Playing lacrosse since he was four years old, Ryder Plamondon can appreciate just how much the spring/summer sport complements his wintertime passion of hockey.
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“Yeah, it helps a ton, just the stamina and hand-eye co-ordination,” said Plamondon, who turned 16 in April. “It keeps me in shape during the (hockey) off-season real good. I love it.”
On and off the court, Plamondon has been a leader with the U17 Lloydminster Border Brutes, who won the Wheatland Lacrosse Association league championship Sunday at home in the Hub.
In his third year with the team, he captained the Border Brutes, who defeated the Vermilion-Wainwright Roar-Wolfpack 14-3 in the final of the championship tournament.
Plamondon also won the league scoring title, garnering 21 goals and 40 points in just 10 games this season, including two goals and two assists in the championship game.
10 league games. John MacNeil – Meridian Source
“Yeah, I’ve had a good year,” he said. “I’ve never really been a big goal-scorer, but I’ve found the back of the net a few times this year.”
Plamondon’s goal-scoring abilities run in the family. His older brother Jayden was a top scorer during a decorated junior B career with the Lloydminster Xtreme in lacrosse and the Lloydminster Bandits in hockey.
“He plays a lot like his brother, which was a good role model for him,” said the Plamondons’ father Jeremy, who coaches the U17 Border Brutes.
“I’ve always been hard on him to keep everybody (on the team) involved, so he’s not just that kid that shoots every time. He passes to everyone. If you look at his points, they’re almost even (21 goals and 19 assists), which is the sign of a good leader. He scores when he needs to and passes when he needs to, too.”
As an affiliated player, Ryder Plamondon has also been promoted to the Xtreme for four games this season, scoring four goals and 13 points in the process. It’s likely he’ll join the junior B club later this month for its playoff run, at least for practices, after the Border Brutes finish their provincials on the July 10-12 weekend in Medicine Hat.
Then, he’ll ramp up his preparation for the coming hockey season.
“I’m working out lots and skating a few times a week, along with lacrosse,” said Plamondon, six feet and about 165 pounds. “(Hockey training) will definitely pick up after lacrosse is done.”
This past year with the U16 AA first-place Lloydminster Blazers, he was named an all-star defenceman in the North Rural conference of the Alberta Elite Hockey League, posting 42 points in 45 games.
Plamondon attended the junior A Lloydminster Bobcats’ prospects camp in mid-April. His immediate goal for the 2026-27 hockey season is to suit up with the Lloydminster Lancers at the U18 AAA or U17 AAA levels.
This summer, he’s skating among the top 40 prospects for the U18 AAA Lancers.
“I’ll see how long I stick around there for,” Plamondon said. “I think the overall goal is to try to make that. Then, if I don’t, I’ll shoot for the 17s.”
In September, he’s going into Grade 11 at Lloydminster Comprehensive High School.
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