Tigers forward Cole Sillinger playing with the USHL Sioux Falls Stampede (Photo courtesy of Sioux Falls Stampede / USHL)

By Scott Roblin

Future Teammates

Sillinger, Ceulemans selected together in first round by Blue Jackets

Jul 23, 2021 | 10:04 PM

COLUMBUS, OH – It may have seemed unlikely when the day began, but Medicine Hat Tigers forward Cole Sillinger and Brooks Bandits defender Corson Ceulemans may one day call each other teammates.

The pair were each selected by the Columbus Blue Jackets in Friday’s opening round of the 2021 NHL Draft, becoming prospects together.

Sillinger was the first local player off the board, nabbed by the Blue Jackets 12th overall to provide some scoring punch.

Last year on loan from the Tigers, Sillinger torched the USHL with the Sioux Falls Stampede for 24 goals and 46 points in 31 games.

He becomes the highest drafted Tiger since Cam Barker who went third overall in 2004 and is set to return to Medicine Hat next season.

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About an hour later, Columbus announced they would be selecting Ceulemans as their final pick of the first round.

Chosen 25th overall, Ceulemans played in eight games with the Bandits this past season while scoring four goals and 11 points.

Ceulemans also won a gold medal with Team Canada at the 2021 IIHF World U18 Hockey Championships and will be off to the University of Wisconsin in the fall.

This comes just four years after Cale Makar was selected from the Bandits program in the first round of the NHL Draft by the Colorado Avalanche.

Sillinger and Ceulemans were two of Columbus’ three picks on the night, choosing University of Michigan forward Kent Johnson fifth overall.

Johnson’s Michigan teammates Owen Power and Matthew Beniers went first and second overall to the Buffalo Sabres and expansion Seattle Kraken.