scamperdog
11-11-2008, 09:11 AM
Blazers deal for young forward http://gdrinnan.blogspot.com/
By GREGG DRINNAN
Daily News Sports Editor
The Kamloops Blazers made a move Monday to address the lack of depth in
their forward ranks.
The Blazers acquired left-winger Brett Lyon, a 17-year-old from Grand Forks,
from the Vancouver Giants for a sixth-round pick in the 2010 WHL bantam
draft.
Lyon immediately signed a contract with the Blazers and is expected to
arrive in town today and practice with his new teammates on Wednesday. He
will be available to play Saturday when they meet the visiting Kelowna
Rockets.
The Blazers have been carrying just 12 forwards on their roster, which is
one or two fewer than most WHL teams.
Craig Bonner, the Blazers’ general manager, said he has twice watched Lyon
play with the BCHL’s Westside Warriors.
“I liked the excitement and passion he showed,” Bonner said. “I’m looking
forward to seeing him play for us.”
The 6-foot-1, 180-pound Lyon had six points and 47 penalty minutes in 19
games with Westside.
Lyon spent last season with the junior B Fernie Ghostriders and played a key
role as they won the Kootenay International junior league championship. In
19 playoff games, he had 12 points, eight of them goals, and 60 penalty
minutes. In 26 regular-season games, he had 10 points and 139 penalty
minutes. According to the KIJHL website, 70 minutes — six game misconducts
and two fighting majors — came in one game. He apparently came out of that
with a two-game suspension.
He also got into five games with the BCHL’s Penticton Vees last season, but
didn’t get on a scoresheet.
This was the sixth trade involving players that Bonner has made since taking
over as the Blazers’ general manager on April 22. Three of those deals have
been with his brother Scott, who is the Giants’ general manager.
On May 2, the Blazers acquired defenceman Linden Saip, 17, for a conditional
bantam draft pick. Saip is on the Blazers‚ roster. On Oct. 1, the Blazers
got forward Sahir Gill, 16, from the Giants for a conditional 2010
second-round draft pick; Gill is with the BCHL’s Vernon Vipers.
JUST NOTES: Centre C.J. Stretch of the Blazers has been named the Boston
Pizza WHL player of the week. Stretch, 19, had nine points, eight of them
assists, as the Blazers went 2-1-0-1 last week. Stretch has a six-game point
streak going, with nine points over that time. He has five multi-point games
in his last six outings. . . . The Blazers are at home to Kelowna on
Saturday, 7 p.m., and the Chilliwack Bruins are here Sunday, 5 p.m.
JUNIOR JOTTINGS: The Bruins have acquired C Andy Smith, 19, from the Prince
Albert Raiders for G Matt Esposito, 19, and a 2010 fourth-round bantam draft
pick. Smith, a sixth-round pick in the 2004 bantam draft, had nine points,
including six goals, in 23 games with the Bruins. Esposito chose not to join
the Bruins this season, preferring to stay at home in Edmonton and ask for a
trade. He was Chilliwack’s No. 1 goaltender for a lot of last season but
lost that role to Mark Friesen late in the season. Esposito has been playing
for the AJHL’s Sherwood Park Crusaders. . . . Smith will play on the Bruins’
top line, alongside Ryan Howse and Jadon Potter, this afternoon against the
visiting Vancouver Giants. . . . The Regina Pats dealt G Jeff Bosch, 18, to
the Moose Jaw Warriors for C Neal Prokop, 18. Bosch, the 41st pick in the
2005 bantam draft, was in his second season with Regina. He was 2-5-0-2 with
a 3.89 GAA and a .880 save percentage this season. Prokop, the fifth overall
pick in the 2005 draft, was in his third season with the Warriors. He had
six points in 14 games with the Warriors this season. . . . D Scott Gabriel,
20, and the Portland Winter Hawks have gone their separate ways. With
Portland’s new coaching staff wanting to play its younger players more,
Gabriel was deemed expendable. He is awaiting a trade and, failing that, is
expected to play for Sherwood Park in the AJHL. He had one assist and 21
penalty minutes in eight games. Last season, the 6-foot-5, 225-pounder had
244 penalty minutes, and six points, in 60 games. Kamloops GM Craig Bonner
indicated that he isn’t interested in adding Gabriel to his roster.
gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
gdrinnan.blogspot.com
By GREGG DRINNAN
Daily News Sports Editor
The Kamloops Blazers made a move Monday to address the lack of depth in
their forward ranks.
