Theo Hill is going from the sheep to the Blues.
Article content
Theo Hill is going from the sheep to the Blues.
Advertising 2
Article content
The Sarnia Sting overage forward is preparing for St. Louis’s training camp after working all summer on the family farm in Selkirk, Ont.
“We’ve got 150 sheep or so,” Hill said. “It keeps me busy.
“I’m working the fields and feeding the sheep every day, collecting the eggs, all that kind of stuff.”
Hill, 20, also spent a lot of hours in the gym getting ready for his final season in the Ontario Hockey League.
He’s coming off a breakthrough season in which he set career-highs with 21 goals and 32 assists in 67 games. He ranked second on the Sting in assists and fourth in goals and points (53).
Those numbers earned him an invitation to the Blues’ prospect camp in July. It was his first NHL camp.
“It was really good. A good experience,” said Hill, who’s from Six Nations. “The on-ice stuff and off-ice stuff were really hard, so it was good development.”
Advertising 3
Article content
Former Sting teammates Brayden Guy and Ryan Roth were also at the prospect camp, but Hill was able to see a lot of new faces as well.
“You’re meeting guys that are playing (NCAA) DI and from all over,” he said. “It’s good to compare yourself and see the skill that you need to make it to the next level.”
Hill played so well, the Blues want to see him again this month.
“I thought I did pretty well myself, but I don’t like bragging,” he said with a laugh.
He’ll be on the Blues’ roster for the annual NHL Prospect Tournament from Sept. 15 to 19 in Traverse City, Mich.
The six-foot, 175-pound Hill learned a lot at the Blues’ prospect camp he hopes will pay off this season.
“All the little things, like coming in every day and being like a pro. You learn a lot like that,” he said. “You’ve got everything you need there. You’ve got all the facilities and they make you good food as well.
Advertising 4
Article content
“It’s just stepping in to that pro lifestyle and taking off with it.”
On Friday, Hill scored for Team Black in a 5-4 shootout loss to Team White in the Sting’s annual intrasquad game at Progressive Auto Sales Arena.
Camp began earlier in the week with four overagers still on the Sting’s roster. Forward Nolan Burke and defensemen Nolan Dillingham and Ethan Ritchie are the others.
OHL teams can dress only three, so the Sting will be saying goodbye to one overager soon.
“We know what’s at stake and everyone’s trying to fight for their spots,” Hill said. “We’re all best buddies, too, so we’re just taking it day by day and see how it goes.”
Marko Sikic of Team White and Tyson Doucette of Team Black each scored twice in regulation Friday. First-round draft pick Porter Martone scored the shootout winner.