Drumheller, AB: On Sunday night as the Dragons defeated the visiting Drayton Valley Thunder, captain Vann Yuhas entered the Dragons record books in dramatic fashion. Not only did he score the game winning goal, but he also notched his 50th of his AJHL career.

Over his four seasons with the Dragons, the Merrimack College commit has recorded 50 goals, 105 assists, for 155 points. That total has moved Yuhas into 3rd all-time in franchise scoring, only trailing Brady Risk with 164 points and Jordan Taupert with 189 points. Vann is also just the second Dragon ever to record over 100 career assists, as Taupert also holds that record with 121.

As the Dragons head into the final third of their season, keep an eye on the Dragons captain as he looks to chase down these records and lead the Dragons into the AJHL playoffs.

Congratulations on your accomplishments, Vann!

Drumheller, AB: The Drumheller Dragons are excited to announce the signing of 2008-born forward, Easton Daneault, for the 2024-25 AJHL season!

Easton is a highly skilled playmaking forward that uses his vision and smarts to be a offensive threat on the ice. Easton made his AJHL debut with the Dragons this past Tuesday as a call-up against the Grande Prairie Storm. He played on the Dragons second line with Connor Poffenroth and Jacob Goudreau. This season with the Red Deer Chiefs U18 AAA team, he has recorded 16 points in 20 games played. During the 2022-23 season in U15 AAA, he recorded a notable 71 points in just 34 games played. This caught the eye of WHL clubs as he was selected by the Lethbridge Hurricanes in the 7th round, 146th overall. However, Easton is electing to pursue a career through the NCAA, similar to his brother who Dragons fans know all too well!

Easton Daneault, who is a native of Red Deer, Alberta, is the younger brother of past Dragon, Ty Daneault. Ty Daneault played 107 games with the Dragons and recorded 105 points in that time over two seasons. Ty was the Dragons leading scorer last season, and was in the hunt for breaking the single season goal scoring record, in which he tallied 37 goals. That mark was just 2 goals shy of tying the record set by Dion Knelsen in the 2005-06 season. Ty was also a standout at the World Jr. A Challenge for Team Canada West, as he had 6 points in 6 games and made history with 4 goals in one game, which tied a tournament record. Ty is currently in his freshman year at Merrimack University, where he is turning heads with 8 goals and 13 points in 20 games played.

The Dragons are excited to once again welcome the Daneault family back to Drumheller and look forward to seeing Easton in full-time action next season!

Drumheller, AB: The Drumheller Dragons are proud to announce the hiring of Matt Tassone as the club’s Director of Player Personnel. Tassone will play a role in player recruitment, player development, and will periodically join the coaching staff on the bench as an assistant coach. We are excited to welcome Matt to our team!

Prior to his hiring with the Dragons, Matt had spent the past six seasons working as a coach for the Northern Alberta Xtreme U18 program, where he helped them win two Canadian Sport School Hockey League U18 Prep championships. Matt is also involved with the Edmonton Oil Kings of the WHL, helping as a skills coach and working in player development. Tassone also had a successful playing career, as he played in the WHL, ECHL and AHL, amassing over 196 games played in professional hockey. He was also a 6th round selection of the Dallas Stars in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft. The Fort Saskatchewan native spent 5 seasons with the Swift Current Broncos of the WHL, putting up 119 points in 187 games played and was also an assistant captain in his last season. His most notable season in professional hockey was during the 2014-15 season with the Elmira Jackals of the ECHL, where he captained the team and had 28 points in 29 games played.

We are excited to welcome Matt to the Dragons family!

Drumheller, AB: The Drumheller Dragons have announced that they have traded 2003 born forward Adam Raesler to the Sherwood Park Crusaders in exchange for 2003 born forward Holden Cardinal and future considerations.

Cardinal, who hails from Surrey, BC, has recorded 3 goals and 13 assists over 19 games played this season. Prior to his time in the AJHL, he played for the Coquitlam Express and Surrey Eagles of the BCHL, where he had 30 points in 63 games played over three seasons. We would like to welcome Holden and the Cardinal family to Drumheller!

We would also like to thank Adam Raesler for his time and commitment to the Dragons organization over the past four seasons. Adam was a well liked member in the Dragons dressing room and was the team’s assistant captain for the past two seasons. All the best in Sherwood Park, Adam!

You can watch Holden Cardinal make his Dragons debut this Saturday, as the Dragons take on the Brooks Bandits at the Memorial Arena. Puck drop goes at 7:00pm and tickets are available at tickets.drumhellerdragons.ca!

Drumheller, AB: Dragons rookie goaltender, Sean Cootes, has been having a season to remember and on Tuesday night, he entered into the Dragons record books. After posting back-to-back shutouts to end off the 2023 calendar year, Cootes picked right back up where he left off against the Drayton Valley Thunder for the Dragons first game of 2024. Cootes did not allow a goal through the first two periods of play and with that, surpassed former Dragon Adam Beukeboom who held the previous record for longest shutout streak at 169:12.

