Reid Signs Today

[Wildeyes]

The Prince Albert Raiders are pleased to announce that forward Reid Gardiner has signed a standard Western Hockey League education contract with the team. Gardiner was the Raiders first round selection, 8th overall pick in the 2011 WHL Bantam Draft on Thursday May 5th in Calgary Alberta.



Gardiner, who was born in Prince Albert, notched 50 goals and 31 assists for 81 points in 24 games with the Humboldt Broncos in the Centre Four Hockey League. The 6’2”, 162 lb centre was the captain of his team and finished second in league scoring.



“We are extremely pleased to have Reid under contract,” said Raiders General Manager and Head Coach Bruno Campese. “We feel that he has the character, work ethic and skills to lead our team in the future.”

[Wildeyes]

Prince Albert SK- The Prince Albert Raiders 1st round, 8th overall selection in the 2011 WHL Bantam Draft, forward Reid Gardiner, is one of 42 Canadian Bantam aged players invited to attend the first annual Allstate All-Canadians Mentorship Camp hosted by the NHL Players Association. The invitation-only camp is from August 2-6, 2011 and will be held at the Hershey Centre in Mississauga Ontario.

The 5’11”, 162lb Gardiner, who signed a standard WHL education contract with the Raiders today, notched 50 goals and 31 assists for 81 points in 24 games with the Humboldt Broncos of the Centre Four Hockey League last season and is one of five players from Saskatchewan invited to attend the camp.

Since its launch in November 2010, the Allstate All-Canadians program (www.allstate.all-canadians.com) has enabled NHL players and leading experts to successfully reach hundreds of thousands of young athletes, parents and coaches at every age and skill level across the country through the web, grassroots initiatives and special events, for the purpose of mentoring and guiding the next generation of Canada’s hockey youth.

“We are incredibly pleased with the grassroots success of the program for players of all skill levels over the past several months,” said Mike Ouellet, Chief of Business Affairs for the NHLPA. “Now we are looking forward to making a difference with a group of young players who have already been recognized in their own communities as elite prospects. A key goal of our camp is to help equip these athletes with information and tools to help them deal with the choices that lie immediately ahead in their hockey career plans. Who better to do that than NHL players who have gone down the same road and who have valuable experience and advice to share?”

Players attending the mentorship camp, which would not be possible without the generous support of Allstate Canada, will receive important instruction both on and off the ice. Classroom sessions will cover a variety of foundational topics such as nutrition, strength and fitness, sports psychology, financial responsibility and personal values. Parents will be invited to participate in selected sessions designed to equip families with the information they need to help make well-informed decisions.

“These young players and their families will learn how to strategically prepare to play hockey,” said Gary Roberts. “We will emphasize how important it is to make a commitment to fitness, nutrition and mental development if they want to achieve longevity at an elite level. Today’s game is played at such a high level that these young players need every edge they can find to be successful. We’re going to show them how to get that edge early in their development.”

“One of the key differentiators of the Allstate All-Canadians Mentorship Camp is the life lessons these young players will learn from today’s stars and leading industry experts, including leadership, teamwork, perseverance and resilience,” said Chris Kiah, President and Chief Executive Officer of Allstate Canada. “While not every young player is going to reach his ultimate hockey dream, many will take a place among the leaders of tomorrow in many different parts of Canadian society.”