Team Canada White forward Cole Sillinger levels Team U.S.A. defenceman Roman Schmidt at the blue line during the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge semifinals on Nov. 8, 2019 at the Canalta Centre.--NEWS FILE PHOTO
rmccracken@medicinehatnews.com@MHNMcCracken
Cole Sillinger is keeping busy.
With so much uncertainty in the sports world as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the 17-year-old Medicine Hat Tigers forward says he isn’t sure when he’ll be back on the ice in the Gas City, but he’s been training as though the season will be kicking off as usual.
“I’m trying to stay focused and determined as much as I can, and preparing myself for a normal season,” said Sillinger, who had 22 goals and 31 assists in 48 games as a rookie with the Tigers this season. “I think that’s helped me and once the season starts it’s going to benefit my game.”
Sillinger was recognized last week as one of 46 players who would have been invited to compete for a spot on Team Canada’s roster at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup – which was scheduled for Aug. 3-8 in Edmonton and Red Deer, but has been cancelled due to the pandemic. While Sillinger admits it’s a boost of confidence and a nice feather in his cap, it’s still disappointing to know he won’t be playing for international gold this summer.
“The recognition is nice. It’s a nice thing for Hockey Canada to announce that but it would have been nice to play those games and actually compete for my country,” said Sillinger. “It’s just tough with everything going on right now. You see the guys who are a year older than me, in their draft year, and their draft is getting pushed back. Even the NHL is pushed back. It’s just kind of going that way for everyone right now.”
But that hasn’t stopped Sillinger from keeping his nose to the grindstone with his own draft year around the corner. The 6-foot, 187-pound forward – and son of former NHLer Mike Sillinger – says he spent the earlier days of the pandemic training in his home gym, which has allowed him to work on his shot while building strength and conditioning.
“I’ve been pretty fortunate to have a good home gym and a good area to shoot some pucks and kind of just enjoy the off-season,” he said, adding he’s been able to take his training out of the house in recent weeks. “My gym has opened up so I’ve been getting in there as much as I can. It’s basically just kind of been a normal training summer for myself. I’m lucky to have everything I have.”
Sillinger added his brothers, 19-year-old Lukas and 22-year-old Owen, have been training alongside him throughout the extended off-season. Lukas and Owen will be competing together at Bemidji State University in Minnesota next season, so Sillinger says they’ve all been pushing each other to bring out their best when the opportunity to return to the ice finally arises.
“We train together at home, and even when the gyms opened up we have a little group together,” he said. “We’ve been going in every day and battling each other, it’s been good.”
Sillinger’s next opportunity to compete with Team Canada’s under-18 program will be the 2021 IIHF U18 World Championship, scheduled for next spring in a host city still to be named. Sillinger got a taste of the international stage at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge in Medicine Hat last November – where he logged five goals and in six games with Team Canada White – and says Canada’s 2003-born group is overflowing with talent.
“Right from our goalies to our defence to our forwards, I think we’re the strongest group at any time. When you get to put on the Canada sweater you always feel like you have a chance to win because we’re that strong,” he said. “I think it just makes you want to push yourself that much harder and try to just learn from those guys, learn from the coaching and just learn from everyone. Everyone at that event is top notch at what they do – whether they’re a coach or a trainer or something – so I just tried to learn from them and make myself an overall better player so I can hopefully get invites back to those events.”
