Rockets Draft Saskatoon Star in First Round
May 5, 2011 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Kelowna Rockets News Release
The Kelowna Rockets have selected a highly skilled centre with their first selection in the 2011 WHL bantam draft which is taking place in Calgary today.
With the 15th overall selection the Rockets picked Rourke Chartier from Saskatoon, SK. Chartier led the Saskatoon Bantam Contacts in the top Saskatchewan bantam league last season.
"We got a guy that is quite a dynamic little player," said Rockets director of player personnel Lorne Frey. "He's highly skilled, highly competitive, a great skater and he competes: All the things that you want in a hockey player. He will certainly be a fan favourite in Kelowna."
Chartier is listed at 5-foot-7 and 140 pounds but Frey said he wasn't the smallest player selected in the first round as the smaller skilled players attracted the attention of scouts around the league.
"They have him at 5-foot-7 but we think he has a chance to get to 5-foot-10 and if he does that he's going to be unbelievable," continued Frey. "He was too good of a player at this time to let go."
Frey said Chartier led his bantam team offensively and is moving up to the Saskatoon Contact midget AAA team which has produced many solid hockey players.
Chartier's style of play is something that really drew the attention of Rockets' scouts.
"He's exciting," said Frey. "He's the type of guy you pay to come to see. He has a great passion for the game. He can play all night long."
The Rockets and the rest of the WHL teams continue to draft players all day today at the annual bantam draft.
Watch www.kelownarockets.com for updates on Kelowna's draft picks throughout the day.
• Discuss this story on the Western Hockey League message board...
Western Hockey League Stories from May 5, 2011
- Victoria WHL Franchise Finishes First Bantam Draft with 10 Selections - Victoria Royals
- Rockets Replenish Prospects at WHL Draft - Kelowna Rockets
- Oil Kings Bolster Roster at 2011 WHL Bantam Draft - Edmonton Oil Kings
- Raiders Select 10 at 2011 Western Hockey League Bantam Draft - Prince Albert Raiders
- Chiefs Take MacMaster in 1st Round, 11 Total in Bantam Draft - Spokane Chiefs
- 'Tips Select 10 Players at WHL Bantam Draft - Everett Silvertips
- Made in the USA: Seven U.S. Players Highlight Americans 2011 WHL Bantam Draft - Tri-City Americans
- Broncos Acquire 12 at 2011 WHL Bantam Draft - Swift Current Broncos
- Blades Select Ryan Pruden in the 13th Round - Saskatoon Blades
- Blades Select Cody Young in the 12th Round - Saskatoon Blades
- Blades Select Evan Polei in the 11th Round - Saskatoon Blades
- Blades Select Wyatt Hinson in the 10th Round - Saskatoon Blades
- Ice Select 14 Players in the Draft - Kootenay Ice
- T-Birds Take Left Wing Ryan Gropp with First Round Pick - Seattle Thunderbirds
- 2011 WHL Bantam Draft Final Results - WHL
- Vancouver Giants 2011 WHL Bantam Draft Recap - Vancouver Giants
- Blades Select Sebastien Barrette in the 10th Round - Saskatoon Blades
- 30 Manitobans Chosen in Bantam Draft - Brandon Wheat Kings
- Brandon Drafts 12 - Brandon Wheat Kings
- Tigers 2011 WHL Bantam Draft Selections Announced - Medicine Hat Tigers
- Pats Make a Splash on Draft Day - Regina Pats
- Blazers Select 11 Players in 2011 WHL Bantam Draft - Kamloops Blazers
- Cougars Select Forward Francis Bamford in Eleventh Round of 2011 WHL Bantam Draft - Prince George Cougars
- Warriors Wrap up 2011 Draft - Moose Jaw Warriors
- Blades Select Kaelan Wall in the Ninth Round - Saskatoon Blades
