Boone Breakaway has been settling into Great Falls with almost rabid enthusiasm. He spends the off season tackling outdoor adventures like backcountry hiking, fly fishing, and bouldering, so finding himself drafted to a place that has him surrounded by an outdoorsman’s paradise is basically the best case scenario.

Boone made the trip from Columbus on his own, although he did have the company of his trusty sidekick Puck, who is his pet rat, whose fur is as black as his namesake. The drive west was slow and scenic, a kind of cornerstone journey to signify a new chapter of life.

The rink looks great and already feels like home. The staff are friendly and helpful, always nice to see as a new player settling into somewhere strange. The locker room is as warm and inviting as Boone has ever been in. Immediately he could feel the camaraderie in the room, and that energy is building daily as the team practices and gels together preseason.