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EricNCSU · 03-11-2025, 05:36 PM

No one said that making it big in the SHL would be easy, not even for the son of a former player. Thomas Hudson started his playing career in Portland, Oregon with the Portland Winterhawks. Hudson was selected early in the third round by the Great Falls Grizzles of the SMJHL to begin his pro journey. It was a short trip from Portland to Montana and so felt like staying close to home.

In four seasons with the Grizzlies, Hudson appeared in 264 games, amassed 204 regular season points (26 playoff points) a +21 rating and a 56% faceoff percentage. After missing the playoffs in his first season, Great Falls pushed to the second round in the second season, lost in the first round the third season and in his final season advanced again to the second round before falling to Yukon in a hard fought 7 game series.

This caught the attention of many of the major SHL scouts and propelled Thomas into the first round of the SHL draft being selected 20th overall by the Edmonton Blizzard. 800 miles north of Montana, Edmonton may as well have been on another planet. When Thomas arrived for his first training camp it was quite the culture shock. Big name players? Fans at practice? People asking for his autograph? So this was what it was like in the big leagues? Getting to learn from the experienced players and coaches was an experience Thomas would always cherish. Unfortunately, it would be the last time he would pull on a Blizzard sweater. After the preseason, Thomas was traded to the Buffalo Stampede. Edmonton was in a rebuild mode and had collected an incredibly deep prospect pool, but sadly that meant that not all of them would be able to stay. So Thomas packed his bags yet again and headed East to upstate New York.

In two seasons with the Buffalo Stampede, Hudson appeared in 132 games, racking up 92 points in the regular season and 10 in the playoffs (16 games). Alternating between center and wing, spending time on the powerplay and penalty kill Hudson did his best to find his place, but once again a log jam of players slowed his progress up the ranks. But then, a once in a lifetime opportunity presented itself.

The Texas Renegades came calling. Born in Texas during his father's playing days, Texas was technically home, although Thomas mostly grew up in Portland, Oregon. His father, Renegades legend and two-time Challenge Cup Champion Eric Hudson, played his entire 10 season SHL career with Texas. In contrast, Thomas was joining his third team in 3 seasons (although technically never playing a game for Edmonton). Call it a change of scenery, a change of coaches, or just plain dumb luck, but suddenly in Texas, Thomas Hudson came to life. Notching an assist 43 seconds into his first game, and staying on fire since.

As Thomas's first season in Texas comes to a close, what appeared to be a rebuilding time for Texas has suddenly become a push to win the division and barrel into the playoffs with a head of steam. Hudson is on pace to nearly double his previous season high of 47 points, with a total of 84 points. With 51 assists, he has already smashed that record without even counting his goals. Texas is on pace to win the division and hopefully push deep into the playoffs in what was expected to be a down season. Rookies Jack St. Clair and Chris McZehrl III have been on fire as well, leading to a surprising lift for the Renegades rather than the expected dip. Hudson, St. Clair and McZerhl are all sharing a tie of the team lead in points. Can Thomas Hudson lift the challenge cup in the same arena as his father? Time will tell, but for now, the future in Dallas looks very, very bright.

(639 words)

***HabsFanFromOntario*** · 03-11-2025, 06:52 PM

Media!! YES!

***Anthique*** · 03-12-2025, 10:15 PM

Let's go Renegades!

Great first season in Texas, we will need more of them Wink

***Ohtaay*** · 03-13-2025, 12:32 AM

Nice write up Eric!

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