Glenn Gawdin is sure making his final season in the Western Hockey League a memorable and lasting one.
The 21-year-old Richmond native has captained the Swift Current Broncos to the WHL finals for the first time in 25 years after a 5-1 game six road victory over the Lethbridge Hurricanes on Monday night.
Gawdin will get the opportunity to play just two hours from his hometown when the Broncos take on Everett Silvertips in the championship series. Games one and two are in Swift Current before the teams head to West Coast for games three and four next Tuesday and Wednesday. If necessary, game five would also be played in Everett on May 11.
The road to the finals has certainly been a tough one for a Broncos team that finished with the league’s second best regular season record at 48-17-5-2 thanks to the powerhouse Eastern Division.
They needed seven games to eliminate Memorial Cup hosts Regina Pats (40-25-6-1) in the opening round and also went the distance to take out regular season champion Moose Jaw Warriors (52-15-2-3).
Monday’s game six win finally ended the home ice dominance in the Lethbridge series. Gawdin returned to the line-up in Saturday’s 4-3 game five win after missing both contests in Lethbridge with an injury.
He had a pair of assists in the clincher and sits fifth in league playoff scoring with 25 points in 18 games, including nine goals.
The former Richmond Minor and Seafair standout had a huge regular season, finishing second in league scoring with 125 points in 67 games, including 56 goals.Back in November he agreed to three-year entry level deal with the Calgary Flames.
Initially selected in the fourth round (116th) by St. Louis in the 2015 NHL Draft, Gawdin was unsigned by the Blues but was invited as a free agent to Calgary’s training camp and made an impression at the Young Stars Classic tournament in Penticton.
The McRoberts graduate grew up through Richmond Minor’s hockey programs and was aged up to play Bantam rep a year ahead of schedule. For his third season of eligibility, he shifted over to Seafair’s top Bantam team where some impressive numbers led to being selected fifth overall by the Broncos’ in the 2012 WHL Bantam Draft.
He played one season for the Major Midget Greater Vancouver Canadians before taking his hockey career to the prairies.
