WHL Kamloops Blazers

Blazers wrap up draft

Published on April 29, 2004 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Kamloops Blazers News Release


KAMLOOPS, BC - The Kamloops Blazers made a draft-day deal with the Brandon Wheat Kings, trading the 11th overall selection to Brandon in exchange for the 16th overall pick, which Brandon had acquired earlier from Red Deer. The Blazers also acquired the 64th and 94th overall picks from the Wheat Kings in the deal, giving the Blazers an additional 4th round pick plus a 5th round selection.

With the 16th pick overall, the Blazers selected forward Travis Dunstall from Onoway, AB. Dunstall, a 5-foot-11, 165-pound left-winger, played bantam AAA hockey last season in Fort Saskatchewan. Dunstall scored a league-leading 58 goals, plus 20 assists, in 35 games with the Western Canadian Champion Rangers. At Westerns, Dunstall notched a hat trick in the Gold Medal game, a 6-5 win over Winnipeg.

With their second pick, the Blazers chose forward Cody Bogner from Edmonton, AB, 31st overall. Bogner, a 6-foot-3, 180-pound right-winger, scored 25 goals and 50 points, plus 100 penalty minutes in 36 games with the Maple Leaf Athletic Club Bantam AAA's in 2003-04. Bogner led MLAC in goals, assists, and PIM last season.

Both Bogner and Dunstall represented the North Division at the Alberta Major Bantam All-Star Game in Medicine Hat.

With their third pick, 64th overall in the 4th round, the Blazers selected 6-foot-3, 200-pound defenseman Chris Favero from the Langley Bantam AAA Eagles. Favero is the youngest player taken in the 2004 draft, with a birthday of December 27th, 1989. Favero took part in the 2004 Kamloops International Bantam Ice Hockey Tournament.

Also in the 4th round, 71st overall, the Blazers added forward C.J. Stretch from Irvine, CA. Stretch played for the California Wave Bantam AAA club, which claimed first place at the 2004 KIBIHT in April. Stretch scored 5 goals and 9 assists in the tourney and was named the Wave's Player of the Game in the Championship Final against the North Shore Winter Club.

For the first time since 1997, the Kamloops Blazers selected a Kamloops Minor Hockey product in the WHL Bantam Draft. Today, the Blazers chose Collin Lidster of the Jardine Blazers in the 5th round, 94th overall. Lidster, a 5-foot-11, 160-pound right-winger, is the son of former NHLer and Kamloops native Doug Lidster.

In today's 6th round, the Blazers selected defenseman Garrett Thiessen from the Prince George Bantam AAA Cougars. Thiessen, a 6-foot, 190-pound blueliner, was the Cougars' captain in 2003-04.

The Blazers made centre Jim O'Brien their 8th round pick, 151st overall. O'Brien, a native of Lake Angelus, MN, spent last season with Detroit Little Caesars Midget AAA.

In the 9th round, the Blazers selected Garrett Bailey of the Martensville Bantam AA Marauders 171st overall. Bailey, a 5-foot-10, 135-pound centre from Vanscoy, SK, scored 23 goals and 59 points in 42 games in 2003-04.

In round 10, the Blazers selected defenseman Alex McKinnon of Deloraine, MB 191st overall.

The 11th round saw the Blazers select goaltender Kurt Kramer out of Richmond 211th overall.

The Blazers selected Garden Grove, CA, defenseman Kevin Kraus in the 12th round, 231st overall.

Check out the Kamloops Blazers Statistics

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Western Hockey League Stories from April 29, 2004


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