Steinbach Pistons forward Danny Pion has made an impact in the short time he has been a Steinbach Pistons player.
The 18 year-old forward from Gatineau, Quebec found his way to Steinbach after spending the first half of the season bouncing between the Nanamio Clippers of the British Columbia Junior Hockey League and the Nanaimo Buccaneers of the Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League.
Looking for an opportunity to be in a Junior ‘A’ lineup on a regular basis Pion made his way to Steinbach right at the January 10th trade deadline. Pion has since had a regular role on the ice and has also fully embraced being a part of the community.
Pion almost immediately started volunteering multiple hours weekly a French school, Ecole Saint-Joachim in La Broquerie, which is a short drive east of Steinbach. This was a perfect fit for the Quebecer, who only started speaking English when he arrived on Vancouver Island back in September.
Chantal Brindle-Barkman, a Steinbach Pistons game day volunteer who works at Ecole-Saint-Joachim, helped facilitate the start of the relationship between the school and Pion and it has blossomed since.
The entire school knows who Danny is. When he arrives, groups of students start to gather outside to ask him how he’s doing, how many goals he’s scored and to congratulate him on the recent Pistons win.
Pion’s number, name, and picture are now hung on the walls around the school, as the students cheer Danny and the Pistons along their playoff run.
Danny says the community’s support of the Pistons, which he saw at the games and away from the rink on the team’s Instagram page helped solidify his decision on coming to the MJHL.