TWO TIGERS SELCETED IN NHL DRAFT

Medicine Hat, AB — The Medicine Hat Tigers are excited to announce that two members of the team have been selected in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft. To date 124 members of the Tigers have been selected in the yearly draft since 1972, with 25 of them being selected in the 1st round.

Cole Sillinger was the first Tabby to hear his name called when he was selected 12th overall by the Columbus Blue Jackets in the 1st round. Sillinger is the first Tiger taken in the first round of the NHL Draft since Hunter Shinkaruk was selected by the Vancouver Canucks in the 2013 draft. He also becomes the highest drafted player from Medicine Hat since Cam Barker was selected 3rd overall by the Chicago Blackhawks in 2004.

After an outstanding rookie year in the Western Hockey League, scoring 22 goals and adding 31 assists in 48 games. Sillinger played the 2020-2021 season in Sioux Falls on loan from the Tigers to the Stampede, where he went on to tally 24 goals and 22 assists in only 31 games, claiming the USHL’s Rookie of the Year Award.

Then on Saturday Dru Krebs was selected by the Washington Capitals in the 6th round, 176th overall. The 6′ tall Okotoks, Alberta product showed he has what it takes to be a top tier defender in the Western Hockey League during the COVID Shortened 2020-2021 season, when he was often matched up against the Central Divisions top forwards. Krebs registered 11 assists during the season, showing great vision and a knack for finding open players setting up scoring opportunities. The 18 year old blue liner has notched 24 points in 78 career games for the Orange and Black, with a career +5 rating.

Both Sillinger and Krebs were selected by the Tigers in the 2018 WHL Bantam Draft with Sillinger being the teams 1st round selection and Krebs being selected in the 2nd round.