Graduation: Jake Gudelj
WHL Tri-City Americans

Graduation: Jake Gudelj

Published on April 23, 2026 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Tri-City Americans News Release


When a lot of kids his age might have been sleeping, Jake Gudelj was playing hockey with grown-ups on Thursday mornings in Vancouver.

"I remember my mom used to always take me to this little rink near Sunset Beach in downtown Vancouver on Thursday mornings before school," he said. "I was probably in grade 2 or 3, and afterwards we'd always go to Safeway and get a bun to eat before she took me to school. Hockey was kind of always me and my dad's thing, but this is a memory that my mom and I always have."

He says his first foray into hockey didn't go as smoothly, as he was the only kid in his group that didn't know how to skate when he first started. Gudelj credits his parents with encouraging him to stick with it, and the rest, as they say, is history.

It wasn't as though hockey was Gudelj's only athletic endeavors, however.

"I would say hockey was always a sport that stood a bit above the others, but it wasn't something I was specializing in," he said. "I played soccer and tennis right up until I was 14 years old. I was playing basketball and lacrosse and baseball when I was younger too. I was always a kid who loved being active and being involved in sports."

Entering the 2019-20 hockey season, the WHL Draft looming in the distance is what jumpstarted Gudelj's dedication solely to the game of hockey.

"I remember sitting at the kitchen table talking to my dad and he was talking about how this season was my draft year," he recalled. "That's when I started realizing that it was becoming more serious. When I started learning about the Draft and realizing I could get drafted and play in the best junior league in North America, that's when things started to change for me."

After 35 points (19-16-35) points in 30 games with is West Van Academy U15 team during that year, Gudelj and his family sat down at the table and watched the draft unfold on April 22.

He says he didn't know where he was going to go, but seeing his name appear on screen at 84th overall to the Spokane Chiefs is one of his most cherished memories.

With the pandemic ongoing at the time, Gudelj couldn't make his way to Spokane for almost a year and a half until training camp in 2021.

Well before that he signed his contract with the Chiefs, a decision that came together easily.

"Before the draft I was still teetering a bit between the BCHL and the WHL," he said. "Education is very important to my parents so I wanted to make sure I kept an open mind, but when I saw my name appear on screen I realized I wanted to give hockey the best shot I could."

Because he didn't attend his first WHL camp until he was 16, he was eligible to play in the WHL as a full-time player for the 2021-22 season.

Being a fourth-round pick, Gudelj knew nothing was guaranteed when he set foot on the ice in Spokane for the first time.

"I definitely went there with the mindset that I wanted to make the team," he said. "Being a fourth-round pick, you're not put in a favorable position to make it, so I knew I had to work extremely hard. I was worried I was going to get sent home, but eventually I made the team and was able to spend my 16-year-old season there."

After sitting out the first few games of the year, in a full-circle type of moment, Gudelj made his WHL debut at the Toyota Center against the Americans on October 9, 2021.

Still just 15-years-old, the nerves were at an all-time high.

"I remember being so nervous before the game and the older players were telling me to relax and that it was just another game," he laughed. "I don't think I played too much, but I remember getting into a huge battle in the corner with Jake Sloan."

Gudelj played in 51 games during his rookie season, scoring three goals and adding three assists.

Having only played a handful of competitive hockey games heading into that season due to minor hockey being shut down across Canada the year before, Gudelj says there were times that rookie season was a struggle.

He credits his roommate, Nick McCarry, with helping him adjust to the WHL.

"There are all these things you're trying to juggle like living away from home for the first time, doing your schoolwork, practicing every day," he said. "I was fortunate to live with Nick, and I think that was one of my best experiences in the WHL. He was a guy who had gone through all those things years before me, and he was able to really help me adjust. He showed me the ropes of the league so heading into my second season I felt like I was in a much better position."

McCarry was traded to the Chiefs in January of that season and wrapped up his WHL career in 2021-22 with 174 games played with Medicine Hat, Kamloops and Spokane.

Gudelj's second WHL season saw more success on the ice as he nearly tripled his point total with 16 points (8-8-16) while playing in all 68 games. Despite that, the lack of team success put a damper on his positive strides.

"Year two was still pretty tough," he admitted. "I was playing a bit more, but we weren't a very good team that year. We didn't make the playoffs, and the Chiefs were going through some changes at the time. I think I learned a lot that year, lessons that I was able to take forward in my career for adversity that I faced later on."

The 2022-23 Spokane Chiefs finished last in the Western Conference with a 15-43-4-6 record.

Just before training camp began in 2023 Gudelj was traded to the Americans. Playing for Tri-City's biggest rival for two years, he admits some of his first thoughts were what was going to happen the first time he played the Chiefs.

"I was thinking what it was going to be like the first time you match up against them," he said. "Our first game in Spokane that year, we spoiled their home opener with a 3-1 win. It was funny because those other guys are giving you the gears all game long, but it was a nice taste of victory to beat them in that first match up."

Gudelj got off to a fine start that season with six points through the team's first 10 games, but a devastating injury suffered on November 1 nearly ended his season.

