100 games in the blue, red and white

The Cochrane Generals recently saluted defenceman Zach Wilkins on his 100th game.

There was a brief fanfare when #23 stepped on to ice for a home game against the Okotoks Bisons on Oct. 18.

Zach Wilkins was saluted for playing his 100th game as a Cochrane General.

Wilkins, 20, is in his final season with the Gens and came to the team from Calgary's northeast that has provided many talented players in recent years.

Former captain Tristin Ripplinger, is a good friend of Wilkins, encouraged him and others to come enjoy the special culture of the junior club. Andrew Guss, Brendan Thubron, and Jordan Butz were among the others came to take a look and made the cut. Guss remains with the club as an assistant coach.

"I think it was pretty special coming out here in my first years. It was a lot of take in, honestly, looking back at all the memories and good times we've had."

"I think it's the culture," he says. "We've always been huge on being a team, and being positive, and doing the right thing "

Wilkins is a pure defenceman who stays back to take care of the fort, although the odd time he does escape the mode.

Former Gens head coach Kurtis Jones remembers Wilkins' try out and says they didn't know much about him until he hit the ice.

"The we watched him, and he was a very mobile, steady guy that can move the puck around and skated well, so we brought him in. He was very young, he had a big learning curve, and then off to the race we went."

Wilkins may seem mild-mannered in the public, but he plays a very different role in the Gens dressing room.

"He's a good fit and a good leader for everybody in that group and he's always got a smile on his face," says Jones. "Even in the hard times he comes to the arena ready to go."

"I would say he's probably the face of the dressing room," says Jones. "He always comes to the rink playing jokes. Wilkins and (Evan) Judge are probably the two guys that are the morale of the group and keep it going. They're the jokesters."

Judge, by the way, is also from northeast Calgary minor hockey.

To salute his contribution to the team, Wilkins was named first star in the Oct. 18 home game.

As of now, Wilkins has played 118 games as a Gen when you include his 15 playoff games.

Wilkins says there's plenty of season ahead. The Gens are continuing to gel and determined to make a playoff run.

The Gens are at home on Saturday night against the Ponoka Stampeders. The puck drops at 8:15 p.m.