Luke Chakrabarti of the Creston Valley Thunder Cats has committed to Castleton University of the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division 3 for the 2024-25 season.
Chakrabarti led the Thunder Cats and the KIJHL with 75 points in 44 games. It’s the second straight season he’s the KIJHL’s Top Scorer.
The Surrey product credits his time with the Thunder Cats for helping him grow as a player and person.
On the ice, Chakrabarti improved a lot.
“I became more poised with the puck and making the right decision on what to do with it,” he says. “This often drew defenders towards me, allowing me to expose and attack their weak points which created many scoring chances for myself and my linemates. It also helped in the defensive zone getting pucks out and allowing passing lanes to open up from the half wall.”
Thunder Cats assistant coach Gianni Mangone says he’s beyond happy to see Luke continue his hockey career at the college level and that it’s well deserved.
“I think he will be able to contribute tremendously to the program as I believe college hockey fits his style of game perfectly,” says Mangone. “His high IQ and hockey sense will be key factors in that, while also relying on his pure hockey skill. The last two years he has proved that he is able to play at a high level and I think he will be able to continue that there. The Thunder Cats are proud to see him continue his hockey career and thank him for his time.”
