Vandenberg’s hometown ties made rookie campaign, upcoming playoff run special
After a season in the USHL with the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders, Nepean-native Thomas Vandenberg decided on a homecoming for his NHL draft campaign, signing with the Ottawa 67’s. Even as he finishes his first OHL season, Vandenberg is still taking it all in.
“It means the world to me,” he said of his time playing with the 67’s. “It’s a dream come true,” he said. “I’m still taking it in.”
While playing for his hometown team is still surreal, the upcoming playoff push has only made that connection more special.
“There’s still kind of a surreal feeling towards it, especially heading towards the playoffs.”
Vandenberg remembers being a fan of the team, following them on their own runs.
“I got to watch a few playoff games when I was little,” he said. “It’s a great atmosphere and was really good hockey.”
Since signing on that dotted line, Vandenberg has quickly become an impact player for the Barber Poles, with 48 points on the year—fifth most on the team—all while being relied upon as one of the team’s top neutralizers up front. As the season has gone on, he’s taken on the role of a Swiss Army Knife, proving to be dependable in all situations, whether a man up, down, or at even strength.
“It’s been an easy and nice transition into that locker room,” he said. “ I love the organization, coaches, everyone the 67’s bring, especially inside that locker room.”
In particular, overager Cooper Foster has helped the rookie adjust to the OHL, whether at practice, on the power play, or in the locker room.
“Cooper Foster has been here since day one with me,” he said. “He’s a really good guy to follow the ropes for.”
The last time Vandenberg played hockey in Ottawa was in his OHL draft year, when he led the Ottawa Myers Automotive U16 AAA squad in points and won the league championship.
“It was kind of a similar feeling,” he said of his time with Ottawa Myers. “We had a really great locker room; there wasn’t necessarily one guy that was going to win you the whole thing.”
Vandenberg was surrounded by fellow future OHLers in Oshawa Generals defenseman Brady Blaseg, Flint Firebirds forward Xavier Tessier, and Sudbury Wolves forward Henry Doucet. While the league championship remains a bright memory for Vandenberg, his desire to win was not quenched by the league win alone.
“We didn’t win the OHL Cup,” he said. “But we were able to get the championship in Ottawa, which was a really fun time.”
Despite being ranked 25th among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting, Vandenberg isn’t thinking much of the upcoming draft in June. Instead, his focus will be to make the absolute most out of the team’s postseason.
“I am insanely excited and can’t wait to hopefully make a run with the guys in that room.”
