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