost their lineup heading into next weekend as Jackson van de Leest has been sent down to the Thunder. Van de Leest, 23, would make the Utica Comets team out of training camp and play in two games with the Comets before being sent back down to Adirondack. The 6’7 defenseman joined the Thunder last season after spending two years at Dalhousie University, where he put up four goals and 13 assists for 17 points in 57 games. He played 14 games with Adirondack, putting up two assists, and six games with Utica, where he had one assist during the 2023-24 season. The Kelowana, BC native would also add three assists in 15 games during the 2024 Kelly Cup Playoffs. The 23-year-old defenseman would end up signing an AHL deal with Utica during the off-season.
With van de Leest coming down, Adirondack had to make room on their roster, and they did that by placing defenseman Taylor Ford on the 14-day IR, as Adirondack now has all three 14-day IR slots filled with David Fessenden and Brendan Pepe being the other two on the 14-day IR. Ford played in three of the first four games with the Adirondack, and he picked up his first pro point on October 19th vs. Norfolk Admirals. I would expect van de Leest to be in the lineup on Saturday night when the Thunder travel up North to take on the Trois-Rivieres Lions.
