Broncos Training Camp Bible

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Keen's Korner

Thursday, July 31, 2008

Broncos Training Camp Bible

Is it too early for this? Maybe. But for those die-hard Bronco fans looking to get excited about the upcoming season here's a little preview of Broncos Training Camp and some of the prospects to watch.

Thanks to Broncos Director of Player Personnell Jamie Porter for providing input on players coming in competing for spots.

For Bronco fans taking in some training camp sessions in the coming weeks here's an unofficial guide.

1993's - 15 year-olds


- D Reece Scarlett - The Broncos 1st round pick (12th overall) from this summer's WHL bantam draft. Considered a well-rounded player. Was a big part of Sherwood Park's Western Canadian "AAA" bantam title.

“We think Reece is a solid two-way defenseman. He’s the type of a guy that we see on the power play, while also having the ability to match up against the opposition’s top line” - Jamie Porter


- D Clayton Chingee - 2008 9th round bantam pick out of Prince George. Can play both forward and defense.

"Ultra competitive kid, physical and with a cannon of a shot." - Porter


- G Austin Smith - Broncos 2nd round choice in this summer bantam draft (34th overall). The Calgary goaltender is coming off a good season between the pipes.

"Typically it takes goaltenders longer to develop but we think he can be our goaltender of the future." - Porter


F - Josh Derko - 5th round '08 bantam pick. Another part of Sherwood Park's "AAA" bantam Western Canadian Championship.


D - Graeme Craig - 3rd round '08 bantam pick. Big bodied defenseman at 6'2 195 lbs. Red Deer product is the younger brother to Broncos prospect Rodger Graig.

"Has some grease in his game, he's not afraid to jump-up into the play." - Porter


F - Preston Amundon - 7th round '08 bantam pick. Speedy, smaller player from Edmonton.

"Fits the Broncos mold of our speed kills mentalitly" - Porter


F/D- Mike Lazo - 8th round '08 bantam pick. Out of Winnipeg, younger brother of Tri-City Americans Johnny Lazo. 5'6 skilled player who has played both forward and defense.

" A skilled player that moves real well. He's excited to be the first of his three brothers to get drafted into the WHL. There's no doubt a place for the smaller, skilled player in WHL again." - Porter

D -Nathan Zimbaluk - 6th round '08 bantam pick. 6'1, 175lbs

"defenseman out of Regina... good size and moves well" - Porter


F -Nicco Digiovannantonio - 6th round '08 bantam pick. A hockey broadcaster's nightmare with an eight syllable last name, the character kid captained his Clavet, SK bantam team last season. His family recently moved to Manitoba. Smaller player listed at 5'7, 145lbs.


F - Adam Lowry - 4th round 08' bantam pick. The son of former Calgary Flames and now current Calgary Hitmen Head Coach Dave Lowry.

"Character kid, solid two-way player, potential leader, understands the game well, does all teh little things coaches really appreciate." - Porter

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1992's - 16 year-olds

There's a real solid group of 16 year-olds coming into this year's camp. Since Dean Chynoweth took over as Broncos Head Coach / GM, the Broncos have traditionally kept at least two on the roster for the season. There's a good chance they will do the same this year.

Here's a rundown of what to watch for.

F- Christian Magnus - Broncos 1st round bantam pick in '07. Had a strong training camp and pre-season tournament in Edmonton last season. He played with the Broncos in the max five games allowed as a 15 year-old last season.

"Depending on how the 17 year-olds at camp perform, his roster spot may be out of his control. We will do whatever is best for his development. Either making the jump to the WHL or another year of "AAA" Midget." - Porter


F- Catlin Foley - Acquired from Prince George in the Jesse Dudas deal, Foley played in Notre Dame last season and is originally from Coronach, SK.

"Solid energy guy with good size (6'1 195lbs). Solidly built player." - Porter


F/D - Patrick Coady - 7th round '07 bantam pick. Played in the Midget 15 league in Airdrie last season. Had to play defense because a rash of injuries on his team.

"We think he's tough and has some good size (6'2, 185)" - Porter


F- Andrew Sullivan - 7th round '07 bantam pick. Played "AAA" Midget in Calgary and put up some good numbers, Won the bantam league scoring race in Calgary two years ago.

"Has some very good skills... he's a top end scorer" - Porter


F - Madison Diaz - Listed player. Has plans to play junior "A" in Victoria of the BCHL this year as they are hosting the RBC Cup.

