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Triton
05-31-2006, 03:56 PM
Expansion drafts always tough on Wheat Kings 6/1/2006


Brandon Wheat Kings’ general manager Kelly McCrimmon has quite a conundrum facing him this week when the Western Hockey League’s expansion draft to stock the Chilliwack Bruins takes place on Friday.
The Wheat Kings have lost quality players in WHL expansion drafts in every instance, including Darren Ritchie to Tacoma (though the club was able to reacquire the future 60-goal man) in 1991, Pete LeBoutilier to Red Deer in 1992, a third-round bantam draft pick to Calgary in 1995, David Darguzas to Edmonton in 1996, Mark Ardelan to Vancouver in 2001 and Bryan Nathe to Everett in 2003.

“Certainly, over the years, no one has paid a higher price for expansion than we have,” said McCrimmon. “We’ve helped expansion teams along the way and this year will be the same.”
The club has 23 players eligible to return from last year’s club PLUS at least a handful of prospects worthy of being considered for the team’s protected list for the expansion draft.
Unfortunately, the Wheat Kings can protect 16 players from being chosen by the Bruins which means there is little doubt Bruins’ GM Darrell May and his staff is salivating over the possibilities of what they can pick up from Brandon.

Players born in 1990 and 1991, or those drafted in the 2005 and 2006 WHL bantam draft, are not eligible to be selected in the expansion draft.
“Strategically, we’re not going to be able to close off any one area of our list,” says McCrimmon. “Some teams will make a decision to protect their youth and give an older player. I think in our case, we will protect three 20-year-olds but that will still give Chilliwack a real good opportunity
at a good 20-year old player.”
Of the 20-year olds, centre Teagan Moore and left-winger Mark Derlago are the two locks to be protected with the third coming from a group that includes D Stephane Lenoski, LW Corey Courchene, C Jeff Topilko and LW Cole Hunter.

“When you look at protecting 13 players from the 17-, 18- and 19-year-old age group including non-roster players, it is going to be difficult,” said McCrimmon. “They (Chilliwack) are going to be able to select a good young player, if they choose, and they're going to be able to select an experienced older player, if that's their need.”
For the sake of argument, here’s my mock list of the 16 players the Wheat Kings will protect:

G Tyler Plante
D Dustin Kohn
D Daryl Boyle
D Keith Aulie
D Theran Yeo
D Mark Louis
D Stephane Lenoski
C Codey Burki
RW Ryan Reaves
*C Teagan Moore
*LW Mark Derlago
LW Tyler Dittmer
LW Andrew Clark
C Matt Hallick
C Nathan Green
C Michael Proudley
* - 20 year old

Among those left exposed that may appeal to the Bruins: LW Corey Courchene (20), C Jeff Topilko (20), C Jay Fehr (17), D Derek Robinson (17) and G Kurt Jory (19).
The Wheat Kings will submit their protected list by 10 a.m. Friday and the Bruins will have until 4 p.m. to make their selections from all 20 existing WHL teams.