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 team害羞草研究所檚 top draft picks don害羞草研究所檛 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 Rockets害羞草研究所� 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.
害羞草研究所淗e害羞草研究所檚 probably been a bit of a surprise here, he didn害羞草研究所檛 play on a good team last year but he was their leading point-getter and he just keeps getting better, every time he害羞草研究所檚 on the ice,害羞草研究所� Frey said of Kesselring, who will play this season with the Moose Jaw Warriors midget AAA program. 害羞草研究所淚t looks like he害羞草研究所檚 grown a couple of inches since the spring and he害羞草研究所檚 been really good here.
害羞草研究所淲e think his upside is huge, we might have got a little lucky there. In another year or two, we害羞草研究所檒l know.害羞草研究所�
Kesselring, 15, who wasn害羞草研究所檛 certain he害羞草研究所檇 be chosen in this spring害羞草研究所檚 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.
害羞草研究所淚 think they害羞草研究所檙e a good organization and I害羞草研究所檇 definitely like to play one day here if I could,害羞草研究所� Kesselring said after a practise session on Wednesday at Prospera Place. 害羞草研究所淚 don害羞草研究所檛 think it really matters where I was drafted, I just think it害羞草研究所檚 important to make a good first impression, work hard and see what happens.害羞草研究所�
As for the club害羞草研究所檚 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.
害羞草研究所淭hey害羞草研究所檝e all been good,害羞草研究所� Frey said. 害羞草研究所淏owen害羞草研究所檚 been really good, Ernst has been outstanding and so has Cole Carrier. They害羞草研究所檙e all highly-skilled, good skaters and competitive, so we害羞草研究所檙e very confident in the abilities of all three and where they害羞草研究所檒l all progress to in a year or two.害羞草研究所�
Bowen, Kelowna害羞草研究所檚 first choice in the draft (39th overall), made a verbal commitment this spring to the BCHL害羞草研究所檚 Chilliwack Chiefs and the NCAA害羞草研究所檚 University of North Dakota Fighting Hawks, but accepted an invitation to attend this week害羞草研究所檚 rookie camp.
害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e happy that he害羞草研究所檚 here,害羞草研究所� Frey said of Bowen, who played at Yale Academy last season. 害羞草研究所淲e know he has options out there and we害羞草研究所檙e going to try and sell him on our program.害羞草研究所�
Bowen and the rest of the 2017 draft class will be invited to stay on for the team害羞草研究所檚 main training camp which begins Saturday at Prospera Place.
