Hamblin was recalled from Bakersfield of the American Hockey League on Nov. 5 and has the one goal in nine games this season for the Oilers, who host their Hockey Fights Cancer night against the Vegas Golden Knights at Rogers Place on Tuesday (9 p.m. ET; TVAS, SNW, SCRIPPS).
The 24-year-old forward also played 10 games last season with the Oilers without scoring a goal. Undrafted, Hamblin signed with Edmonton as a free agent Mar. 2, 2022. He joined Bakersfield for the 2020-21 season, following a five-year junior career with Medicine Hat of the Western Hockey League.
Hamblin was in Medicine Hat when Gina was diagnosed with cancer, underwent surgery and eventually succumbed to the disease.
“I just turned 18,” Hamblin said. “Her battle lasted about a year from when she first had surgery and it had spread, so the surgery was not totally successful. She passed away at the age of 52, but that year I have never seen someone battle the way she did. She was going through a lot, not feeling good, chemotherapy and she was doing everything she could to be at every single game of mine that year, which at times was driving five hours to Medicine Hat and back that night. A lot of trips, Swift Current (Saskatchewan), Lethbridge, all over just to see me play as many times as she possibly could. That year it meant so much to me.”
An Edmonton native, Hamblin was in his second season with Medicine Hat when his mother began battling cancer. He had 47 points (23 goals, 24 assists) in 69 games and five points (two goals, three assists) in 11 playoff games in 2016-17. Gina died at the start of the following season. He went on to have 64 points (21 goals, 43 assists) in 70 games that season.
“I’ve never seen someone battle that hard and not show it,” Hamblin said. “My dad would drive to ‘The Hat’ [Medicine Hat], they would either stay the night or stay the weekend or they would drive down and back that night just to see me play. I honesty don’t know how she did it in the state she was in.”
Gina was Hamblin’s biggest supporter and traveled to as many games as possible that year. Medicine Hat, Alberta is located 328 miles southeast of Edmonton.
“She believed in me when maybe I didn’t believe in myself, it gives me chills to think about,” Hamblin said. “She was my biggest supporter; she was probably almost obnoxious about it in the sense that she would talk about it all the time. She was just such a hard worker in terms of her work, everything she did in life. She started out as a truck driver and she made her way up to become really high up in Suncor and Petro-Canada and their lube distribution.”
According to Hamblin, Gina was a dedicated hockey mom growing up, driving him to early morning practices and games. Hamblin played his minor hockey in Edmonton before he was selected by Medicine Hat in the first round (No. 14) of the 2014 WHL Bantam Draft.
“I would always say, ‘thanks’ for the early mornings,” he said. “She was busy and had a lot on her plate already, and looking back, I know now she was sacrificing a lot to do that every day and she never complained about it.”
Hamblin scored his first NHL goal at 8:31 of the first period in a 6-4 loss at the Lightning. He collected a loose puck in the slot and shot it over the shoulder of Lightning goalie Jonas Johansson. He was mobbed by his teammates following his celebration.
“I didn’t know the whole story until after the game and didn’t understand how significant that goal was at that moment,” Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch said. “Anytime a player scores his first NHL goal, it’s exciting, but it’s really heartwarming when you hear the whole story.
“I think as a team collectively, the staff the players, it’s inspiring to see ‘Hammy’ battle and work hard to get into the NHL and contribute regularly like he has been doing. That’s hard enough as it is, but also the adversity he’s had with losing his mother. I think a lot of guys have a lot of respect for him.”
After the game, Hamblin received numerous congratulatory messages. Gina is survived by James, his sister Paulina and father Tim.
“It brought my family together, thanks to everyone around me,” Hamblin said. “All the support back then until now, it’s never wavered, it’s just been incredible and this whole experience has been just really cool.”
