Miguel Marques is living on cloud nine these days.
The 15-year-old PG hockey player suited up in his first Western Hockey League game with the Lethbridge Hurricanes on Friday against the Red Deer Rebels after going 10th overall in the Prospects Draft.
In an interview with MyPGNow.com Marques stated it was pretty surreal.
“It was pretty nerve-wracking playing my first WHL game, playing against 20-year-olds as I am five years younger. I got comfortable right away and I am ready to play in that league and go back whenever I can.”
.@miguelmarques88 with his first break of the game; check out that speed! #WHLCanes #YQL pic.twitter.com/8BpCZo2jn1
— Lethbridge Hurricanes (@WHLHurricanes) December 11, 2021
Like the majority of draft-eligible kids, Marques was on pins and needles closely watching where he might end up.
“I didn’t really know where I was going to go at all and then Lethbridge called my name so I was super-pumped to go there. Then they called me after the draft saying they wanted to fly me up and I was a bit shocked not knowing I was going to play after the draft. I signed I headed down and all the boys reached out to me so I was getting comfortable right away.”
Once game time rolled around, the pre-game jitters quickly vanished thanks to the organizational support.
“I was able to walk in the room and the guys were excited to meet me, I was excited to see them too. We have a great facility down there, great fans and I got to play in my first game.”
“It’s a huge honour to be picked 10th overall. They have a great staff that made me feel really comfortable in that room and gave me a lot of confidence and they kept telling me to play my game and I had nothing to worry about.”
The 15-year-old is looking to become the next great one to come out of the northern capital. Marques is the highest-drafted PG-born player to be selected by a WHL team since Brett Connolly (10th overall in 2007 WHL Bantam Draft) who not only starred with the Cougars but also won a Stanley Cup with the Washington Capitals.
Marques is no stranger to lighting the lamp either.
He played for the Cariboo Cougars U-15 AAA program during the 2019-20 season where he amassed 42 points in 26 games.
Once the pandemic hit, Marques and his family pursued other options and elected to attend St. George’s Prep School in Vancouver where he posted 15 points in six games.
This year, the PG product is lighting up the Canadian Sport School Hockey League with 64 points in 16 games this season with the Delta Hockey Academy’s U-17 prep team.
(less than) 48 hours in the life of Miguel Marques:
Thursday: drafted by @WHLHurricanes
Friday afternoon: signs with @WHLHurricanes
Friday night, ~16 minutes into his @WHLHurricanes career: comes [ ] this close to scoring! pic.twitter.com/QfXynVWChl
— The WHL (@TheWHL) December 11, 2021
Something going on in the Prince George area you think people should know about?
Send us a news tip by emailing [email protected].
