Brendan Gaunce

Brendan Gaunce (born March 25, 1994) is a Canadian professional ice hockey forward currently playing with the Providence Bruins in the American Hockey League (AHL) while under contract to the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted 26th overall in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft by the Vancouver Canucks. His older brother, Cameron Gaunce, currently plays in the Tampa Bay Lightning organization.
Gaunce has represented Canada twice. He won a gold medal at the 2011 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament and a bronze at the 2012 IIHF World U18 Championships. He also represented Ontario at the 2011 World U-17 Hockey Challenge where he won a gold medal.
==Early life==
Brendan was born to Stephen and Julie Gaunce in Sudbury, Ontario, but grew up in Markham, Ontario. He has two siblings; a brother and a sister. His older brother, Cameron, was drafted in the second round of the 2008 NHL Entry Draft by the Colorado Avalanche. Gaunce attended Markham District High School where he played on their ice hockey team registering 4 goals and 21 points in 17 games. Despite playing much of the season on defence, he was named to the Toronto Star High School Hockey All-Star First Team. He also captained the Markham Waxers Minor Midget team, scoring 55 goals and 148 points in 86 games in 2009–10.
==Playing career==
=== Junior ===
The highest scoring minor midget player in Ontario in 2010, Gaunce was taken second in the OHL Priority Draft after Alex Galchenyuk by the Belleville Bulls of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). Gaunce made his major junior debut in the 2010–11 OHL season and in his second OHL game recorded a four assist game in a 7–4 win over the Peterborough Petes. In the following game, Gaunce scored his first career OHL goal. He had a second 4-point game and added a 5-game point streak, finishing the season with 11 goals and 36 points, 13th in OHL rookie scoring.
At the beginning of his second season, Gaunce was named an alternate captain for the Bulls. During the season he earned the OHL Player of the Week award. He scored five goals and added an assist in three Belleville wins for the week ending November 27. Gaunce finished the season as a point a game player registering 28 goals and 40 assists in 68 games. At the end of the season Gaunce was Belleville's nominee for the Bobby Smith Trophy as scholastic player of the year, but lost out to Adam Pelech. Before the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, Gaunce was ranked 13th among North American skaters by the NHL's scouting department, and the top-ranked Canadian forward. Projected to be a mid first round pick, he fell to 26th when he was selected by the Vancouver Canucks. Canucks' general manager Mike Gillis stated that going into the draft they had targeted Gaunce and if he had not been available Vancouver would have traded down to add extra picks. On November 26, 2013, Brendan Gaunce was traded from the Belleville Bulls to the Erie Otters.
=== Professional ===
Gaunce played the entire 2014-15 season for the Canucks' American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Utica Comets. Gaunce was a late cut from the Canucks' 2015 training camp and was again reassigned to Utica to start the season. He was recalled by the Canucks on October 28, 2015.
On October 29, 2015, Gaunce made his NHL debut with the Canucks in a game against the Dallas Stars in a 4–3 overtime loss. The next day, Gaunce scored his first NHL goal against Anders Lindback of the Arizona Coyotes in a 4–3 Canucks win. He was reassigned to Utica on November 5. On March 1, 2016 Gaunce was again recalled by the Vancouver Canucks. He played in the remainder of the Canucks' games that season before returning to the Comets to finish the season.
At the start of the 2016-17 season, Gaunce made the Canucks' roster out of training camp for the first time in his career. He earned his first career assist on October 16, 2016; assisting on a Ben Hutton goal in a 4–3 overtime win against the Carolina Hurricanes.
On August 9, 2017, the Canucks re-signed Gaunce to a two-year, $1.5 million contract worth $750,000 annually. Gaunce broke his foot in February and was set to be out for 2–4 weeks.
After five seasons within the Canucks organization, Gaunce left as a free agent after he was not tendered a qualifying offer. On July 1, 2019, Gaunce was signed to a one-year, two-way deal with the Boston Bruins worth $700,000.
==International play==
Gaunce made his international debut at the 2011 World U-17 Hockey Challenge representing team Ontario. After winning their first two games Team Ontario was leading Team West 3–2 early in the third when Gaunce assisted on an insurance goal by Matia Marcantuoni. Ontario eventually won the game 4–3 to remain unbeaten and clinch a spot in the semi-final. In Ontario's final preliminary game Gaunce scored two second period goals helping Ontario to the 4–2 win over team Pacific. Gaunce was named player of the game for Ontario. Ontario defeated Quebec 2–1 in overtime to advance to the gold medal game. In the gold medal game Gaunce scored the third goal in a 5–3 victory.
