As Lorne Frey and every other player personnel director is likely to tell you, evaluating bantam-aged hockey players is an inexact science. A Western Hockey League team91裸聊视频檚 top draft picks don91裸聊视频檛 always turn into franchise players. Conversely, prospects chosen in the later rounds can, with a little good fortune, develop into top-end talent. The have seen the latter happen in recent years, with players like Brett Bulmer (11th round, 2007), Damon Severson (9th round, 2009), Lucas Johansen (6th round, 2012) and Kyle Topping (11th round, 2014) all exceeding expectations.
As is the case at every year at Kelowna Rockets91裸聊视频� rookie camp, Frey and his scouting staff are once again seeing some surprises this week, both from drafted and non-drafted players.
Among the more intriguing late-round prospects at camp is forward Stephen Kesselring, a ninth-round choice from Viceroy, Sask., who played bantam AA last season in Weyburn.
91裸聊视频淗e91裸聊视频檚 probably been a bit of a surprise here, he didn91裸聊视频檛 play on a good team last year but he was their leading point-getter and he just keeps getting better, every time he91裸聊视频檚 on the ice,91裸聊视频� Frey said of Kesselring, who will play this season with the Moose Jaw Warriors midget AAA program. 91裸聊视频淚t looks like he91裸聊视频檚 grown a couple of inches since the spring and he91裸聊视频檚 been really good here.
91裸聊视频淲e think his upside is huge, we might have got a little lucky there. In another year or two, we91裸聊视频檒l know.91裸聊视频�
Kesselring, 15, who wasn91裸聊视频檛 certain he91裸聊视频檇 be chosen in this spring91裸聊视频檚 bantam draft, was thrilled when the Rockets called his name in the ninth round. Still, the young forward knows being drafted is simply a small, first step in what he hopes will one day lead to a long and productive career with the Rockets.
91裸聊视频淚 think they91裸聊视频檙e a good organization and I91裸聊视频檇 definitely like to play one day here if I could,91裸聊视频� Kesselring said after a practise session on Wednesday at Prospera Place. 91裸聊视频淚 don91裸聊视频檛 think it really matters where I was drafted, I just think it91裸聊视频檚 important to make a good first impression, work hard and see what happens.91裸聊视频�
As for the club91裸聊视频檚 first three picks in the 2017 draft, centres Ethan Bowen (Chilliwack), Ethan Ernst (Weyburn, SK) and Cole Carrier (Edmonton), Frey said all have come to camp as advertised.
91裸聊视频淭hey91裸聊视频檝e all been good,91裸聊视频� Frey said. 91裸聊视频淏owen91裸聊视频檚 been really good, Ernst has been outstanding and so has Cole Carrier. They91裸聊视频檙e all highly-skilled, good skaters and competitive, so we91裸聊视频檙e very confident in the abilities of all three and where they91裸聊视频檒l all progress to in a year or two.91裸聊视频�
Bowen, Kelowna91裸聊视频檚 first choice in the draft (39th overall), made a verbal commitment this spring to the BCHL91裸聊视频檚 Chilliwack Chiefs and the NCAA91裸聊视频檚 University of North Dakota Fighting Hawks, but accepted an invitation to attend this week91裸聊视频檚 rookie camp.
91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檙e happy that he91裸聊视频檚 here,91裸聊视频� Frey said of Bowen, who played at Yale Academy last season. 91裸聊视频淲e know he has options out there and we91裸聊视频檙e going to try and sell him on our program.91裸聊视频�
Bowen and the rest of the 2017 draft class will be invited to stay on for the team91裸聊视频檚 main training camp which begins Saturday at Prospera Place.
