While most of us try to relax while sweating our way through the summer of 2011, 16-year-old Hunter Garlent is at the gym six days a week trying to add some bulk to his 5-foot-8 frame.  Garlent is hoping to become a big piece of the Guelph Storm’s future after being their first round pick just a few short months ago.

“I realize I have to take it step-by-step,” said Garlent from his home in Thorold, near Welland. “I realize I can’t walk in and be a first line guy, but if I play my game and get comfortable with the league in the first half of the season, hopefully I’ll be a player who can be looked upon to contribute.  I don’t want to be a player sitting on the bench, I want to be someone the coaches can count on.”

 

His “game” is tough to play against.  Despite his small stature, he has been described as frustrating and annoying to play against and almost impossible to hit.  

 

“Since I’m not a big guy the thing for me has always been speed,” said Garlent, who grew up in St. Catharines before playing for Welland his last three years of minor hockey. “I have been working every day to become faster and stronger.  I can’t always go through someone so I want to be able to go around them.”

 

That is not to say that Garlent plays a “soft style” of hockey.

 

“I don’t get intimidated,” he said.  “I can honestly say I won’t back down from anyone.  I have an edge to my game and while I try to avoid all the chirping that goes on, if someone comes at me, I’ll go right back at them and it drives me to beat them even more.”

 

Garlent recently attended Team Ontario’s Under-17 selection camp and is hoping to be on the roster for the World Under 17s in Winnipeg this winter.  

 

“It was a really good experience to be there with all of the top players,” said Garlent, selected 10th overall by the Storm.  “I had never been at a camp like that before so it was very interesting. It was a pretty grueling schedule, on the ice twice a day with a bunch of other (off ice) sessions as well.”

 

You can find Garlent working out in the local gym Monday through Saturday with the likes of former Storm player and now New York Ranger Dan Girardi and it’s even expected that Stanley Cup champion Dan Paille will be dropping by the gym soon for workouts.

 

“When I started playing hockey in Welland, just knowing that (Paille) was in the NHL you looked up to him.  He’s a complete role model for you as a kid and winning the Cup this year is awesome for a guy out of little Welland.”

 

I must admit that I’m looking forward to watching this dynamo take to the ice.  He sounds a lot like Martin St. Pierre in his early days – undersized but unwilling to bend when it came to larger opponents. 

 

So while we sit and enjoy the summer, Garlent works to prepare for his first OHL season.