Sports

Adam Gaudette returns to TD Garden to take on Bruins

By Jenna Ciccotelli

VANCOUVER, BC - MARCH 29: Adam Gaudette #88 of the Vancouver Canucks skates in NHL action against the Edmonton Oilers on March, 29, 2018 at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. This is Gaudette's first NHL game. (Photo by Rich Lam/Getty Images)

By Jenna Ciccotelli

Adam Gaudette has made some good memories on the rink at TD Garden – he’s helped end a 30-year Beanpot drought, won a Hockey East championship, and helped earn an at-large NCAA tournament bid while skating for Northeastern.

But, there’s another item for the Braintree native to check off of his Garden to-do list. Thursday, Gaudette, 22, will return to the ice against his hometown team as he makes the 16th appearance of his career for the Vancouver Canucks.

Gaudette, who was drafted by Vancouver in the fifth round of the 2015 NHL Draft (149th overall), signed a three-year entry level contract with the team following the conclusion of Northeastern’s 2017-18 season.

He skated in five games for Vancouver last year and began the 2018-19 season with the Utica Comets, their AHL affiliate. With the Comets, Gaudette scored two goals and assisted on two others before returning to the NHL Oct. 15.

He recorded his first NHL point on Oct. 25, assisting on the Canucks’ lone goal in a 4-1 loss to the Arizona Coyotes. He also recorded a helper as Vancouver fell to Detroit 3-2 Tuesday.

“He’s a very talented player and has shown an ability to score, make plays, and contribute in all situations at the collegiate level,” Vancouver general manager Jim Benning said in March, after Gaudette signed his professional contract.

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As a junior at Northeastern last season, Gaudette led the nation in scoring (30-30-60) and became the first player in school history to win the prestigious Hobey Baker Award, given annually to the top player in Division I men’s ice hockey.

The Hockey East Player of the Year also became the first Husky to win the Hockey East regular season scoring title since 2004-05 (19-14-33 in conference play).

After recording a hat trick in the Beanpot tournament championship to help bring the trophy to Huntington Avenue for the first time since 1988, Gaudette led the Huskies to the first round of the NCAA tournament, where they fell to Michigan 3-2.

Jenna Ciccotelli is an intern in the Boston 25 Sports Department. Follow Jenna on Twitter: @jennaciccotelli

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