First goals at any level are always memorable but there are a several reasons why Brad Hunt's tally Saturday night against Vancouver was even more special.
Hunt's power-play tally opened the scoring for the Edmonton Oilers in an eventual 5-4 shootout loss to the Canucks. But for the Maple Ridge native, it came in front of many friends and family and was against the organization that once owned his playing rights.
Hunt played his first year of pro hockey for the Chicago Wolves when the club was a Canuck farm team. Craig McTavish, now the Oilers general manager was the Wolves GM at the time and when Hunt was a free agent last year, the Oilers snapped him up.
Playing in the American Hockey League last season, Hunt was an all-star and registered 50 points from Oklahoma City Baron's blueline. His heavy shot, clocked at 99.5 miles per hour at the AHL skills competiion last year, is a big reason the Oilers like him in their D corps.
“When I see Huntzie’s stick raised, I know good things are usually going to happen,” Oilers second-year bench boss Dallas Eakins told the Edmonton Journal.
In two full seasons and 123 games with the Express, Hunt tallied 20 goals and 73 assists. He went on to a four-year career at Bemidji State University where he racked up 24 goals and 88 assists for 112 points in 150 NCAA games.
The 5-foot-9, 187-pound defenceman played three games last year with the Oilers but didn't get on the the scoresheet. For the Oilers, they'll be hoping Saturday night's showing from Hunt is one that plays out many more times this season.
