Richmond's Glenn Gawdin helped Team Pacific win silver at the World U17 Hockey Challenge in Sydney, NS.
The Seafair Minor Hockey product finished the tournament with six points in as many games, including three goals, as Team Pacific fell 4-0 to the United States in the final. Gawdin had a pair of assists in a 7-3 semi-final victory over Russia.
Team Pacific, featuring players from B.C. and Alberta, opened with a 4-3 loss to Quebec before reeling off wins against Team West (6-3), Czech Republic (4-1) and Sweden. The Americans dominated the event from start to finish, outscoring their opponents 47-6 Team Pacific has now finished second on six different occasions, including three losses (2001, 2002 and 2014) to the Americans.
Gawdin has since returned to the Swift Current Broncos to resume his rookie season in the Western Hockey League. The Broncos' first round pick in the 2012 WHL Bantam Draft has 15 points in 38 games, including five goals. After a productive run through Seafair Minor Hockey's rep system, Gawdin spent the 2012-13 campaign in the B.C. Major Midget Hockey League where he led the Greater Vancouver Canadians in scoring.
Meanwhile, a pair of former Canadians standouts have signed their first NHL contracts. Forwards Nic Petan and Ryan Olsen both agreed to entry level deals with the Winnipeg Jets last week.
Petan played for Canada at the recent World U20 Hockey Championships in Sweden. The Portland Winterhawks' sniper is currently second in WHL scoring with 67 points in 33 games. His three-year two-way contract with the Jets averages $925,000 per season. He was selected in the second round of last June's 2013 NHL Entry Draft.
Olsen, 19, has played in 37 games with the Kelowna Rockets of the WHL so far this season. The right-handed centre has recorded 37 points, including 19 goals. He was originally drafted by the Jets in the sixth round of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft.
His three-year deal averages $726,000 per season.
The Canadians resume their regular season schedule this weekend with a key series against the Valley West Hawks. The opener goes Saturday (4:45 p.m.) at the Richmond Olympic Oval. The teams also meet on Sunday at the Langley Events Centre. Greater Vancouver (13-12-1) sits fifth in the league standings, eight points back of the third place Hawks (17-8-1).
