Kelowna Rockets Ready For Draft
Published on April 27, 2010 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Kelowna Rockets News Release
The Kelowna Rockets along with every other WHL team is converging on Edmonton this week for the league's annual WHL bantam draft and awards ceremony.
The Rockets will be picking 9th overall in the draft which begins Thursday morning at 8 a.m. in Edmonton. After the first round, GM's will take a short break before the draft continues, wrapping up in the afternoon after each team finishes picking.
The Rockets will be looking to continue a tradition of solid selections at the draft.
"Our goal every year is to pick the best player available," said Rockets president/general manager Bruce Hamilton. "Traditionally we have taken a defenceman with our first pick unless there is a dynamic forward available."
In 2006, the Rockets selected Tyson Barrie in the first round. This year the electrifying blueliner is nominated as the WHL Western Conference defenceman of the year.
With this year's first pick, the Rockets are keying on several different players.
"When you pick where we are picking I don't think we have a real good idea about who will be available," said Hamilton. "There are three or four guys we are looking at."
As he has been since the Rockets arrived in Kelowna (and before), head scout Lorne Frey will be manning the Rockets draft. Throughout the year Frey and his crew of scouts watched hockey in hundreds upon hundreds of rinks looking for the best fit for the team.
Hamilton says he has confidence in his scouting staff to make the right selections.
"My involvement is to be support for our scouts," said Hamilton. "I want them to take the best player no matter where they are from. Then it's my job to go and get them to come here."
While the draft is Thursday, the awards banquet is Wednesday night. Barrie, along wth Shane McColgan (rookie) and Spencer Main (academic) are all nominated for WHL awards.
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