Kelowna Rockets defenceman Conner McDonald will continue his hockey career with the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds next season.
The Thunderbirds men’s hockey program announced McDonald’s commitment on May 5.
“I couldn’t be more excited to be part of the T-Birds moving forward and going to school at UBC,” said McDonald in the UBC release. “I really feel (the Thunderbirds) are on the cusp of building something really, really special and very good and dangerous so I just wanted to be a part of that. I believe in the development they can offer at UBC and when you mix all those attributes together it makes for a pretty easy decision to go to school there.”
The Rockets acquired the defenceman in December 2019. He played 32 games with the Rockets, notching 16 points (4G, 12A) and 31 penalty minutes from the blue line.
McDonald suited up for 303 regular-season games over his WHL career, collecting 147 points (44G, 103A) and 261 penalty minutes.
He was originally a second-round draft pick of the Kamloops Blazers in the 2014 WHL Bantam Draft.
McDonald isn’t the first Rockets’ alum to join the team. Former Rockets Jake Kryski and Jonathan Smart played for the Thunderbirds this past season.
READ MORE: Kelowna Rockets 2020 WHL Draft Recap
READ MORE: Lorne Frey steps away after 30 years as Rockets’ assistant GM
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