The Blazers acquired left-winger Brett Lyon, a 17-year-old from Grand Forks,
from the Vancouver Giants for a sixth-round pick in the 2010 WHL bantam
draft.
Lyon immediately signed a contract with the Blazers and is expected to
arrive in town today and practice with his new teammates on Wednesday. He
will be available to play Saturday when they meet the visiting Kelowna
Rockets.
The Blazers have been carrying just 12 forwards on their roster, which is
one or two fewer than most WHL teams.
Craig Bonner, the Blazers’ general manager, said he has twice watched Lyon
play with the BCHL’s Westside Warriors.
“I liked the excitement and passion he showed,” Bonner said. “I’m looking
forward to seeing him play for us.”
The 6-foot-1, 180-pound Lyon had six points and 47 penalty minutes in 19
games with Westside.
Lyon spent last season with the junior B Fernie Ghostriders and played a key
role as they won the Kootenay International junior league championship. In
19 playoff games, he had 12 points, eight of them goals, and 60 penalty
minutes. In 26 regular-season games, he had 10 points and 139 penalty
minutes. According to the KIJHL website, 70 minutes — six game misconducts
and two fighting majors — came in one game. He apparently came out of that
with a two-game suspension.
He also got into five games with the BCHL’s Penticton Vees last season, but
didn’t get on a scoresheet.
This was the sixth trade involving players that Bonner has made since taking
over as the Blazers’ general manager on April 22. Three of those deals have
been with his brother Scott, who is the Giants’ general manager.
On May 2, the Blazers acquired defenceman Linden Saip, 17, for a conditional
bantam draft pick. Saip is on the Blazers‚ roster. On Oct. 1, the Blazers
got forward Sahir Gill, 16, from the Giants for a conditional 2010
second-round draft pick; Gill is with the BCHL’s Vernon Vipers.
JUST NOTES: Centre C.J. Stretch of the Blazers has been named the Boston
Pizza WHL player of the week. Stretch, 19, had nine points, eight of them
assists, as the Blazers went 2-1-0-1 last week. Stretch has a six-game point
streak going, with nine points over that time. He has five multi-point games
in his last six outings. . . . The Blazers are at home to Kelowna on
Saturday, 7 p.m., and the Chilliwack Bruins are here Sunday, 5 p.m.
JUNIOR JOTTINGS: The Bruins have acquired C Andy Smith, 19, from the Prince
Albert Raiders for G Matt Esposito, 19, and a 2010 fourth-round bantam draft
pick. Smith, a sixth-round pick in the 2004 bantam draft, had nine points,
including six goals, in 23 games with the Bruins. Esposito chose not to join
the Bruins this season, preferring to stay at home in Edmonton and ask for a
trade. He was Chilliwack’s No. 1 goaltender for a lot of last season but
lost that role to Mark Friesen late in the season. Esposito has been playing
for the AJHL’s Sherwood Park Crusaders. . . . Smith will play on the Bruins’
top line, alongside Ryan Howse and Jadon Potter, this afternoon against the
visiting Vancouver Giants. . . . The Regina Pats dealt G Jeff Bosch, 18, to
the Moose Jaw Warriors for C Neal Prokop, 18. Bosch, the 41st pick in the
2005 bantam draft, was in his second season with Regina. He was 2-5-0-2 with
a 3.89 GAA and a .880 save percentage this season. Prokop, the fifth overall
pick in the 2005 draft, was in his third season with the Warriors. He had
six points in 14 games with the Warriors this season. . . . D Scott Gabriel,
20, and the Portland Winter Hawks have gone their separate ways. With
Portland’s new coaching staff wanting to play its younger players more,
Gabriel was deemed expendable. He is awaiting a trade and, failing that, is
expected to play for Sherwood Park in the AJHL. He had one assist and 21
penalty minutes in eight games. Last season, the 6-foot-5, 225-pounder had
244 penalty minutes, and six points, in 60 games. Kamloops GM Craig Bonner
indicated that he isn’t interested in adding Gabriel to his roster.
gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
gdrinnan.blogspot.com