Going from one rival team to another has its awkward moments but for Brody and Ty Gagno the adjustment has been quite smooth.
Over the summer, the brother duo was dealt from the Chilliwack Chiefs to the Prince George Spruce Kings – a little awkward to say the least. After all, it was PG that squashed the Chiefs 4-2 at the Chilliwack Coliseum back in May to claim the 2020-21 Chilliwack pod title.
In 2018, it was the Spruce Kings who edged Chilliwack in a spirited seven-game affair in the first round of the Fred Page Cup playoffs. Then a year later, PG swept the Chiefs in four straight during the second round en route to its first ever Fred Page Cup title.
“(The trade) was definitely different, but it was exciting though. It was a great opportunity and we are trying to take advantage of it,” said Brody.
Sometimes in life, situations come full circle and for both Gagno brothers, suiting up for the Interior Conference contending Spruce Kings has been a seamless transition.
“We found out at the beginning of the summer (about the trade) so we were pretty excited to get up here (to Prince George) and get back to work. We didn’t really care where we ended up as long as we had a place to play.”
Brody, a 19-year-old veteran blueliner, is entering his third season in the BCHL with over 115 games under his belt. Even though he doesn’t light things up on the scoreboard, the Surrey product continues to be a stabilizing force on what is a star-studded Spruce Kings defense corps.
Ty, on the other hand, is in his rookie season and plays a vital role on PG’s checking line, which also includes Austin Fraser and Nathan Fox. The Langley product is averaging 0.3 points per game and isn’t shy to play a responsible 200-foot game.
“We have great forwards and defense. The two linemates I play with are great players and we have a full four lines that are playing good.”
A year apart in age, both brothers didn’t actually play a lot together during their minor hockey ranks. For them, being on the same team for once is nothing short of refreshing.
“I think we played one year together (in minor) and this year would be our second one. It’s fun, I think we play similar styles and feed off each other a little bit – it’s always fun to play with your brother,” added Brody.
The Gagno brothers come by athletics honestly as they have a sibling who pushed them both along the way. “(Our family) was always doing something. My sister was an athlete too, we were always at a rink or a field and those are great memories – something we will always cherish,” explained Brody.
From the Canadian Sport School Hockey League to the NCAA
The elder Gagno bounced between the Yale Hockey Academy and Delta Hockey Academy between 2015 and 2018 before making the jump to junior A.
In addition, Brody has committed to Quinnipiac University for the 2022-23 season, a school that recruited a lot of BCHLers in the past, including former Spruce Kings star Ethan de Jong.
“Obviously I am very excited. I try not to look too much into the future, (I’m just) taking it one day at a time but hopefully next year I could be playing there.”
Ty had a similar path, also splitting time between Yale and Delta before making his BCHL debut during the 2019-20 campaign, skating in one game with the Chiefs as an affiliate player.
“The goal for me as well is to play college hockey. I need to keep working and doing the little things and I think it will come. I just need to stay patient and keep working.”