A Thunder goal in the third period of the game ended Cootes’ streak at 183:45. However, Cootes still picked up an important win for the Dragons to start off 2024. Cootes has been one of the top goalies in the AJHL this season, sitting in the top 5 in both save percentage and goals against average. With this, the Edmonton native has also entered his way into the picture for AJHL Rookie of the Year consideration. You can watch Sean Cootes and the Dragons this weekend as they take on the Brooks Bandits at the Memorial Arena. Tickets are available now at tickets.drumhellerdragons.ca.

Drumheller, AB: Dragons rookie goaltender, Sean Cootes, has been on fire in the first of his rookie season with the club. On Thursday night, the Edmonton native didn’t allow a goal against the Canmore Eagles, making it back-to-back shutouts to close out the 2023 calendar year.

Cootes currently holds a .927 SV% which is currently 2nd in the AJHL and a 2.06 GAA which is 3rd. He also leads all rookie goaltenders in save percentage and in shutouts. The 18-year-old is drawing plenty of attention from NCAA coaches, as he looks to continue his great season in the second half.

You can catch Sean Cootes and the Dragons back in action at the Memorial Arena on January 6th as we square off against the rival Brooks Bandits who currently sit at first place in the AJHL standings. Tickets are on sale now at tickets.drumhellerdragons.ca!

Drumheller, AB: The Dragons are proud to announce that 2006 born forward Jacob Goudreau has announced his commitment to play division one hockey at Lindenwood University!

Goudreau, who is a native of St. Albert, Alberta is currently in his second season with the Dragons and has posted 12 goals and 19 points in 33 games played. Jacob was awarded the Dragons “Hardest Working Player” Award last season and is known for his great work ethic and physical style of play. He is trusted in all situations as he plays on both the Dragons top penalty killing unit and powerplay unit. As a young player, he plays an important leadership role in the locker room and is very well liked by his teammates. Goudreau will join Dragons teammate Adam Raesler at Lindenwood in the future, as the two Dragons have both announced their commitment there within the past few weeks.

You can watch the newly committed Jacob Goudreau this weekend at the Memorial Arena as the Dragons take on the Calgary Canucks this Saturday before finishing up with a Thursday night matchup against the Canmore Eagles to finish out the 2023 calendar year.

Drumheller, AB: On Saturday, December 9th the Drumheller Dragons held their annual “Teddy Bear Toss” Night at the Memorial Arena with the visiting Canmore Eagles in the building. The goal of the night was to break their record of 426 bears that was set back in the 2021-2022 season. Just 5:19 into the 1st period, Connor Poffenroth netting an early Dragons goal that sent the bears flying in! That goal would prove to be the record setting marker, as the Dragons collected 464 bears from this game!

The 464 stuffed toys are donated to two main groups, the Salvation Army in Drumheller and the Drumheller Hospital. The Salvation Army distributes the bears to other groups through town and also donates a large portion to Drumheller families in need of toys this holiday season. The Drumheller Hospital uses the toys for sick children that are going through extended stays, which according to hospital representative Maria Bergos, is increasing at a large rate due to backups at the Children’s Hospital in Calgary. The bears were delivered to the Salvation Army on Monday morning thanks to Western GM, who had loaded all the bears off the ice during the bear. The Drumheller Dragons would like to thank everyone involved in this amazing game and we are so proud to help the community this holiday season!

Don’t miss our next home game on Saturday, December 16th as we hold our “Tennis Ball Toss” Night, that raises money for the Salvation Army!

Drumheller, AB: 2005 born forward Kai Matthew has announced that he has signed a WHL Education Agreement with the Kamloops Blazers. Matthew, who has spent the last two seasons with the Dragons after being acquired in a trade with the Blackfalds Bulldogs, had been a top contributor to the Dragons forward group this season.

During his time in the AJHL, Kai Matthew played 101 games and produced 49 points. 41 of those points came in Dragons colours. This season he was producing at a high rate, with 21 points in only 25 games played. Kai was a well-liked player in the dressing room and around the community with Dragons fans.

We’d like to thank Kai for his time and dedication with the Dragons organization and wish him the best of luck in Kamloops!

Drumheller, AB: The Drumheller Dragons are proud to announce that 2003 born forward Adam Raesler has committed to play Division I hockey at Lindenwood University in St. Charles, Missouri.

Raesler, who is a native of Edmonton, Alberta, has had a terrific season thus far with the Dragons and currently leads the team in both goals and points. Through 23 games this season, he currently has 15 goals and 26 points. That total also has him sitting 12th in AJHL league scoring to start the year. Raesler has played five seasons with the Dragons, and in his AJHL career posted 38 goals and 87 points in 121 games played. He has also amounted 383 penalty minutes in that time.

The Dragons forward is a trusted player on the top line, playing most of the season alongside Coy Pighin and Vann Yuhas. He has also been an assistant captain for the past two seasons, speaking to the great veteran leadership that he brings to the organization.

We would like to congratulate Adam and his family on this much earned accomplishment. You can watch Raesler and the Dragons in action tomorrow night at the Memorial Arena as we take on the Camrose Kodiaks. Tickets can be purchased at tickets.drumhellerdragons.ca.