Gardiner goes pro, Parenteau becomes an “American”

The signing of Reid Gardiner by the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins to an AHL contract brings back not so pleasant memories for the Prince Albert Raiders.

The circumstances are strikingly similar to the signings of Jonathan Parker by the Buffalo Sabres and Antoine Corbin by the Montreal Canadiens.

Even Parker expected to be sent back to the Raiders in 2010 for his overage season and was looking forward to that season’s pending  U.S. road trip after a breakout season that saw the American born boy score 45 goals and 86 points. Parker never returned, signing a pro contract and was quickly assigned to the AHL’s Rochester Americans. After a quick start Parker was sent down to the ECHL after scoring three goals and three assists in 37 AHL games. Parker would play parts of two other seasons with the Amerks while toiling for eight different ECHL teams. A Sabres scout who I chatted with during a Raider road trip to Cranbrook admitted Parker would have been much better off playing big minutes with the Raiders as a 20-year-old, instead of seeing sparing minutes as a first year pro.  

Antoine Corbin’s experience turned out much the same way. The big skilled defenseman scored two goals in his first two WHL games at the start of the 2012-13 and appeared ready for a breakout season before heading to the Habs for his pro tryout. He was expected to return in a week. Corbin never wore a Raider uniform again. The former Kelowna Rocket was signed and assigned to the Canadiens AHL team in Hamilton. Corbin played just 30- AHL games and toiled with four different ECHL teams in subsequent seasons. 

Gardiner has earned his pro contract. The Humboldt native was passed over in three NHL drafts with pro tryouts in Minnesota and Vancouver. He never gave up, earning rookie and main camp promotions following an invite to the Pittsburgh Penguins development camp last summer.

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Gardiner has improved every season. The Raiders first round pick in 2011 scored seven goals and 13 assists as a 16-year-old rookie. Last season, as a 19-year-old, Gardiner lit the lamp 43 times and totaled 92 points to finish eighth in the WHL points race, in addition to playing for team WHL in the Subway Super Series against the Russians. All this suggests the hard working winger who also killed penalties and blocked shots is ready to start playing for pay.

The team is thrilled for Gardiner and his family, while agonizing over the loss of a potential 50-goal-100 point player. Speculation suggests if GM Curtis Hunt and the hockey operations staff suspected Gardiner would turn pro, Kolten Olynek would still be a Raider instead of being put on waivers and snapped up by the Saskatoon Blades. It’s everyone’s hope Gardiner progresses with the baby Penguins. It’s also everyone’s hope if he doesn’t, Gardiner will be sent back to Prince Albert to play quality minutes in every situation.      

The same well wishes go out to goalie Rylan Parenteau. The overager from Saskatoon has started in three straight games with the Americans since Thursday’s trade to Tri City and was third star in his debut. The trade was no surprise, Parenteau and 17-year-old sophomore Ian Scott were both number-one goalies with only one net to defend. Scott is the Raiders goalie of the present and future and is already predicted to be a high pick in this summer’s NHL draft. The tall kid from Calgary is also on Hockey Canada’s radar as a future candidate for the Canadian National Junior team. Parenteau needs to have another big season following last year’s second team all star selection in the WHL’s eastern conference. Rylan appears destined for another NHL tryout after this past summer’s cup of coffee with the Canucks.

The bottom line is when organizations do the best thing for the player, everyone wins.

dwilson@panow.com

On Twitter; RaidersVoice