Chandler Bilodeau has spent most of his hockey career playing inside the Biddeford Ice Arena — including a stellar run at Thornton Academy and this past season with the Maine Wild.
That will change next season as the former Thornton Academy standout has committed to play for the University of Alabama.
“I’m just excited to go down there, get out of my comfort zone, meet new people and play hockey,” said Bilodeau, who was also looking at Bowdoin, USM and West Virginia.
Bilodeau was sold on Alabama right when he stepped on campus.
“I went down there a couple weeks ago and got to see the campus, meet the coaches, meet some of the guys and got to skate with them and I could just picture myself playing there,” said Bilodeau, who graduated from Thornton in 2018.
The former Journal Tribune hockey all-star knows that most people think of football when talking about the University of Alabama, but he is hoping to help hockey grow at his new home.
“Definitely with Alabama, everyone is thinking football, but hockey in the South is definitely growing and I think Alabama seems to have one of the best programs in the South,” said Bilodeau, who will compete at the American Collegiate Hockey Association Division I level with Alabama. “I think I will be able to fit in with those guys and kind of see if I can grow the game down there a little bit.”
Bilodeau believes his year with the Maine Wild, which plays out of the BIA, has helped prepare him for the next level.
“I think it helped me a lot. Coach (Jeff) Tory and coach (Michel Levielle), they really helped me develop my game,” said Bilodeau, who scored 25 goals and dished out 25 assists this past season. “I’m not a big player, so they helped me find ways around that and how to use my size the right way … find ways to score goals in better leagues with older guys. I had a great time there and I think it’s really going to help me next year when I play at Alabama.”
Bilodeau will head to Alabama in August and the future Crimson Tide forward is looking to succeed both on and off the ice.
“It’s not all about hockey, so (I’m looking to) do well in school and focus on my work and getting that done, but also keep up the success in hockey and try to do as best I can as a freshman,” Bilodeau said.
— Pat McDonald is the outgoing Sports Editor of the Journal Tribune. He can be contacted at patmcdonaldmedia@gmail.com