- Cougars Select Defenceman Sam Houston in 10th Round of 2011 WHL Bantam Draft - Prince George Cougars
- Become a Billet for the New Victoria WHL Team - Victoria Royals
- Cowen Joins Binghamton of AHL - Spokane Chiefs
- Calgary Hitmen Select 10 Players in 2011 WHL Bantam Draft - Calgary Hitmen
- Raiders Select Lance Yaremchuk, Taran Lacquette and Kevin Yasinski - Prince Albert Raiders
- Cougars Select Goaltender Ty Edmonds in Ninth Round at 2011 WHL Bantam Draft - Prince George Cougars
- Cougars Select Forward Mitchell Lipon in Seventh Round at 2011 WHL Bantam Draft - Prince George Cougars
- Cougars Select Forward Mitchell Lipon in Seventh Round at 2011 WHL Bantam Draft - Prince George Cougars
- Victoria WHL Franchise Adds Four More through Draft - Victoria Royals
- Blades Select Clayton Kirichenko in Seventh Round - Saskatoon Blades
- Blades Select Nick Gomerich in Sixth Round - Saskatoon Blades
- Blades Select Ross Hnidy in the Sixth Round - Saskatoon Blades
- Cougars Select Defenceman Ben Sowa in Sixth Round at 2011 WHL Bantam Draft - Prince George Cougars
- Raiders Make 4th Round Selections - Prince Albert Raiders
- Calgary Hitmen Select Ryan Duret in Sixth Round of 2011 WHL Bantam Draft - Calgary Hitmen
- Blades Select Ryan Rewerts in the Fifth Round - Saskatoon Blades
- Blades Select Ryan Graham in the Fifth Round - Saskatoon Blades
- 5 Rounds Complete - Brandon Wheat Kings
- Oil Kings Select Local Prospect in First Found of WHL Draft - Edmonton Oil Kings
- Raiders Select Tim Vanstone, Rylan Parenteau and Landon Welykholowa - Prince Albert Raiders
- Cougars Select Defenceman Sam Ruopp in Fourth Round at 2011 WHL Bantam Draft - Prince George Cougars
- Calgary Hitmen Select Chase Lang and Logan Franz in Fifth Round of 2011 WHL Bantam Draft - Calgary Hitmen
- Blades Select Nelson Nogier In Fourth Round - Saskatoon Blades
- Cougars Select Forward Carson Bolduc in Third Round at 2011 WHL Bantam Draft - Prince George Cougars
- Blades Select Landon Hickmott as Their First Pick in 2011 WHL Bantam Draft - Saskatoon Blades
- WHL Draft Update - Brandon Wheat Kings
- Calgary Hitmen Select Ben Thomas and Braden Oleksyn in Third Round of 2011 WHL Bantam Draft - Calgary Hitmen
- Warriors Select Uhrich 33rd Overall - Moose Jaw Warriors
- Pats Trade 1st Round Pick - Regina Pats
- Calgary Hitmen Select Josh Thrower in Second Round of 2011 WHL Bantam Draft - Calgary Hitmen
- Rockets Draft Saskatoon Star in First Round - Kelowna Rockets
- Broncos Acquire Martin and Gonek in First Round - Swift Current Broncos
- Joe Hicketts Named First Bantam Draft Pick of Victoria WHL Franchise - Victoria Royals
- Blazers Select Defenseman Jordan Thomson 4th Overall - Kamloops Blazers
- Wheat Kings Choose Two In Round 1 Of Bantam Draft - Brandon Wheat Kings
- Canes Select Pilon and Duke in First Round of 2011 Bantam Draft - Lethbridge Hurricanes
- Vancouver Giants Select Thomas Foster in 1st Round of WHL Bantam Draft - Vancouver Giants
- Warriors Select Warkentine 16th Overall - Moose Jaw Warriors
- Jake Virtanen Selected First Overall in 2011 WHL Bantam Draft by Calgary Hitmen - WHL
- Raiders Select Reid Gardiner 8th Overall - Prince Albert Raiders
- Ice Select Forward - Kootenay Ice
- Warriors Select Point 14th Overall - Moose Jaw Warriors
- Cougars Select Defenceman Jordan Harris 10th Overall at 2011 WHL Bantam Draft - Prince George Cougars
- Blazers Select Jordan Thomson 4th Overall - Kamloops Blazers
- Calgary Hitmen Select Jake Virtanen First Overall in 2011 WHL Bantam Draft - Calgary Hitmen
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
