Tyler Bloom rounded out his game the past two seasons with the NA3HL’s Helena Bighorns, playing for his hometown team and wearing the ‘C’ during the 2022-23 campaign.

This coming fall, the Colorado Springs Tigers alum will start his college career at NCAA Division II Saint Michael’s College, a school located in Colchester, Vt.

“The coach at Saint Michael’s (Damian DiGiulian) is friends with my coach in Helena (Damon Hanson) and watched some games and offered me,” said Bloom. “The school has everything I need from a solid hockey program to academics that will challenge me. I got to speak to a lot of guys on the team and it seems like a super close group of guys. I am very excited to spend the next four years there.

“School was always the end goal and hockey is a great means to get there. Truly excited to get an education and get to be able to play a sport I love so much.”

In the classroom, Bloom plans on double majoring in International Relations and Political Science.

Bloom noted that playing for the Bighorns prepared him for college hockey.

“Over the past two years, I can say that I have learned the most about hockey than I ever have in my entire life,” Bloom said. “The coaches and owners gave me everything I needed to succeed and grow as a player. The small things, like letting us have extra ice to practice and watching one-on-one film to critique your shifts, were huge.”

A Helena native who left home to play AAA hockey with the Tigers for his 15U and 16U seasons, Bloom relished his time coming home to skate for the Bighorns.

“Growing up watching the Bighorns, they were the heroes of the town, so it was awesome to become a role model for some of the younger kids,” said Bloom. “The team is just surrounded by people that have helped me out in the past or even coaches that coached me at all different ages. The community is so close and helps the team out so much. It makes all the guys on the team want to give it their all for home games.”

Moving forward, Bloom has his goals in order, both on and off the ice.

“Right now, my short-term goal for school is to get used to the school grind and just try and play as many minutes I can coming in as a freshman,” Bloom said. “Long term, I hope to graduate and go to law school, and if hockey is still an option, I would love to still play afterwards.”

Photo/G Marshall

— Matt Mackinder

(July 25, 2023)