February 10, 2012
Posted in BC Edition, Minor
BY MARK JANZEN /
For Dustin Sylvester, remembering his 2003/04 Bantam season is something he fondly enjoys.
“It was probably one of the highlights of my career,” said the 5-6, 174-pound centre, who is currently playing with the AHL’s Abbotsford Heat.
That year, playing for Kelowna Minor Hockey, Sylvester and his Bantam AAA team – one that included former first round NHL Draft pick and current Rockford IceHogs forward Kyle Beach – won the B.C. Provincial Championship by upsetting the top ranked North Shore Winter Club 7-4 in the championship game.
“Winning the provincial championship was obviously a big thing, especially in Kelowna because we hadn’t won it in so many years,” Sylvester said. “And to beat North Shore, a team that was expected to win everything, it was a pretty neat experience for sure.”
Sylvester’s Kelowna team went on to represent B.C. at the Western Canadian Bantam Championship where Sylverster was named to the tournament all-star team after collecting two goals and five assists in five games en route to a fourth place finish.
And it wasn’t long after Sylvester’s elongated season came to an end that Hockey Now announced the Kelowna-groomed product was the Minor Hockey Player of the Year.
“Personally, I had a really good year and was able to play with some pretty good players,” Sylvester said.
And after his season and his following accolades were behind him, he was selected 33rd in the WHL Draft by Kootenay.
“Anytime you win something like [provincials] you’re obviously going to get noticed,” Sylvester said. “I think that helped me get drafted where I did in the Western league.”
After a year playing Junior B hockey with Sicamous of the KIJHL, Sylvester cracked the Kootenay squad but as a 16-year-old it was a difficult year for the Theoren Fleury-sized forward. After getting just six points in 58 games in 2005/06, the following year he caught on to the pace of the WHL and put up 42 points in 72 games. And by the end of his five-year Junior career, he had tallied 111 goals and 141 assists, including a 93-point season as a 20-year-old.
“I played with some great players and in my last year I put my best foot forward to help me get to where I am today,” Sylvester said.
After his final year of Junior hockey, he tried out for Tampa Bay that summer but wasn’t offered a contract. So, after weighing his next move, he ended up deciding to head overseas.
Sylvester signed a contract with Freiburg EHC, a second division German team. While in Europe, he led his German club in scoring with 34 goals and 26 assists in 48 games. With those numbers, he was able to return to North America, where he signed with Abbotsford this past summer.
“I had a lot of fun over there…and I had a good year…and I don’t regret going there but I’m happy to be back here,” Sylvester said.
So is the Heat.
In 37 games, he’s put up a respectable nine goals and 10 assists.
And with this being only his second year removed from the junior hockey ranks, he’s only getting started.
From December 2011 to July 2012, Hockey Now features past recipients of our Minor Hockey Player Achievement Award, leading up to the announcement of our next winner, in July.
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Comments
very proud of you dustin keep up the good work and everythin will fall into place for iyou
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