Cobe Perlinger isn’t the first Portland Winterhawks Neely Cup champion to come from a small town in the prairies of Canada, but the native of Kindersley, Saskatchewan, may have the most unique story.
Hockey is a family sport; look no further than Hudson and Griffin Darby to see how many siblings will go to the rink together. Cobe, however, has played his whole life with his twin brother Cam. While Cobe said neither has a defined role as a scorer or playmaker like the Vancouver Canucks’ Sedin twins, Cobe ended with 22 goals, and Cam had 30 assists this past year.
Undrafted in the WHL, Cobe went to Regina’s camp last year before being listed by Portland around November.
Undaunted, he kept his focus on the ice and led his team in goal-scoring and points. This work was rewarded by being the only undrafted player in WHL territory to represent his province at the 2023 Canada Winter Games.
This is a tournament held every four years as a way to prepare young Canadians for Olympic-style competitions in the future. The 2023 games covered 21 sports, with 3,600 athletes competing from all over the country.
The Winterhawks’ first three draft picks, Graham Jones, Kyle McDonough, and Ryan Miller, also participated in the event.
Despite being at a population disadvantage to the larger provinces like Ontario, Quebec, and British Columbia, Saskatchewan nonetheless ended up winning silver, with Perlinger playing an energy role for the forward group.
Being the only player without a draft number attached to his name may have fazed other players, but Cobe brushed it aside, saying, “I adapted to it through the year. The coaches and players knew what I could bring from playing in the same league as them.”
The tournament also put him on a stage that few get to experience at such a young age, as the gold medal game against Quebec was played in front of a sold-out crowd in the home rink of the QMJHL’s Charlottetown Islanders. “It’s probably one of the greatest games I’ll ever play in,” Perlinger said.
For the Neely Cup, he quickly found chemistry with Diego Buttazzoni. “We both play a fast-paced game, get to the middle of the ice and find the open player,” Perlinger said.
For his efforts, Cobe ended training camp with four goals while Buttazzoni won the scoring title with six, with each player having multiple assists to the other. Perlinger’s ability to process the play and make quick decisions with the puck was on display throughout the tournament.
Perlinger says he’ll return home with more confidence from training camp, and while his WHL future is uncertain as a listed player without a scholarship agreement, he has shown that winning follows him around throughout his journeys.
