Saskafocus: Brayden Coburn

We at the Prairie Puck would like to apologize for the lack of posts lately. We tried to tell our professors and bosses that it's important to write about Saskatchewan hockey players, that our readers survive by our words of wisdom and wit. They refused to cut us a break, and were rather unapologetic about it. We couldn't be more sorry about this. If you have visited out site enough to notice we haven't been posting much lately, then know that we love you. We friggin LOVE you. Now back to the show.

Today's Saskafocus is Brayden Coburn, aspiring defenceman of the Philadelphia Flyers. I checked on Wikipedia to be sure, and that site said he was born in Calgary. Perhaps that is the truth, but I happen to know he grew up in Shaunavon, SK (I remember playing against him in novice hockey. He played 58 minutes per game and would dominate us every one of them).

He played his junior hockey with the Portland Winter Hawks of the WHL, winning the Rookie of the Year award in his first season. After an excellent junior career, with two first-team all-star seasons and two trips to the World Junior tournament, he was drafted 8th overall by the Atlanta Thrashers. After working back and forth between the Thrashers and the AHL Wolves, Brayden was traded to the Philadelphia Flyers, where he has developed into a solid two-way defenceman.

Although we left him off our list of choices for the Olympics in 2010, we would be completely happy if he proved us wrong. The way he is developing, he has an excellent chance to represent Canada in years after. We wish Brayden all the best, and we'll be keeping an eye out for the pride of Shaunavon, Saskatchewan.