The journey for Madoc’s Dalton Bancroft to get to professional hockey has been a winding road.
It has been full of ups and downs, hard word, adversity, talent, and success.
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Dalton Bancroft in his first year of hockey (Photo: submitted by Pam Bancroft)
He has also played for a lot of different teams in his rise to the American Hockey League (between 2017 & 2025).
Quinte Red Devils (AAA)
St. Mary’s Lincolns (GOJHL)
Wellington Dukes (OJHL)
Amherst Ramblers (MJAHL)
Trenton Golden Hawks (OJHL)
Cornell University (NCAA)
Boston Bruins (NHL – Exhibition)
Providence Bruins (AHL)
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Dalton Bancroft pots two in his debut wearing an NHL jersey during 2025 NHL exhibition play
This weekend Bancroft is playing at the Quinte Sports and Wellness Centre in Belleville, a place he has played hundreds of times.
He is in his first full year as a professional with the Providence Bruins of the American Hockey League.
“Banger” as his friends and teammates know him, has a pair of games against the Belleville Senators at CAA Arena.
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Steve Bancroft celebrating with the Cakder Cup in 1999 (Photo: submitted by Pam Bancroft)
Providence, Rhode Island and the Bruins team hold special significance for the entire Bancroft family.
Dalton’s father Steve played 77 games with the AHL Bruins, as part of their 1998-99 Calder Cup championship run.
Steve says it is not just hockey that makes Providence significant.
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“Yeah, it’s quite a story. That’s where my daughter Kyra was born between playoff games. Peter Laviolette, the long-time NHL coach, he was our coach at that time, and we have a very good team, so we were hoping to go far in the playoffs. So we ended up having Pam induced between playoff games so I didn’t miss any games. Funny now. Worked out all right.”
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Steve and Kyra Bancroft in Providence (Photo: submitted by Pam Bancroft
Pam (Dalton’s mother) says going back on her son’s career, a lot has happened in a short amount of time and it can seem quick, but also an eternity.
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“It only seems fast, when you look back to reflect. When we’re in the midst of it all, because I knew how much he wanted to get to the next stage, while you’re in that moment of the next stage, you’re like when is that next stage going to happen for him? Can he get to the next level, where’s the next team going to be? That seems to take a little bit of time, but now like you said reflecting, it’s been a blur.”
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Pam, Steve, and Dalton Bancroft with former Trenton Golden Hawks Director of Operations John McDonald. In 2021-22 Bancroft was named the OJHL MVP (Photo: OJHL Images)
Dalton Bancroft #24 of the Wellington Dukes in the third period on October 12, 2018 at Wellington and District Community Centre in Wellington, Ontario, Canada.
(Photo by Ed McPherson / OJHL Images)
Kyra Bancroft is a Physiotherapist now at Momentous Athletics in Belleville where brother Dalton trains in the summer as well.
Dalton Bancroft and the Providence Bruins practice in Belleville which his father and grandfather watch on (Photo: Tim Durkin/ Quinte News)
We spoke to the Coach of the Providence Bruins Ryan Mougonel and asked him about Bancroft’s development in his rookie pro season.
He says due to call ups to Boston and injuries, Bancroft has been given an opportunity.
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“We’re running a little bit thin. There’s been moments for sure, but like a lot of young players coming out of NCAA, there’s a learning curve. Usually up to Christmas this is the progression that most young pros have until after Christmas and then it’s about taking a big step. He’s doing a lot of things that we like, there’s things that he’s got to get better at, I like that he’s coachable and he’s brought a certain physicality to our lineup that we needed.”
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Dalton Bancroft greets fans (Photo: courtesy Providence Bruins)
After practice on Saturday November 29 at CAA Arena, Quinte News chatted with Dalton about coming back home to play in front of family and friends, the year he almost quit hockey, and his development in AAA, the OJHL, and Cornell.
(Photo: Tim Durkin/ Quinte News)
Dalton Bancroft leads stretching at CAA Arena in Belleville (Photo: Tim Durkin/ Quinte News)