The Prince George Cougars announced Monday that their former captain, Hudson Thornton, is joining the University of Saskatchewan Huskies next season.
Thornton spent the 2024-25 season under an AHL contract with the Hershey Bears, although he played just eight games in the organization. The 21-year-old defender was loaned to the ECHL’s Orlando Solar Bears, where he recorded 16 points (5g, 11a) in 49 combined regular-season and playoff games.
Thornton played seven games with the South Carolina Stingrays before being loaned to the Solar Bears and then helped eliminate the Stingrays from the Kelly Cup playoffs. In Game 7 of the South Division Semifinals, Thornton scored the game-winning goal for the Solar Bears against the Stingrays.
The Winnipeg native was loaned to Orlando due to South Carolina’s defense being too deep for Thornton to get much ice time. The Stingrays were the ECHL’s best team in the regular season, notching 109 standings points and going 52-15-3 in 72 games.
Thornton was also an invitee to the Washington Capitals’ 2024 Development Camp, where he reunited with Cougars teammates Terik Parascak and Zac Funk.
The Cougars say Thornton will be studying business at the University of Saskatchewan, which is located in Saskatoon.
