Skyler Coates takes life one game at a time when it comes to hockey, but he appreciated being given a chance to showcase his skills on the big stage.
Coates and Lucas Robinson, two rookies with the Dennis GM Western Kings of the provincial major midget hockey setup, played in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League’s Prospects Game at the 2018 Monctonian AAA midget hockey challenge last weekend at the Red Ball Internet Centre.
The Prospects Game is an intense showdown between the top players in Atlantic Canada who are eligible for the 2018 Quebec Major Junior Hockey League Entry Draft.
Both guys suited up for Team White, but winning wasn’t in the cards as Team Blue chalked up a 7-0 win to claim bragging rights.
“It meant the world to me,” Coates said Tuesday of being asked to play in the game.
Coates is a speedy forward with a knack around the net. He plays the game hard and has been one of the most promising players coming up through the AAA program on the west coast.
He doesn’t look too far into the future when it comes to the game. He just focuses on the present and trying to be the best player he can be in trying to help the Kings win a championship.
He has two more years of major midget eligibility left so he’s in no hurry to decide what the future holds when he graduates from high school.
Coates is a native of Savage Cove, but made the move to Deer Lake when he realized it was in his best interest to be closer to the action if he wanted to take his game further.
He’s in no hurry to make big decisions about his future. He just wants to continue playing a game that makes him happy.
Robinson, on the other hand, is a two-way defenceman who was hoping his play caught the attention of major junior hockey scouts who were out in full force at the Monctonian all week.
“It was a good experience. It was great hockey,” Robinson said.
The five-foot-11 rearguard, whose brother Kyle is also a member of the Dennis GM Western Kings, wasn’t happy that Team White couldn’t find the scoresheet, but he felt good about the way he played in the game.
“It meant a lot to play in the game because there were over 30 teams there and to get selected out of that many players is pretty good,” Robinson said.
