Malc
12-19-2008, 03:19 PM
By Larry Fisher
Lorne Frey has seen a ton of hockey in his day, and it takes an awful lot to impress the Kelowna Rockets wily old assistant general manager. He doesn‘t blow smoke and when he makes a bold statement, it carries weight.
“This may be the best U.S. team I‘ve ever seen at this type of tournament,” Frey said, after watching the American squad shut out Team Pacific 11-0 on Sunday and then spank Finland 12-1 on Monday to start the World Under-17 Challenge in Port Alberni.
For Frey and the Rockets, that‘s good news. Kelowna has three prospects playing in the prestigious tournament, including two Americans.
Luke Moffatt, a five-foot-11, 185-pound centre from Paradise Valley, Ariz., was the Rockets‘ first pick, second overall, in the 2007 bantam draft.
Kelowna later selected fellow forward Nick Shore, a six-foot, 186-pound product of Denver, Colo., in the seventh round, 135th overall.
The dynamic duo is now starring together for the U.S. National Team Development Program, and they have been putting on quite a show in Port Alberni.
Shore had two goals and an assist and Moffatt recorded a short-handed helper in the initial rout of Finland to open round-robin play, while Frey said both factored into the scoring in the exhibition blowout of Pacific – a game that could have easily been 20-0, according to Frey.
“They have both been very good,” said Frey, adding the Americans have been rolling four lines with no set power-play or penalty-killing units. “They are a little different type of players, but they are both excellent prospects, whichever way they decide to go.
“They are going to have a few choices being in the American program, so it will be a wait and see from our end.”
While both would look good in Rockets‘ red, with potential to be impact players in the Western Hockey League, Frey realizes recruiting them north of the 49th parallel remains a challenge.
Moffatt has verbally committed to Michigan, and both have signed with the NTDP for two seasons.
“If we get these two guys, we‘ll be very, very happy,” Frey said. “They have a lot of good things going for them, but there are a couple of areas they certainly have to work on.”
Even with the odds seemingly stacked against them, the Rockets haven‘t shied away from American talent. They went right back to the well at this year‘s bantam draft by selecting Shane McColgan, the pride of Manhattan Beach, Calif., 13th overall. McColgan has since debuted with the Rockets, scoring his first WHL goal in a 3-0 road win over the Edmonton Oil Kings on Dec. 17.
McColgan shone during his three-game stint and appears to have a bright future in Kelowna.
So how do Moffatt and Shore stack up in comparison?
“Shane has more speed, just as much skill level and he‘s a little more aggressive than these two,” Frey said. “But Luke Moffatt has great hands and a great shot and he can score goals. Nick is more of a cerebral player; he‘s very intelligent and smart, and he‘s a little bigger, little stronger.
“If there‘s one area that both of them have to get a little better at, it‘s their skating. Right now, if there‘s an issue with either one of them, that might be a bit of a factor.”
Then again, it has been difficult for Frey to get a true read on either player early on, as the Americans have run roughshod over their opposition.
It was just as hard to judge Kelowna‘s other prospect – Pacific defenceman Mitch Chapman of Summerland – who was on the wrong end of a severe beating in Frey‘s first viewing.
A listed player for the Rockets, Chapman was the lone junior A talent to make the cut on Team Pacific, representing the B.C. Hockey League-leading Salmon Arm Silverbacks.
“He was comparable with everybody on the ice; he was as good as anybody else (Sunday) night,” Frey said of Chapman, a six-foot-three, 205-pound blue-liner who has one goal, seven points and 36 penalty minutes in 36 games with Salmon Arm.
“From a Team Pacific standpoint, the defence had a tough night all around for the most part. As the game wore on, they started doing some things a little better and got accustomed to playing with each other. But the U.S. team is quite a team.”
Like his American counterparts, Chapman isn‘t a lock to play for the Rockets.
He, too, is generating significant interest south of the border, and has been fielding offers from NCAA Div. I programs.
“At this time, I think he and his family are certainly exploring all their options,” said Frey, assuring the Rockets are doing their due diligence in Port Alberni. “We‘re meeting with the parents here and making ourselves known here, but we don‘t push the issue too much.
“They know it‘s a decision they will have to make, and all three of their families are in the process of debating the pros and cons of which way they want to go. From our standpoint, if they play for us, great, but the bottom line is the Kelowna Rockets aren‘t going to disappear if these guys don‘t show up.”
http://www.kelownadailycourier.ca/stories_local_sports.php?id=155925
Lorne Frey has seen a ton of hockey in his day, and it takes an awful lot to impress the Kelowna Rockets wily old assistant general manager. He doesn‘t blow smoke and when he makes a bold statement, it carries weight.
