NEWS PHOTO JAMES TUBB
Hudson Gainer of the U15AAA SEAC Tigers eyes up the net in the Tigers bronze medal finals against Aridrie on November 23.
jtubb@medicinehatnews.com@ReporterTubb
Hudson Gainer’s No. 1 goal as a Medicine Hat Tiger is a simple one: Bring a Memorial Cup to the Gas City.
The 15-year-old Medicine Hat defenceman was one of 10 players selected by the Tigers during the WHL Draft on May 19. Gainer was selected by the club in the fourth round, 77th overall.
Gainer said he learned he was drafted by the team he grew watching while on the road to Whitefish. He said he was excited but lost phone service as soon as he found out, leading to an onslaught of congrats once he regained it.
“We lost service for like 45 minutes and then all of a sudden service came back and my phone was just blowing up,” Gainer said. “A lot of teammates, friends and family.”
Gainer had a strong season with the U15AAA SEAC Tigers, putting up 14 goals and 30 points in 34 games played. He also received a $2,500 scholarship from the Tigers in the Hockey Hounds tournament in December. Gainer said he’s happy to be drafted by his hometown team.
“I’m just proud to wear those colours because it represents my town,” Gainer said. “I’ve watched them growing up my whole life and I just I’m so happy to be staying with the same team basically.”
On top of having watched the Tigers, Gainer has gotten to know two Tigers blue liners in Rhett Parsons and fellow local product Josh Van Mulligen. He said Van Mulligen has been helping with his skating, and Parsons is dating his sister and the two work out together.
Gainer said knowing two guys on the Tigers has helped motivate him a lot, even before he was drafted. He also knows fellow Tigers draft pick, Hayden Harsanyi, who was selected 16th overall in the same draft. The duo played on the same Alberta Cup team. He said he’s looking forward to being part of the Tigers prospect pool which included first overall pick Gavin McKenna.
“I’m super excited to get to know some of the guys; I haven’t watched Gavin McKenna play at all but I just heard he’s unreal,” Gainer said.
Gainer will have a chance to meet his fellow prospects at the Tigers’ spring camp, running June 10-12, before he tries out again for Team Alberta starting July 5 in Red Deer. Before then, he will be following along his Edmonton Oilers as they continue to battle their way through the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Gainer said it wasn’t easy watching the Oilers Game 5 win over the Calgary Flames on Thursday.
“I was just so mad because Calgary scored and then Edmonton scored and Calgary scored two and then Edmonton scored.”
Besides the hockey camp and tryout, Gainer said his summer will consist of working out, spending time with family and friends and some golfing as well.
He humbly admits he’s not the best golfer but says he enjoys the sports. That humility carries itself into Gainer’s game as the d-man says he has a team first mentality and credited his team for getting drafted.
“I like to thank my teammates all the time and all the guys around me before I humble myself,” Gainer said. “My teammates helped me a lot and I’d just like to thank my captain Josiah Jackson for always pushing me to my limit, he’s such a great leader.”
Gainer isn’t going to jump off the charts with his height, but the 5-foot-6 d-man said he’s learned how to use his size to his advantage through his time playing lacrosse.
“I’ve played lacrosse my whole life and there’s crosschecking and a bunch of contact. So that translates into my game that no matter how big you are, you can always knock the other guy down,” Gainer said.
When asked how excited he is to some day hear his name called over the PA system at Co-op Place as a Medicine Hat Tiger, Gainer figures it will be a pretty awesome moment.
“I’m gonna have all my friends supporting me and all my family are gonna be at the game, it’s just going to be awesome.”
