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Kelowna Rocket gets tryout with NHL Sharks

KELOWNA, CANADA - FEBRUARY 20: Kyle Topping #24 of the Kelowna Rockets skates with the puck against the Prince George Cougars on February 20, 2018 at Prospera Place in Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada. (Photo by Marissa Baecker/Shoot the Breeze) *** Local Caption ***. Marissa Baecker

Kelowna Rockets forward Kyle Topping leaves Wednesday for the San Jose Sharks rookie camp on a free-agent tryout. 

Though he wasn’t selected in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft, Topping was contacted by the San Jose Sharks and offered a free-agent tryout to attend their rookie camp. 

“San Jose contacted my agency after the draft and expressed their interest and invited me to their development camp and rookie tournament. After talking with my agent he and I both felt it was the best opportunity for me,” Topping said. 

He leaves on Wednesday for San Jose, where he’ll take part in fitness testing. He’ll then play for the Sharks prospects team at an NHL rookie tournament in Las Vegas, running Saturday, September 8th – Tuesday, September 11th. 

“I’m super excited, and I can’t wait to get things going. It is going to be a great experience and I will learn a lot. I’m just going to try and play the way I can plan and take as much in as I can,” said Topping. 

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In 125 regular season WHL games, the Salt Spring Island, B.C. native has scored 36 goals while adding 58 assists for 94 points. 22 goals in 2017-2018 placed him fifth on the Rockets in goal scoring. He finished the season with 65 points putting him fifth in points on the Rockets roster as well. The speedy forward has also notched two goals and four assists for six points in 19 playoff games in his WHL career thus far, including two goals and three assists for five points in four post season games in the 2018 WHL Playoffs. Topping was originally selected by Kelowna in the 11th round, 226th overall in the 2014 WHL Bantam Draft.

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