“This may be the best U.S. team I‘ve ever seen at this type of tournament,” Frey said, after watching the American squad shut out Team Pacific 11-0 on Sunday and then spank Finland 12-1 on Monday to start the World Under-17 Challenge in Port Alberni.
For Frey and the Rockets, that‘s good news. Kelowna has three prospects playing in the prestigious tournament, including two Americans.
Luke Moffatt, a five-foot-11, 185-pound centre from Paradise Valley, Ariz., was the Rockets‘ first pick, second overall, in the 2007 bantam draft.
Kelowna later selected fellow forward Nick Shore, a six-foot, 186-pound product of Denver, Colo., in the seventh round, 135th overall.
The dynamic duo is now starring together for the U.S. National Team Development Program, and they have been putting on quite a show in Port Alberni.
Shore had two goals and an assist and Moffatt recorded a short-handed helper in the initial rout of Finland to open round-robin play, while Frey said both factored into the scoring in the exhibition blowout of Pacific – a game that could have easily been 20-0, according to Frey.
“They have both been very good,” said Frey, adding the Americans have been rolling four lines with no set power-play or penalty-killing units. “They are a little different type of players, but they are both excellent prospects, whichever way they decide to go.
“They are going to have a few choices being in the American program, so it will be a wait and see from our end.”
While both would look good in Rockets‘ red, with potential to be impact players in the Western Hockey League, Frey realizes recruiting them north of the 49th parallel remains a challenge.
Moffatt has verbally committed to Michigan, and both have signed with the NTDP for two seasons.
“If we get these two guys, we‘ll be very, very happy,” Frey said. “They have a lot of good things going for them, but there are a couple of areas they certainly have to work on.”
Even with the odds seemingly stacked against them, the Rockets haven‘t shied away from American talent. They went right back to the well at this year‘s bantam draft by selecting Shane McColgan, the pride of Manhattan Beach, Calif., 13th overall. McColgan has since debuted with the Rockets, scoring his first WHL goal in a 3-0 road win over the Edmonton Oil Kings on Dec. 17.
McColgan shone during his three-game stint and appears to have a bright future in Kelowna.
So how do Moffatt and Shore stack up in comparison?
“Shane has more speed, just as much skill level and he‘s a little more aggressive than these two,” Frey said. “But Luke Moffatt has great hands and a great shot and he can score goals. Nick is more of a cerebral player; he‘s very intelligent and smart, and he‘s a little bigger, little stronger.
“If there‘s one area that both of them have to get a little better at, it‘s their skating. Right now, if there‘s an issue with either one of them, that might be a bit of a factor.”
Then again, it has been difficult for Frey to get a true read on either player early on, as the Americans have run roughshod over their opposition.
It was just as hard to judge Kelowna‘s other prospect – Pacific defenceman Mitch Chapman of Summerland – who was on the wrong end of a severe beating in Frey‘s first viewing.
A listed player for the Rockets, Chapman was the lone junior A talent to make the cut on Team Pacific, representing the B.C. Hockey League-leading Salmon Arm Silverbacks.
“He was comparable with everybody on the ice; he was as good as anybody else (Sunday) night,” Frey said of Chapman, a six-foot-three, 205-pound blue-liner who has one goal, seven points and 36 penalty minutes in 36 games with Salmon Arm.
“From a Team Pacific standpoint, the defence had a tough night all around for the most part. As the game wore on, they started doing some things a little better and got accustomed to playing with each other. But the U.S. team is quite a team.”
Like his American counterparts, Chapman isn‘t a lock to play for the Rockets.
He, too, is generating significant interest south of the border, and has been fielding offers from NCAA Div. I programs.
“At this time, I think he and his family are certainly exploring all their options,” said Frey, assuring the Rockets are doing their due diligence in Port Alberni. “We‘re meeting with the parents here and making ourselves known here, but we don‘t push the issue too much.
“They know it‘s a decision they will have to make, and all three of their families are in the process of debating the pros and cons of which way they want to go. From our standpoint, if they play for us, great, but the bottom line is the Kelowna Rockets aren‘t going to disappear if these guys don‘t show up.”
http://www.kelownadailycourier.ca/stories_local_sports.php?id=155925