Chance to play with his brother draws Reid Gardiner to Kelowna
by Sam Hill

Reid was drafted into the WHL in 2011 by the Prince Albert Raiders and played four seasons with the team, amassing 220 regular season points. In the 2015-2016 season, he placed eighth in the WHL scoring race with 92 points. In October of 2016, the Wilkes Barre/Scranton Penguins signed Gardiner to an American Hockey League contract, and he collected six points in 23 games played before making his way to Kelowna.

The Kelowna Rockets received Gardiner in a deal with the Prince Albert Raiders in January, and he was all too happy to hit the ice with his younger brother.

Though he may not have expected to be playing junior hockey again, it certainly has worked out for Gardiner this season. Not only has he had the chance to play alongside his younger brother, but he also enjoyed a pretty successful season with the team. Reid collected 37 points (18G,19A) over 28 games with the Rockets, and the team earned 22 wins since adding him to the lineup. He is know looking ahead to a playoff run with one of the hottest teams in the league.

“When I signed with Wilkes Barre, my plan was to stay there the whole year,” explained Gardiner. “Not just for money, but I thought it would be better for my career development. So before the deadline I wasn't thinking about coming back [to the WHL], but then my agent said there might be a deal with Kelowna, and I had to stop and think about it. Kelowna is one of the model franchises in the Western league I feel, and being able to play with my brother was a big selling point.”

Gardiner believes that one of his greatest strengths in the game, and a reason that he has been so successful, is his strong hockey IQ. He is skilled at reading the play and making sure that he is in the right place, at the right time.

Reid’s younger brother Erik agreed, saying “I think Reid’s greatest strength on the ice is his shot and scoring ability. He’s got a great sense of where the puck is going to be and to be in the right places.”

The 18-year-old Gardiner is happy to have his big bro on the team this season and appreciates the support that he receives from Reid.

The Kelowna Rockets will certainly be counting on Gardiner and his hockey IQ to take them deep into the playoffs this post-season. With a first round matchup against the Kamloops Blazers, Reid will face plenty of pressure to produce against such a strong team with two fantastic goaltenders.

“I think lots of pressure comes from putting expectation on myself,” added Gardiner. “I want to be as good as I can be, and if that's the best then so be it, and if it's not then I'll keep working at it to be at that point. As I surpass goals I set new goals for myself and I usually set them pretty high because I like to push myself.”

Fun Facts

Which teammate do you think would excel at standup comedy?
Dillon Dube and Nick Merkley - they are comedians.

Gardiner brothers vs. Foote brothers - who would win?
I wanna say Gardiner, I might be biased. Erik blocks a ton of shots. I'd just stick around and wait for a pass.

If you were a cartoon character who would you be?
Who's the guy that rides the cape, is that Aladdin? I think it'd be pretty cool to fly. That's a terrible answer. (At least he knows it.)

Which NHL player, past or present, would you compare your game to?
Tyler Seguin. Getting open to shoot the puck and make plays. We're not the biggest guys, but we're super competitive and want to learn. And Andrew Shaw (right winger too), when people ask me that question I usually say him.