The Adirondack Thunder announced another signing last week and you know what that means… ANOTHER EDITION of Adirondack Thunder newcomers. This week, I sat down with rookie defensemen Grant Frederic.
NHL Ties, USHL And Collegiate Career
If Grant’s last name looks familiar, it’s because his brother Trent was drafted by the Boston Bruins and has seen time at both the NHL and AHL levels. “It’s cool. It’s great seeing his first NHL game along with about 15 at the AHL.” As a brother, it comes as no surprise that Grant is Trent’s biggest supporter and loves seeing him live out his dream.
Before committing to college, Frederic spent two years playing in the USHL with the Green Bay Gamblers. When asked about his time in Green Bay, Grant had an abundance of nice things to say about the team. “It’s a good junior city. I have nothing but nice things to say about coach Bergeron,” Frederic said.
When asked about the specifics that made it so special, he continued, “Great Billets, really cool rink, the guys I played with and the coaches I had were great. I have nothing but great things to say about that place.” While in Green Bay, Frederic would record eight goals along with 19 assists which made for 27 points. He did so in 118 games with them.
When One Door Closes, Another One Opens
As the famous saying goes, “When one door closes, another one opens” and that’s exactly what happened to the defensemen after spending four years at the University of Miami (Ohio). Frederic would sign his first pro contract back in July with the Atlanta Gladiators. However, on October 9th, Atlanta opted out of play, making all signed players, including Frederic, free agents.
“I was kinda in shock. I kinda heard it was gonna happen, but once it actually did, it became real,” said the St. Louis native. He went on to mention that his college friends were in town, which helped him to take his mind off of it. He would then start talking to the Thunder almost immediately after Atlanta went dark.
When asked about the lengthy layoff, the newest signee in Adirondack would say, “I’ve been able to do things I haven’t been able to do because of hockey and that’s nice, but I also miss hockey.” He also mentioned the fact that there’s nothing close to game action. “You can’t mimic a game,” the rookie said. When asked about his playing style, Frederic mentioned, “I’m a stay home-at-home defensemen, and if you don’t hear my name, I had a good night.”