"We like his play... plays with reckless abandon." - Porter


F - Michael Hay - 4th round '07 bantam pick. Played with the Winnipeg "AAA" Thrashers who went all the way to the "AAA" Telus Cup final last season. Had a good Broncos camp last season that saw him make it to the Intersquad game.

"He's a quick, skilled guy and had a great experience with the Winnipeg Thrashers last season. He scores big goals." - Porter


D- Taylor Ernst - 2nd round '07 bantam pick. Played three games with the Broncos last season as a 15 year-old. Played the year with the Regina Pat Canadiens "AAA" midget. Broncos project him to be an offensive defenseman.

"We would like to see him come in and compete for a roster spot this season." - Porter

D - Allistair Chapman - 5th round '07 bantam pick. Played "AAA" midget in Calgary last season. He was one of several players who were hurt at last year's training camp.

"He's another who we would like to see come in and compete for a spot. He has decent puck skills, some grit and plays with a chip on his shoulder." - Porter


D- Jordan Evans - Listed player from training camp last season. Played "AAA" with the UFA Bisons last season.

"He's put himself into a position to compete for a spot. Good skater, calm and poised." - Porter


D- Brody Luhning - 8th round '07 bantam pick. Played this last season in Balgonie.

"He's a smaller solid defensman but has grown a little. Needs to work on his strength. He's good in hiw own zone and isn't afraid to jump up into the play." - Porter


D - Jonathan Lashyn - Listed player. Played last season with the Saskatoon Contacts "AAA".

"All around has some tools, great character guy, has some leadership attributes" - Porter


D- Zach Habscheid - 9th round '07 bantam pick. Big defenseman. Son of Marc Habscheid. Played with the "AAA" Legionnaires last season. Practiced several times with the Broncos last season.

" Game is making some strides, we think we could bring an element of toughness." - Porter


G- Reid Peters - Listed player. Out of Morden Manitoba.

"was a good little goaltender when we first saw him, now he's grown to 6'3. We will have to see where he's at come training camp. - Porter

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1991's - 17 year olds


F- Taylor Vause - 6th round '06 bantam pick, Finished off the season with the Broncos and even saw action in the playoffs. Smart and speedy forward out of Calgary who has an inside track on landing a full time spot this season. Check out his youtube highlight reel here. Dynamic, offensive player.


F- Dillon Wagner - 6th round '06 bantam pick. Finished last year with Drayton Valley of the AJHL. Already signed with the Broncos. Can play in all situations, good penalty killer.

"Very solidly built two way player with some offensive skills and good hockey sense." - Porter


F- Rodger Craig - 4th round '06 bantam pick. 6'4 215 out of Red Deer and skates at a high level.

"Great skater, has some skill. Hasn't figured out what type of player hs is yet." - Porter


F- Blayze Bruyer - Listed player out of Edmonton. 6'4 195. Has battled some injury problems.

"Good skater for a guy his size. Needs to get a bit more aggressive." - Porter


F - Jordan Peddle - Listed player from the local "AAA" Legionnaires. One of the top Sask "AAA" players last season. Suffered a broken wrist in his very first SJHL game with the Notre Dame Hounds which all but ended his season.

"Plays with tons of energy. Pretty skilled player who was the best player on the Legionnaires last season." - Porter


F - Oliver Jokel - Broncos 1st round Import pick from Slovakia. Broncos this he's a potentially explosive skater that works hard. The Broncos will get their first look at Jokel at training camp.


D - James Martin - 2nd round '06 bantam pick who played last season with the "AAA" Winnipeg Wild. Has played three games with the Broncos over the last three years on a call-up basis.

"We think he's ready to take the next step. We will see how he performs at camp" - Porter


D- David Greyeyes - 5th round '06 bantam pick. Played last season with Beardy's of the Sask "AAA" midget league. Has seen action in eight Bronco games over the last two seasons. The general consensus is that fitness has always been an issue that has held him back.

"He's having a good summer of training. We think he has some offensive to him with a good shot. He will get a long look this season." - Porter


G- Chad Ketting - Listed out of training camp last season. Played "AAA" with the Vancouver NW Giants. Smaller bodied, athletic goaltender. Impressive at camp last season


Other 1991's include forwards Brad Hoban, Cody Eakin and defenseman Joel Rogers who were on the Broncos roster all of last season.

Bronco fans will all be familiar with the trio. A broken leg while playing roller hockey this summer could keep Hoban out of action until October.

Cody Eakin is set to attend Canada's U-18 camp in Calgary with hopes of landing a spot on the National U-18 team.