After a fight with Vancouver Giants forward Matthew Edwards, Gudelj suffered a major shoulder injury that cost him the next three and a half months.

"That was definitely a tough day for my family and I," he said. "I think it was the way I fell after the fight. I was bleeding a little bit after the fight, so I went to the room and noticed my arm was dangling down. You have so much adrenaline after the fight you don't feel the pain until afterwards."

Going to the hospital and getting his shoulder looked it, it became clear that surgery was the best option to ensure he was able to continue playing without the risk of re-injuring his shoulder.

Undergoing surgery and going through the recovery process gave Gudelj a different perspective on things.

"When I look back on it, you almost have to be grateful," he said. "I wasn't allowed to skate or workout. I had to be in a cast for eight weeks. That's when you realize how grateful you should be to do what you get to do playing in the WHL; being with your teammates every day and practicing with them. I don't think I would have had that perspective if I had never gotten hurt. You can be negative and frustrated, or you can look at it from a positive perspective and I'm glad that's what I did."

Gudelj was able to work himself back into game shape and play the final two games of the 2023-24 season, scoring a goal in the last game of the year in Everett.

With his shoulder fully recovered, Gudelj was told he was invited to attend St. Louis Blues development camp in the summer.

He says it was the perfect way to start a new year.

"After such a tough year I think that was the boost I needed," he said. "I got invited to rookie camp and knew I had to work hard if I wanted to get to main camp, and I remember them calling me down to the hotel lobby after rookie camp and telling me they wanted me to come to their main training camp."

Jumping on the ice with NHL regulars, Gudelj was able to get the Big-League experience during his time in St. Louis.

"Those guys were extremely down to earth," he said. "A guy like Colton Parayko, an established NHL star and a guy who's played for Team Canada, was just having normal conversations with me. These guys are making millions of dollars and you're just some junior hockey player, but they were really welcoming."

Speaking of Parayko, he was the focal point of one of Gudelj's biggest memories of that camp.

"We were doing a drill and the puck got rimmed around the boards towards me," he said. "I looked behind me and saw Parayko coming down the wall and I thought 'I need to throw a reverse hit on this guy'. I threw my hips out to try and hit him, but he didn't move an inch. It was like getting run into by a brick wall. I told my parents about it that night, I tried to hit Colton Parayko, and it did not go well."

Parayako is listed at 6-foot-6, 229 pounds and has 800 career NHL games under his belt. He also played for Team Canada at the Olympics in February.

A rejuvenated Gudelj returned to the Americans for the 2024-25 season and played a key role in helping them rattle off 12 consecutive victories, recording 16 points (8-8-16) during the winning streak.

"I had high expectations for myself and for the team, but unfortunately we weren't able to get the job done," he said. "It was great to play again. Things felt like they were normal after missing almost the whole season the year before."

Gudelj set career highs across the board with 33 points (14-19-33) in 62 games during the 2024-25 season.

As he prepared for his 20-year-old season this past year, he says he couldn't believe how quickly the previous four years had gone by.

"I'm not even joking when I say it goes by in the snap of your fingers," he said. "One minute you're 16-years-old and the next minute you're 20. I remember thinking 'I've got five years' and then all the sudden I'm in my 20-year-old season. Time flies by and you have to be grateful for the time you spend in the WHL because the next thing you know, you're graduating."

Americans fans know the 2025-26 season was a disappointing one for the team as they failed to reach the playoffs for just the eighth time in franchise history.

Gudelj took another step forward in his personal game, hitting 40 points (11-29-40), and says he tried to enjoy his final year in the league despite the team's struggles.

"They're all memories I'll carry with me for a lifetime," he said. "I'm so grateful for the friendships that I've made, all the fans who came out to watch us, the 12-hour bus rides to Prince George, I'll always remember the good and the bad moments."

A highlight for Gudelj during his overage season was announcing his commitment to attend Princeton University and play Division 1 hockey for the Tigers next season.

Jake Gudelj

KENNEWICK, Washington - February

27: Tri-City Americans

Photo credit: Tyler Adams/Rattlesnake Mountain Photography

He says it's extra special for his family, considering the importance his parents place on education.

"My parents were both extremely happy for me," he said. "They're both scholars and my mom always wanted to go to an Ivy League school, so I'm really happy that I could make her proud with this commitment. Princeton is a place where people go to become the best version of themselves. When I went there for a visit, the moment I set foot on campus I knew that's where I wanted to be."

After being the most veteran player on the Americans roster last season, Gudelj now prepares to revert to rookie status as he takes the next step in his career.

It's a step he's ready to embrace.

"It's definitely a big transition, but it's a transition I've done before coming from the academy to the WHL," he said. "I'm prepared for anything it throws at me, both school wise and hockey wise. You're in an environment where everyone is focused on the same things, and I think that's an environment that I'll be able to thrive in."

While he may never wear a Tri-City Americans jersey again, Gudelj says he won't soon forget his time spend in Eastern Washington.

"It's a really great spot to be and I'm super grateful that I got to spend three years there," he said. "Tri-Cities will always hold a special place in my heart. When people say those are the best fans in the league, they're not kidding. I'll forever be thankful for the opportunity I was given there."

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