Photo contributed. In his first AHL game, against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on April 12, Hudson scored his first AHL goal. 

PORTLAND, MAINE: Local hockey talent Jacob Hudson is set to take the next step in his professional career after being loaned to the American Hockey League’s (AHL) Springfield Thunderbirds.

The 24-year-old forward, who has been playing with the Maine Mariners of the ECHL, made his AHL debut in a 4-1 loss to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on April 12, scoring his team’s lone goal in his debut.

Hudson is in his first full professional season and has quickly made an impact with the Mariners, recording 38 points (15 goals, 23 assists) in 61 games. He has been especially hot since early March, registering points in 10 of his last 12 games, including eight goals and seven assists.

Originally from Antigonish, Hudson’s rise through the hockey ranks has been one of steady progress and strong leadership.

Before turning pro, he spent three seasons with StFX University, suiting up for the X-Men for a total of 74 games, across three seasons, where he recorded 37 goals, 51 assists and 88 points. He also enjoyed a successful junior career with the Moncton Wildcats in the QMJHL, where he wore a letter for three seasons, including serving as team captain during the 2020-21 campaign.

Hudson’s promotion marks a proud moment not only for him but for the Antigonish community that has followed his career closely from local rinks to the professional stage.

As he joins the Thunderbirds, Hudson will look to bring his strong work ethic, playmaking ability, and leadership qualities to the next level of professional hockey.

Drake Lowthers

Drake Lowthers has been a community journalist for The Reporter since July, 2018. His coverage of the suspicious death of Cassidy Bernard garnered him a 2018 Atlantic Journalism Award and a 2019 Better Newspaper Competition Award; while his extensive coverage of the Lionel Desmond Fatality Inquiry received a second place finish nationally in the 2020 Canadian Community Newspaper Awards for Best Feature Series. A Nova Scotia native, who has called Antigonish home for the past decade, Lowthers has a strong passion in telling people’s stories in a creative, yet thought-provoking way. He graduated from the journalism program at Holland College in 2016, where he played varsity football with the Hurricanes. His simple pleasures in life include his two children, photography, live music and the local sports scene.

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Drake Lowthers has been a community journalist for The Reporter since July, 2018. His coverage of the suspicious death of Cassidy Bernard garnered him a 2018 Atlantic Journalism Award and a 2019 Better Newspaper Competition Award; while his extensive coverage of the Lionel Desmond Fatality Inquiry received a second place finish nationally in the 2020 Canadian Community Newspaper Awards for Best Feature Series. A Nova Scotia native, who has called Antigonish home for the past decade, Lowthers has a strong passion in telling people’s stories in a creative, yet thought-provoking way. He graduated from the journalism program at Holland College in 2016, where he played varsity football with the Hurricanes. His simple pleasures in life include his two children, photography, live music and the local sports scene.