Drayden Gibson, a 17-year-old Cranbrook local, has signed on with the Kimberley Dynamiters for the coming season.
Gibson is coming from two seasons with the East Kootenay Avalanche Regional U18 AA team, and said he’s made it his mission to stay local as much as possible.
“Pretty much anything that Cranbrook had to offer and then when the regional program came here I got into that and I just tried to stay local,” Gibson said. “I played here for a couple years, two years in the Midget program there.”
With that in mind Gibson said it was awesome to get the call from the Dynamiters.
“Trying to stay local, and when a super good organization like that gives you an opportunity it’s really special,” he said. “I know it’s a really good organization, they’ve done really well in the league an they’re a pretty sought after team for guys to go play for.”
Gibson went to plenty of Dynamiters games growing up and said he looked up to the guys on the team a lot. He also knows many of them already, which will make getting into the groove of the team that much easier.
“I want to jump in there and be a force this year,” Gibson said. “I want to contribute and being a younger guy, I just want to get out there and send a message.”
Beyond his goals for his time with the Dynamiters, Gibson hopes to make Junior A and then a college or university team beyond that.
In the meantime, he has been training six days a week, gym and track days, with Cranbrook Bandits head coach Paul Mrazek, while till finding time here and there to enjoy summer in the Kootenays.
“I’m just excited to get going,” Gibson said. “Obviously excited for a new year without COVID, hoping for things to go back to normal.”
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