Former RINK Hockey Academy Kelowna student-athlete Evan Gardner has signed an NHL Entry Level Contract with the Columbus Blue Jackets.
The Blue Jackets drafted the Fort St. John, BC netmidner in the second round, 60th overall at the 2024 NHL Draft.
Gardner spent five seasons in the Canadian Sport School Hockey League (CSSHL) with RHA Kelowna. He joined the program in 2018/19, playing 20 U15 games for the program, which at the time was still called Pursuit of Excellence (POE). He returned to POE in 2019/20, playing 16 U15 Prep games. The following COVID-19 shortened season with RHA Kelowna, he would play two U15 Prep games.
In 2021/22 he would make the jump to RHA Kelowna’s U18 Prep team, posting a 2.98 GAA, .914 SV% and 14-3-1 record, leading to the Saskatoon Blades selecting him in the third round, 53rd overall at the 2021 WHL Draft. He would return to the RHA Kelowna U18 Prep team the following season, going 9-5-1 with a .926 SV% and 3.16 GAA.
Gardner would begin his WHL career with the Blades in 2023/24, posting a 21-5-0 record with a 1.91 GAA, .927 V% and 4 shutouts. Both his 1.91 GAA and .927 SV% were a WHL best.
This season Gardner has went 22-12-4 with a .911 SV%, 2.83 GAA and 3 shutouts with the Blades.
