Sillinger gets called up for Regina game
The Medicine Hat Tigers have called up top prospect Cole Sillinger for tonight’s game in Regina against the Pats.
The 15-year-old forward says his whole family will be watching from the stands as he takes his first steps onto Western Hockey League ice for should be an unforgettable hometown debut.
“It’s an amazing honour,” said Sillinger, the 11th overall pick in the 2018 bantam draft. “Playing in front of my hometown, it’ll be good. I’ll have lots of family there and I’m looking forward to it.”
Sillinger added he’s spent countless hours inside the walls of the Brandt Centre watching the Pats play over the years, especially during last season’s run to the Memorial Cup final.
“Every time I had a chance I’d go watch them,” he said. “Even in the Memorial Cup last year, I probably watched all of their games. It’s just a great atmosphere, it’s going to be really fun tomorrow night.”
Sillinger worked his way onto Medicine Hat’s radar after scoring 46 goals and add 37 assists in just 30 games with the Canadian Sport School Hockey League’s Okanagan Hockey Academy. The 5-foot-11, 175-pound forward went on to finish his pre-season tied for fifth in the WHL with four goals in four games, before joining up with his hometown Regina Pat Canadians midget AAA squad and posting five goals and 13 assists in eight contests.
“When I came back to midget I just tried to not take a gear off, just keep going, keep doing what I’m doing in practice and lead that into a game,” said Sillinger, whose Canadians were 4-1-1-2 entering Thursday’s game against the Saskatoon Contacts. “We have a solid group of guys this year. We’re a really strong team and we’ve been off to a hot start. We’ve kind of had a little rouble in overtime, we’ve had a couple losses here and there but we’re a strong team and things are just going uphill.”
Tigers head coach and general manager Shaun Clouston says the team has high expectations for Sillinger — the son of former NHLer Mike Sillinger. While he won’t be eligible to compete for a full-time role with the Tigers until next season, Clouston says he plans on getting him in as an affiliate a few times this season.
“It was our plan all along to keep him involved and get him some playing time during the regular season, so it just made sense,” said Clouston. “It’ll be an exciting night for him in front of his hometown and lots of friends and family.”
Clouston added winger Henrik Rybinski is questionable for tonight’s game, and defenceman Trevor Longo is not expected to suit up this weekend. The Tigers will be joined by newly acquired centre Logan Christensen — who was traded from the Saskatoon Blades to Medicine Hat in exchange for Gary Haden Thursday — in Regina, while call-up defenceman Damon Agyeman will remain with the team through the weekend.
“It was our plan all along to keep him involved and get him some playing time during the regular season...” – Shaun Clouston