OHL Cup Graduate Profile: Erik Gudbranson, Kingston Frontenacs

Story and photos by Aaron Bell/OHL Images

When Erik Gudbranson skated into the 2008 OHL Cup Tournament, he knew that he was being compared to a bunch of other prospects and that he wanted to show that he was every bit as good as the others.

That class included a star-studded Toronto Jr. Canadiens team that included top prospect John McFarland. Gudbranson played for the unheralded Ottawa Jr. 67’s but he had one edge on most of his competition. He had been there before.

Gudbranson played a game in the 2007 OHL Cup as a call up with the Gloucester Rangers. He scored a goal in that game and got a taste of the pressure that came with playing in the biggest minor midget tournament of the year.

"It’s a tournament that’s second to none," said Gudbranson, who went on to be the fourth overall pick of the Kingston Frontenacs and has emerged as one of the top blueline prospects for the NHL Entry Draft this June in Los Angeles. "It’s very well organized."

Gudbranson scored a goal and an assist in four tournament games in 2008 and obviously made a good impression on the Frontenacs’ scouts.

It’s a lot of fun – putting everybody under the microscope," Gudbranson said. "I went into it thinking it’s my last tournament – maybe my last minor hockey tournament – so I went into it thinking ‘hey, I’m going to have some fun here, show off for the scouts and try to do something big with my team’."

Gudbranson has another reason to pay attention to the tournament this year. His brother Alex is a defenceman with the Jr. 67’s this year.

"He’s going through the same thing that I went through the past few years," Gudbranson said. "He’s a very good kid. He loves the game, and just like me, he’s extremely passionate. He’s a little bit worried about the Gudbranson name and keeping it going and stuff like that but I have no doubt in my mind that he’ll be a great player. He’s going to show well at the OHL Cup."

Erik is back in the Frontenacs lineup after injuries and a bout with mono cut his season down to just 41 games.

"Just missing out on playing hockey is tough," Gudbranson said. "We play a game that we love and I do it because I love it. Being out for 11 weeks is definitely tough – having to watch the guys play game in and game out. But the battled hard and played well in my absence and I was definitely happy to get back and help them out."

He has been back in the lineup for a little more than a month and is looking forward to helping the Frontenacs have some success in the playoffs.

"In terms of this season on an individual basis, it’s been an up and down year," Gudbranson said. "I’ve had to battle through some injuries and a little illness there. From a team basis, we’ve come together as a group unlike other years so it’s definitely been a big year for us."