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nivek_wahs
01-24-2008, 06:55 AM
http://www.canada.com/reginaleaderpost/news/sports/story.html?id=e26b04f7-c36a-410b-8166-39bb5c2f80a9


Ross gets letter of approval

Greg Harder, The Leader-Post
Published: Thursday, January 24, 2008

The Kamloops Blazers have given Nick Ross an 'A' for his efforts.

The 18-year-old defenceman was voted by his new teammates to serve as an alternate captain during home games for the rest of the season. Kamloops acquired Ross from the Regina Pats on Jan. 5 along with rearguard Spencer Fraipont and a fourth-round bantam draft pick for defencemen Ryan Bender and Victor Bartley.

Bender was the Blazers' captain while Bartley served as an alternate. They've been replaced by Scott Wasden and Brady Calla, respectively.

After joining Kamloops, Ross contributed one goal and seven assists in eight games. That gave him a total of 36 points in 49 games, tied for sixth among WHL D-men.

The rebuilding Blazers were blown out in their first four games after the trade, but posted three wins and a shootout loss in the next four.

"When our team works hard we can compete with anyone," Ross recently told the Kamloops Daily News. "I've only been here for a little bit but this team has guys who have so much heart. You need that to really be good in this league."

Ross described his initial reaction as "shock" after being traded away from the only WHL home he had known. He was selected by Regina in the second round (37th overall) of the 2004 bantam draft and made an immediate impact the next season as a 16-year-old.

The highlight of Ross's tenure with the Pats came last summer when the Phoenix Coyotes selected him in the first round (30th overall) of the NHL entry draft.

"I'd been there for a few years and had so many friends on that team ... not just friends for a year but life-long friends," he added. "But the guys here are great and I can really see this team being just as close."