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[3]By William Proulx [4]
BELLEVILLE – Last year’s Minor Midget Quinte Red Devils [5] captain, Brady Gilmour [6] is enjoying his time playing for the Saginaw Spirit [7] in the Ontario Hockey League. [8]
The Spirit have not had the success they have would have liked to this season –but the 16-year-old rookie has been a pleasant surprise on the team.
After leading the Ontario Minor Hockey Association [9] in points in 2014-15, the Spirit took Gilmour sixth overall in the first round of last year’s Ontario Hockey League Priority Selection Draft. Before being selected, Gilmour called Grafton home, and played the majority of his minor hockey career in Quinte – including last season when he captained the Red Devils to an OMHA championship.
In his first season in the OHL, the centre has put up three goals along with eight assists through 36 games this season – making him one of the top point-producing players who are under 17 in the league.
“It’s been amazing, just the level of hockey, everything you get to do, play in the arenas in front of the fans, every game counts and just being more like a pro – it’s pretty sweet” said Gilmour.
This year has brought big changes to the Gilmour family. The 16-year-old moved to Saginaw, MI, upon cracking the Spirit’s lineup out of preseason. Gilmour now lives with a billet family in Saginaw, where he attends school and plays for the Spirit.
Shannon Gilmour, Brady’s mother, said that it is different having to travel much further to see her son’s games and she is proud of what he has accomplished.
“He’s following his dream right now, that’s the most important part. And we know he’s getting a really great opportunity – life skills and hockey-wise,” she said.
Like many Canadian children, Gilmour was on skates at an early age and started playing hockey as soon as he could walk, she added.
It is never easy leaving home, especially at just 16 years old, but Gilmour said that his experience in the OHL has been great thus far.
The young forward will be eligible for the 2017 National Hockey League [10] Draft next season, but he says his main focus is the team’s success this season.
“I put a little bit of pressure on myself to do well personally, but I think the most important thing is to contribute to the team game and hopefully go somewhere and make a run at the playoffs,” he said.
Gilmour had a strong performance at the 2015 Gold Cup last summer and it was enough to catch the eye of Team Canada. In December, he was named alternate captain for the Canadian Under-17 Team, and represented Canada at the World U-17 Hockey Challenge where he played against some of the world best 16-year-old players.
Gilmour and his teammates have 25 games left this season, and will be competing for the final playoff spot in the OHL’s Western Conference.