JoelRogers will see an increased role with the team this season with the departure of Michael Wilson and Bretton Stamler and potentially Jesse Dudas and/or Spencer McAvoy depending on the 20 year-old situation.

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Next week I'll take a closer look at the returning 18, 19 and 20 year-olds.

Enjoy the long weekend!

Jon

www.jonkeen.blogspot.com

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Keen's Korner

Wednesday, August 06, 2008
Training Camp Bible - Part Two
Last week it was a look at some of the 15, 16 and 17 year-olds attending Broncos training camp. This week it's a glance at some of the veterans rolling into town in less than two weeks time.

1990's - 18 year-olds

This is perhaps the age group where the Broncos have made the biggest transition in regards to what they drafted in 2005 to what they have now. Of the 1990 bantam draft, only 1st rounder Geordie Wudrick is on the current roster.

The Broncos traded Ian Curtis (PG), Phil Gervais (Edm), Jordan Mistelbacher (Evt), Kris Foucault (Koot), and lost Clayton Cumiskey in the Edmonton Oil Kings Expansion draft.

Here's a rundown of what the Broncos return:

F- Geordie Wudrick - the 4th round pick of the L.A. Kings this summer will be looking to take the next step in his junior hockey career.

A gifted, big-bodied player who is looking for a break-out season. I don't think Geordie will ever be a top goal-scorer in the league but he will provide the team with a stable presence who can play in all situations. Geordie can score, but he may provide more of a support role for linemates Cody Eakin and Justin Dowling if the Broncos choose to keep that line together that was so productive in the playoffs. Regardless, he will be a major part of this year's team.

F - Justin Dowling - A former top scorer in the Alberta "AAA" midget league, we saw flashes of how talented he is at times last season. A head-turning playoffs should be the jump Dowling needs to get off to a strong start this season. He has a lot of offensive upside and a lot of people around the team are excited about his sophmore season in the WHL including me. His rookie season saw him collect 27 points. He should look to nearly double that output this season barring injury.


F - Jan Dalecky, - The 2nd year Broncos import from the Czech Republic is a player I'm really excited to see in an expanded role. Dalecky is a hard worker and good skater He works incredibly well along the boards and off the cycle. Pound for pound might be the strongest puck possession player on the team. You can see his talent. A year in the WHL under his belt should help the likable Dalecky have a productive season.


F - Mike Brown. The Calgary native is a favorite amongst his teammates. Brown is a thick, strong kid who did well in his 4th line role last season. Brown, who battled injuries will come into camp knowing what to expect. He will be pushed by some of the younger players this season but should be up for the challenge.

The Broncos do not have any 1990 d-men. I'm thinking it's probably on their wish list. If there is a trade in the works I would expect the Broncos would be getting one somewhere in the mix. If history tells us anything with G.M. Head Coach Dean Chynoweth, there's always a mini blockbuster the first week into the season.


1989's - 19 year-olds

Where the Broncos lack a 1990 d-men, they make up for it in their crop of 89's. So much so they felt Paul Postma was expendable in that big deal with Calgary to begin last season involving Kyle Bortis, Keegan Danereau and Erik Felde.

D - Eric Doyle - Look for Eric to be the man this season in his 4th year in the league. He will QB the powerplay and play key minutes, He's sure to add plenty of offense from the back-end. His 49 points last season was the offensive output the Broncos were looking for. Doyle will be one of the leaders on the team.


D - Ryan Molle - The New Jersey Devils 7th round pick will be a rock on the back-end this season. Look for a little more offense although he won't be relied on for that aspect. Primarily a shutdown d-man, look for Molle to see more time on the PP.


D - Derek Claffey - The Broncos defensive anchor. The Red Deer native excels in his own zone. He's going to be looked upon as a leader with this team once again. Bronco fans are looking forward to Claffey being the " Myles Rumsey type" but with more offensive prowess.


F - Grant Toulmin - Yes former 2nd round bantam pick Grant Toulmin will be back at Broncos training camp this season after a year in BCHL. He's excited to try and make an impact any way possible. Another good character player who wants to be more of a physical presence. We may see more of the rough and tumble side our fans were clamouring for out of Grant. Could add more offense than in years past. It will be interesting to see what a year of junior "A" did for him. He has a good attitude, and that's always a solid base to work with.


F- Matt Tassone - Last year's most improved player, now an NHL draft pick of the Dallas Stars (6th round). What a year for Matt Tassone who was fired up right out of last year's training camp. Look for more of the same from the native of Sherwood Park. Fans should be excited for the type of season Matt could have. He will score this season and be a big part of the offense. Look for a 25-30 goal season while providing some grit and toughness along the way.