Later in the year Gaunce represented Canada at the 2011 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament. Team Canada lost its opening game to Sweden 5–1, but finished the preliminary round with a 2–1 record and received a spot in the semi-finals. In the semi-final game Gaunce assisted on Team Canada's third goal in a 5–0 victory of the Russians. Canada re-matched Sweden in the Final with Gaunce scoring early in the third to give the Canadians a two-goal advantage then assisting on another goal mid-way through the period. Canada defeated Sweden 4–1 winning the gold medal, Canada's fourth straight at the tournament.
Gaunce again played for Team Canada the following year at the 2012 IIHF World U18 Championships. After Canada started the tournament with split decisions Gaunce scored two first period goals and added an assist in a 6–2 win over the Czech Republic. For his performance Gaunce was named player of the game for Team Canada. Canada lost its next game finishing the preliminary round with a 2–2–0 record, third place in their pool. Canada qualified for the quarterfinals where they defeated the Russians 4–2. In the Semi-final game Canada lost to the United States 2–1. Despite not registering a point Gaunce was named player of the game for the Canadians. With the loss Canada faced Finland in the bronze medal game. In the first period Gaunce was hooked by Ville Pokka resulting in a penalty shot opportunity. Gaunce failed to score on the penalty shot, but registered a shorthanded goal in the second period. Canada defeated Finland 5–4 capturing the bronze medal.
==Career statistics==
===Regular season and playoffs===
  	  	  	 	Regular season	Regular season	Regular season	Regular season	Regular season	 	Playoffs	Playoffs	Playoffs	Playoffs	Playoffs
Season 	Team 	League 	 	GP 	G 	A 	Pts 	PIM 	 	GP 	G 	A 	Pts 	PIM
2009–10 	Markham Waxers Minor Midget AAA	OMHA 	 	86 	55 	93 	148 	? 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2010–11 	Belleville Bulls 	OHL 	 	65 	11 	25 	36 	40 	 	4 	0 	0 	0 	4
2011–12 	Belleville Bulls 	OHL 	 	68 	28 	40 	68 	68 	 	6 	1 	2 	3 	2
2012–13 	Belleville Bulls 	OHL 	 	60 	33 	27 	60 	44 	 	17 	8 	14 	22 	10
2013–14 	Belleville Bulls 	OHL 	 	22 	10 	16 	26 	27 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2013–14 	Erie Otters 	OHL 	 	43 	21 	25 	46 	32 	 	14 	5 	11 	16 	16
2014–15 	Utica Comets 	AHL 	 	74 	11 	18 	29 	31 	 	21 	4 	5 	9 	12
2015–16 	Utica Comets 	AHL 	 	46 	17 	21 	38 	16 	 	4 	0 	0 	0 	4
2015–16 	Vancouver Canucks 	NHL 	 	20 	1 	0 	1 	2 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2016–17 	Vancouver Canucks 	NHL 	 	57 	0 	5 	5 	33 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2016–17 	Utica Comets 	AHL 	 	4 	2 	1 	3 	2 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2017–18 	Utica Comets 	AHL 	 	5 	2 	1 	3 	0 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2017–18 	Vancouver Canucks 	NHL 	 	37 	4 	2 	6 	10 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2018–19 	Utica Comets 	AHL 	 	60 	16 	22 	38 	54 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2018–19 	Vancouver Canucks 	NHL 	 	3 	1 	2 	3 	0 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2019–20 	Providence Bruins 	AHL 	 	52 	18 	19 	37 	34 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2019–20 	Boston Bruins 	NHL 	 	1 	0 	1 	1 	2 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
NHL totals	NHL totals 	NHL totals	 	118 	6 	10 	16 	47 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
===International===
Year 	Team 	Event 	Result 	 	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2011 	Canada Ontario	U-17 	 	 	6 	3	1	4 	18
2011 	Canada 	IH18 	 	 	5 	1	3	4 	2
2012 	Canada 	WJC18 	 	 	7 	3	1	4 	8
Junior totals	Junior totals 	Junior totals	Junior totals	 	18	7	5	12 	28
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
== References ==
==External links==
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Category:1994 births
Category:Belleville Bulls players
Category:Boston Bruins players
Category:Canadian ice hockey centres
Category:National Hockey League first round draft picks
Category:Ice hockey people from Ontario
Category:Providence Bruins players
Category:Utica Comets players
Category:Vancouver Canucks draft picks
Category:Vancouver Canucks players