Brandon Rude of Bowden, 18, is currently an Olds Grizzlys affiliate player but hopes to crack the regular lineup.
Hockey has been a part of his life from a young age and he's worked hard to earn a place among the Grizzlys.
“Since I could walk my parents have had skates on me,” said Rude.
Rude played hockey in Bowden until atom. From there he played for Innisfail from peewee to his first year of midget and then played his second year of midget at the AA level in Olds.
For Rude the thing that has kept him coming back to hockey year after year is the competitive angle of it.
“I like the competitive side of it, you can let some of your anger go on some nights. It’s just a good game,” said Rude.
Rude, 6-0, 174 pounds, is a defenceman. Preventing scoring opportunities by opponents is obviously first and foremost for him, but he doesn’t shy away from the opportunity to make an offensive play.
“I make sure I block every shot I can -- make sure I take care of my guys," he said. “If there’s ever an opportunity I definitely like to hop in on the rush and see if I can contribute offensively.
“I guess you could say I’m a two-way defenceman with a more defensive mindset,” said Rude.
One of the players that Rude looked up to and was inspired by is former Calgary Flame Robyn Regehr.
“Because he’s physical and we kind of play the same style game,” said Rude.
Rude first got involved with the Grizzlys after one of the managers of his team during his first year of midget told him that the Grizzlys were having a spring camp.
“I was 16 and went to the spring camp and unfortunately didn’t get much further than that, but it was good to get my name out,” Rude said.
Rude then tried again the following year.
“I got invited back to the spring camp and then made it to main camp, but couldn’t crack the roster.”
This year, Rude then went to the spring camp again, as well as the main camp, and earned his affiliate spot on the team.
“It’s been a bit of a process,” Rude said.
Grizzlys head coach Joe Murphy talked about the process that Rude went through to earn his place among the team.
“It’s always exciting when a player takes advantage of an opportunity,” said Murphy. “Right now he’s only an AP (affiliate player) but he’s doing a great job.”
Since being on the team, Rude has learned a lot of defensive tips and tricks from one of the assistant coaches, Ben McGinn.
“He’s taught me lots of tips and tricks to help contain guys and knock the puck off easier off opponents' sticks,” he said.
Rude is optimistic about the current season for the Grizzlys moving forward, and thinks that the team can overcome the struggles they’ve faced up to this point.
“It’s definitely not the start we wanted. If you look at the games and everything they’ve been one-goal games up until this past couple of weekends.
“It’s been close, we just haven’t got the right bounces we need, but we've just got to keep working hard and sticking with it.
“Eventually we’ll start getting our bounces, winning games, and hopefully start climbing back up the leader boards and hopefully get into a playoff spot,” said Rude.
