For Brendan Budy, home is where the hockey is.
Budy is one of two 16-year-old rookies from 91原创 playing for their hometown 91原创 鈥擲ean Gulka is the other.
The 91原创鈥檚 youngest player 鈥� he鈥檚 already committed to play for the University of Denver (NCAA Div. 1) in 2019-20 鈥� Budy couldn鈥檛 think of a better place to play than here, where he attends 91原创 Secondary School.
鈥淚 had a number of offers from other teams and also I had a chance to move away and play in the WHL, but I knew college was meant for me,鈥� Budy said.
鈥淚t鈥檚 been awesome. Sixteen鈥檚 pretty young to move away so being at home has helped a lot.
鈥淢y parents [Tim and Colleen] are still there for me. They cook all my meals and drive me everywhere, so it helps to have my parents at home.
鈥淚t鈥檚 nice to play where I grew up.鈥�
Budy is finding his way in the B.C. Hockey League after spending last season with Delta Hockey Academy. He had five goals and five assists heading into last night鈥檚 home game against the Wenatchee Wild (the game got underway after the Times went to press Thursday morning).
鈥淚 knew it was going to be faster coming into the season,鈥� Budy said. 鈥淚t took me a couple of games to get going but I feel like I鈥檝e adjusted my game well and I鈥檓 playing at a good pace. I feel comfortable with the league, right now.鈥�
91原创 head coach Bobby Henderson had high praise for Budy.
鈥淚 think he鈥檚 been great, considering his youth,鈥� Henderson said.鈥淗e鈥檚 had no problem with the pace 鈥� if anything, he pushes the pace. He鈥檚 an extremely fast player and he processes the game at an elite level. He鈥檚 a skilled player and he鈥檚 fun to watch.鈥�
Winning is something Budy has already become accustomed to in his young hockey career 鈥� he helped Delta Hockey Academy win the Canadian Sport School Hockey League (CSSHL) title last season.
鈥淚t was really good,鈥� Budy said, about his experience with Delta Hockey Academy. 鈥淚 played there the year before that, too, so I was familiar with it. It was a really good experience. I think we only lost three games all year.鈥�
Fast forward to this season, and Budy feels he鈥檚 picked up his game a lot. The versatile centre/winger is on the smallish side by hockey standards, at 5鈥�10鈥� and a slight 170 pounds, but says he鈥檚 not afraid to mix it up in the corners and in the dirty areas.
鈥淚鈥檓 kind of undersized so I play a skilled game usually,鈥� Budy said. 鈥淚 like to make plays and score goals but I can also bring some grit if it needs to be there. I finish hits when I get the chance and that type of stuff.鈥�
Henderson said Budy isn鈥檛 about to be intimidated by older, larger opponents.
鈥淭here鈥檚 no back off in his game,鈥� Henderson said. 鈥淏rendan pushes the envelope physically. He plays on the edge and he鈥檚 not a kid who鈥檚 going to be intimidated, that鈥檚 for sure.鈥�
Budy鈥檚 personal goals are straightforward.
鈥淚 just want to get better and keep developing my game. I want to get better after every game and hopefully become a really good hockey player in this league.鈥�
On that note, Henderson said Budy 鈥渋s getting better every week.鈥�
鈥淲e鈥檙e just seeing now what he鈥檚 capable of, and we鈥檒l see more of the same for some time to come.鈥�
Beset by injuries, the 91原创 have been so-so as the season passes the one-third mark.
Following a weekend split against the Surrey Eagles, they were 6-10-3-1 as of last night and sit fourth in the BCHL鈥檚 Mainland Division.
Budy believes in the team.
鈥淚 think we have an awesome team. We have a lot of really good players. We have a lot of rookies and stuff but I think we鈥檙e getting there.
鈥淲e have a really close group of guys. Everyone bonds well in the locker room and off the ice, so I think we鈥檙e going to start bringing our game [as the season wears on].鈥�
Garrett James BCHL 
