Koehn Ziemmer was thinking about hunting, not hockey, when his phone rang.
It was the Los Angeles Kings calling the 18-year-old Prince George Cougars right winger to inform him they wanted him to sign an NHL contract.
“It’s a pretty surreal feeling,” said Ziemmer. “You play hockey your whole life dreaming of playing in the NHL one day, and this is one step closer for me. To sign on the dotted line is pretty cool.
“I was actually with my dad in the hunting section at Canadian Tire when I found out, so it was very exciting to go through that with him as well.”
Heading into tonight’s game in Langley against the Vancouver Giants, Ziemmer has seven goals and 18 assists for 24 points in 16 games with the Cats this season.
The Mayerthorpe, Alta., native, who turns 19 on Dec. 8, was chosen by the Kings in the third round of the 2023 NHL draft, 78th overall.
Listed at six-foot-one, 203 pounds, Ziemmer has 87 goals and 95 assists in 195 games over five WHL seasons. He’s coming off a 41-goal, 48-assist season in 2022-23.
He’s the second Cougar currently with the team to sign an NHL contract.
Goalie Ty Young signed with the Vancouver Canucks earlier this season.
