Malc
06-29-2009, 01:36 PM
By Doyle Potenteau
Tyson had three simple words for his dad on Saturday morning: Don‘t do it.
Sure enough, Len Barrie listened to his son‘s request.
The Kelowna Rockets had three players selected in the second half of the NHL‘s entry draft on Saturday, with Barrie being the team‘s top pick, a third-round selection, 64th overall, by the Colorado Avalanche. Heading into the draft, though, there was speculation that the Tampa Bay Lightning would draft the smooth-skating, 5-foot-10 defenceman from Victoria, who was, at one point last winter, pegged to be a late first-round selection.
As it turned out, though, Tampa Bay, co-owned by Len Barrie, left 17-year-old Tyson alone, despite having a shot to draft him late in the second round.
“We have the NHL Network at home, so I was watching the draft and getting a little anxious,” said Barrie, who distinctly didn‘t want to get selected by his dad‘s team. “The second round passed and three picks in, I got selected. I was pretty happy, pretty pumped.
“But I was texting my dad throughout the whole thing, when they were moving up picks and they had a few picks in the second. I was texting him: Don‘t do it, don‘t do it. Now, I‘m happy with how it went.”
Barrie wasn‘t the only Rocket who was stoked on Saturday morning, as forwards Evan Bloodoff and Mitchell Callahan also got drafted.
Bloodoff, 18, went early in the sixth round to the Phoenix Coyotes, 157th overall, while Callahan, 17, was selected by the Detroit Red Wings, near the end of the sixth round at 180th overall.
Unlike Barrie, though, Bloodoff didn‘t have his eyes glued to the TV. Rather, in his hometown of Castlegar, the fast, 5-foot-11 left winger spent part of his day mowing his grandparents‘ lawn.
“It was surprising because I wasn‘t too sure if I was going to get drafted or not,” said Bloodoff, who was notified by his agent, Kevin Epp, that, indeed, he got drafted. “I didn‘t talk to too many teams, so I really wasn‘t expecting anything. But, obviously, I‘m pretty happy.”
Last year, the Coyotes drafted Rockets captain Colin Long in the fourth round, 99th overall. In addition, Barrie is now the second Rocket blue-liner to be recently drafted by the Avs.
In 2005, Colorado selected Kyle Cumiskey, who is similar in stature at 5-10 and 185 lbs., in the seventh round at 222nd overall.
Cumiskey has played 53 games for the Avs since 2006-07, including six call-ups last season, and has one goal and seven points in those contests.
Meanwhile, Barrie says he’d enjoy wearing Colorado colours in the near future.
“I couldn‘t be happier,” said Barrie. “They were my favourite team until I was probably 12, and then I jumped ship to Anaheim when they started winning the Cup. Rob Blake is one of my favourite players, and he‘s why the reason I wear No. 4 in the first place.”
As for Callahan, the Whittier, Calif., resident getting selected by a powerhouse in the Red Wings shocked him.
“I was going for a workout, and, to be honest, I wasn‘t paying much attention to the draft. And then my agent called,” said the 5-11 winger, who offers a combination of good speed and toughness. Last season, his rookie campaign, Callahan led the Rockets in fighting majors with 20. In addition to 188 penalty minutes, he tallied 14 goals and 27 points in 70 games.
“We were talking and then he told me congratulations, that Detroit had drafted me,” continued Callahan. “And then after that, Detroit‘s general manager (Ken Holland) called me. I was pretty surprised by everything.”
http://www.kelownadailycourier.ca/stories_local_sports.php?id=195371
Tyson had three simple words for his dad on Saturday morning: Don‘t do it.
Sure enough, Len Barrie listened to his son‘s request.
The Kelowna Rockets had three players selected in the second half of the NHL‘s entry draft on Saturday, with Barrie being the team‘s top pick, a third-round selection, 64th overall, by the Colorado Avalanche. Heading into the draft, though, there was speculation that the Tampa Bay Lightning would draft the smooth-skating, 5-foot-10 defenceman from Victoria, who was, at one point last winter, pegged to be a late first-round selection.
As it turned out, though, Tampa Bay, co-owned by Len Barrie, left 17-year-old Tyson alone, despite having a shot to draft him late in the second round.
“We have the NHL Network at home, so I was watching the draft and getting a little anxious,” said Barrie, who distinctly didn‘t want to get selected by his dad‘s team. “The second round passed and three picks in, I got selected. I was pretty happy, pretty pumped.
“But I was texting my dad throughout the whole thing, when they were moving up picks and they had a few picks in the second. I was texting him: Don‘t do it, don‘t do it. Now, I‘m happy with how it went.”
Barrie wasn‘t the only Rocket who was stoked on Saturday morning, as forwards Evan Bloodoff and Mitchell Callahan also got drafted.
Bloodoff, 18, went early in the sixth round to the Phoenix Coyotes, 157th overall, while Callahan, 17, was selected by the Detroit Red Wings, near the end of the sixth round at 180th overall.
Unlike Barrie, though, Bloodoff didn‘t have his eyes glued to the TV. Rather, in his hometown of Castlegar, the fast, 5-foot-11 left winger spent part of his day mowing his grandparents‘ lawn.
“It was surprising because I wasn‘t too sure if I was going to get drafted or not,” said Bloodoff, who was notified by his agent, Kevin Epp, that, indeed, he got drafted. “I didn‘t talk to too many teams, so I really wasn‘t expecting anything. But, obviously, I‘m pretty happy.”
Last year, the Coyotes drafted Rockets captain Colin Long in the fourth round, 99th overall. In addition, Barrie is now the second Rocket blue-liner to be recently drafted by the Avs.
In 2005, Colorado selected Kyle Cumiskey, who is similar in stature at 5-10 and 185 lbs., in the seventh round at 222nd overall.
Cumiskey has played 53 games for the Avs since 2006-07, including six call-ups last season, and has one goal and seven points in those contests.
Meanwhile, Barrie says he’d enjoy wearing Colorado colours in the near future.
“I couldn‘t be happier,” said Barrie. “They were my favourite team until I was probably 12, and then I jumped ship to Anaheim when they started winning the Cup. Rob Blake is one of my favourite players, and he‘s why the reason I wear No. 4 in the first place.”
As for Callahan, the Whittier, Calif., resident getting selected by a powerhouse in the Red Wings shocked him.
“I was going for a workout, and, to be honest, I wasn‘t paying much attention to the draft. And then my agent called,” said the 5-11 winger, who offers a combination of good speed and toughness. Last season, his rookie campaign, Callahan led the Rockets in fighting majors with 20. In addition to 188 penalty minutes, he tallied 14 goals and 27 points in 70 games.
“We were talking and then he told me congratulations, that Detroit had drafted me,” continued Callahan. “And then after that, Detroit‘s general manager (Ken Holland) called me. I was pretty surprised by everything.”
http://www.kelownadailycourier.ca/stories_local_sports.php?id=195371