New Silvertip Ty Kolle excited to join contender

EVERETT — There’s a developing tradition amongst players that are traded from the Regina Pats to the Everett Silvertips.

When you arrive in Everett, no matter what you donned before, you wear No. 90.

Nearly a year after Robbie Holmes was traded to Everett from Regina, newly acquired winger Ty Kolle donned the No. 90 on top of his helmet for his first practice with the team on Tuesday.

It’s something he’s sticking with after receiving Holmes’ blessing on his way out of town after learning he’d been traded to Everett.

“Me and Robbie were together about 16 hours a day, so we hung out a lot,” Kolle said. “He lived right down the road from me and I drove him around everywhere and we grew really close.

“So when I got traded here, he told me to wear 90.”

Perhaps, it’s a good omen that Kolle is adopting No. 90, as Holmes was a strong contributor in his half-season with Everett after being acquired on trade deadline day, particularly in the playoffs with his rugged, physical play and his four goals and eight points in 10 games.

Kolle isn’t the type of player Holmes is. At 5-foot-7, Kolle is a diminutive, yet skilled forward with some speed and deceptive strength, but figures to slot in as a top-six forward on the left side, like Holmes.

“I think he can play both ends of the ice well,” Silvertips head coach Dennis Williams said. “He’s obviously been around some good programs being in Portland, Lethbridge and Regina, so he’s got a wealth of experience and knowledge in the league and a guy that’s seen what it takes to win in this league and in this division.”

As Williams alluded to, Kolle has been a bit of a journeyman during his WHL career. Everett will be his fourth team in two years.

Kolle started his career with Portland after being taken in the fourth round of the 2015 bantam draft, but was traded to Lethbridge for a fifth-round pick.

The Kamloops, British Columbia, native was in Lethbridge for merely a cup of coffee, playing 17 games for the Hurricanes before being part of a four-play, seven-pick trade that brought Jake Leschyshyn and Nick Henry to Lethbridge.

Being traded around isn’t a negative from Everett’s perspective.

“In the second half of the year, you can’t put a price tag on experience,” Williams said. “He’s been through a lot and I think having him here will definitely help out with our top nine and give us some balance down the wing.”

Kolle spent parts of two seasons with the Pats before being traded yet again, something he said he had a hunch about when the season started.

“When I got to Regina, it was more of a rebuild-type environment,” Kolle said. “We had to accept losing (last year) and then this year we were hoping for a bit better. We did do a little better, but we weren’t anywhere near Everett obviously, and when I got the call I was super stoked that I’d be coming here.”

Playing for a contender is a welcome caveat to his third trade in his WHL career. So is being back in the U.S. Division and playing against the Winterhawks, something he’s excited for after being in the Eastern Conference the past few years — the Silvertips and Winterhawks play five more times this season.

It also won’t take long for Kolle to play against his most recent team, as Regina travels to Everett on Sunday for a 4 p.m. puck drop.

Josh Horton covers the Silvertips for the Herald. Follow him on Twitter, @JoshHortonEDH