T.J. Galiardi is starting the 2007-08 season in a familiar setting, at home. The 19-year-old center hung up his skates at Dartmouth College, where he played the 2006-07 season, to pursue his hockey career in his hometown of Calgary.

Galiardi, who was scooped up by the Colorado Avalanche 55th overall in the 2007 NHL draft, signed on with the Calgary Hitmen on August 30th. According to Galiardi, the opportunity to live at home, play for friends and family and work under a great coaching staff was all the motivation he needed to return to his roots.

"The team is full of great guys and the coaches are extremely knowledgeable so its made the transition from college hockey to the western league thus far quite nice," says Galiardi. "Hopefully it carries on into the season."

The NHL prospect returned from the Avalanche camp just in time for regular season to kick off.

"Avalanche camp was an amazing experience, it was very intense," says Galiardi. "The biggest thing I took from it was that to be a pro you have to be in unbelievable shape physically and mentally."

Although his Eastern Colleges Athletic Conference (ECAC) career was short-lived, Galiardi feels his progression as a player occurred mainly under Dartmouth's coaching staff.

"I became a much more mature player and person," says Galiardi, "I owe a lot of my success to that coaching staff."

Coming from a line of fairly recognized hockey clubs in Calgary - Calgary AAA North Stars and the Junior A Calgary Royals, Galiardi acknowledges Dartmouth's head coach, Dave Peters as having the greatest impact on him.

"He knows more about hockey than anyone I've ever met and was an amazing coach and mentor for me," says Galiardi, "I learned more from him than any other coach I've ever had."

But now the focus is on being a successful WHL player, and Galiardi is confident that the Calgary Hitmen are the perfect team to help him achieve that. He says the wealth of NHL experience the coaching staff has is an aspect that greatly appealed to him about playing for the Hitmen. Galiardi jump-starts his WHL career when the Hitmen play their first regular season game on Friday, September 21 on home-ice against the Red Deer Rebels at 7:00 p.m.