G - Mark Guggenberger - A good pick-up from Portland at last year's trade deadline. Guggenberger had some astonishing numbers as a Bronco last season including a GAA of 2.59 and a save % of .917. His four shutouts in 14 appearances made a name for himself. It's just a matter of what mindset the goaltender will come in with this season.

With Travis Yonkman the favorite to see the bulk of the workload, do the Broncos have room for a 19 year-old back-up? Guggenberger has all the tools to be an elite goaltender in this league and turn pro. Can he make the most of it?


1988's - 20 year-olds

The Broncos have an elite group of 1988's. So much so that a lot of their tough decisions will be out of their hands with the prospects of several playing pro. The Broncos should have among the best group of 20's in the league this season.

Here's who may or may not be back. Remember, after the first week in October, the Broncos can only have three 1988 born players on their roster.

F - Levi Nelson - Already signed with Boston, Levi will more than likely play pro in Providence of the AHL this year Nelson will be at Broncos training camp, but strictly on a conditioning basis. He may play in some pre-season games but I'm not sure he will. He told me he would love to but I don't know what good it would do either him or the Broncos. I'll be keeping a close eye on Nelson this next season in the pro ranks and wish him all the best. Thanks for an exciting three seasons in a Broncos jersey.

F - Dale Wiese - The New Rangers draft pick could be back this season due to a lack of room in the Rangers system. Nearing their 50 contract max, the Rangers may really like Dale but won't be able to do much about it. Dale has already taken on the mindset that he will spend another year of junior hockey. If he does play this year with the Broncos look for him to be a dominant power forward. The selfish part of me wants to see Dale in a Broncos jersey but if he signs and isn't back then that's great for him. Potential Broncos captain candidate.

F - Spencer McAvoy - One of my favorites since coming over in a trade with the Tigers in his 17 year-old season, Spencer will be hard up for a spot with such an elite age group. He knows it but will come to camp and compete hard anyways. The versatile F/D will be a 20 year-old in the league somewhere if not with the Broncos.


F - Keegan Dansereau - Maybe one of the most skilled players to come through the team in awhile, the Broncos will have a tough decision to make here. Dansereau can be a dominant player in this league and has the ability to compete for scoring title. Dansereau garnered some attention for playoff MVP with the post-season he had.

This will go either two ways. Either he stays with the Broncos and is a key, top line player or he will be traded to a team looking to make a long playoff run. He could be that key ingredient either as a Bronco or go-to veteran on a team like Kelowna or Spokane - two teams out west expected to compete for a WHL championship. If he stays or goes, Keegan will be motivated to play for a pro-contract in his final season in the WHL.


F - Zack Smith - The more I break down the 1988's the more I'm impressed with the Broncos potential group. Don't expect the Senators 3rd round pick to be back in the Broncos mix. Although he hasn't signed with the Ottawa Senators, it sounds like only a matter of time. The Sens have plans for him in the AHL and pretty much said that point blank when they drafted the Maple Creek native in June.

Last year's captain can play any way you want to play. Speed and finesse or rough and tumble. The complete package means big things for Zack's future. He could be back, but I would render a guess of about a 10% chance.


D - Jesse Dudas - Air-lifted out of a tough situation in Prince George at last year's trade deadline, Dudas may be deemed a key on the Broncos back-end this year. The Broncos may need his services with the departure of graduates Michael Wilson and Bretton Stamler.

Injuries have always plagued the defenseman but what a package Dudas brings to the table. An Aaron Rome type player, Dudas can do it all when healthy. Hit, fight, score, QB a powerplay, and shutdown the other team's top line.

Passed over by Columbus after being drafted in 2006, Dudas is a free-agent again. He'll want to prove the Jackets wrong this season.

G - Travis Yonkman - Haven't heard if Yonks will get an NHL try-out this fall but definitely deserves one after the playoffs he had. It feels like only yesterday when he robbed Regina's Jordan Eberle with the stick paddle in OT to turn the series around. Or save after miraculous save in the triple OT game against the Calgary Hitmen.

His regular season wasn't too shabby either going 31-19-0-6 with a GAA of 2.67 and a save % of .909 in 57 appearances.

Many people think he will be here this season to play over 60 games in the Broncos crease. I'm thinking those people are probably right. Yonks is excited about coming back to Swift Current for his 20 year-old season to be that rock they will need between the pipes.

Excited for the season yet?

See you at the rink,


Jon

www.jonkeen.blogspot.com

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