SWINDON head coach Ryan Aldridge is full of pride over the splash former Wildcats player Paul Swindlehurst is making across the pond.

Swindlehurst, who featured for the Cats for two seasons between 2011 and 2013, is continuing his rapid rise after moving on to Elite League outfit Dundee Stars at the beginning of last season.

The 21-year-old is now on trial with NHL side Chicago Blackhawks and is one of only seven defenders in a 23-man squad for next month’s three-game rookie tournament against the Toronto Maple Leafs, Pittsburgh Penguins and Ottawa Senators.

Swindlehurst, who won his first GB cap in April’s World Championship, spent two seasons playing in North America as a teenager before heading to the Link Centre and was last season’s Young Player of the Year.

Aldridge is not surprised to see the youngster being propelled into the limelight and believes he has the characteristics to make it where so many have failed before him.

“Obviously it is great for him. He is a great lad and a very talented hockey player,” he said.

“It will be great for British hockey as a whole really; if there is a guy who plays in America on a regular basis, it’s huge.

“He was very young then (when he played under Aldridge) but he was very good with the stick. He’s not very aggressive with his body but he is very smart with the stick and moves the puck well, so he has probably got something different to a lot of the guys over there.

“He has always been a good hockey player. To tell you that he would have made it in America, we could never have foreseen that, but the step up to the Elite League was a good one and he obviously proved his worth up there. And now someone has given him the opportunity and he has gone for that.

“He is very keen on making it work out there and he is going to do everything in his power to do that,so we wish him all the luck.

“Not many British players make it in America. They all come home because it ends up being too tough at that level. The ones that stay can get bounced around teams a little bit but he is determined to stick it out. Hopefully he will and take his chance.”

Aldridge’s Wildcats play host to the Peterborough Phantoms this Saturday before heading to the Telford Tigers on Sunday, for the second time in two weeks.

The Cats will be looking for payback at the Link Centre after suffering only their second defeat on the road this season at the hands of the Phantoms on Sunday.

“After last week’s performance we started a little bit slow and the plan wasn’t right from the start, so we will definitely be ready for them on Saturday night, that’s for sure,” added Aldridge.