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Tipped Off
06-02-2006, 12:07 PM
Expansion thoughts from the Tri-Cities Herald...
Ams ready for raid

This story was published Friday, June 2nd, 2006

By Annie Fowler, Herald staff writer

The Tri-City Americans roster will see some changes today via the Western Hockey League expansion draft.

The Chilliwack Bruins, who begin play this fall as a member of the B.C. Division, will round out their roster with players from the other teams in the league. They will have six hours to complete the draft.

The Bruins, according to general manager Darrell May, have 29 players on their 50-man roster, but only 20 are eligible to play this season.

So, time to go shopping.

During this one-day shopping spree, Chilliwack will be able to take one player from each WHL team, except the Americans (we'll get to that in a minute). GMs have to turn in their protected list to the league this morning, and the drafting will commence shortly thereafter.

Each of the other 19 teams will be able to protect up to 16 players, and Chilliwack will be able to select one remaining player on the roster who is 17 or older.

In the case of the Americans, they may protect just 12 players and the Bruins will get to take three players. This was all part of the sale agreement last May when Darryl Porter and his group sold the team to Olie Kolzig and Stu Barnes.

It's ironic that Porter sold the Americans because he thought the team had no future -- but it's those same players he wants today.

I think Porter should lose one pick for selecting the nickname Bruins for his new team, which was the mascot of New Westminster before it became the Tri-City Americans in 1988.

It seems Porter can't cut his ties with the Americans until he has a piece of their past, present and future.

Some teams already have made deals with the Bruins. Kamloops, Medicine Hat, Portland and Vancouver will not lose a player today. Red Deer tried to peddle an older player to Chilliwack, but it wasn't interested.

I'm sure Americans GM Bob Tory has been agonizing over his 50-player list for weeks, deciding whom to protect.

I have that same list (don't ask). Untouchables, such as the 2005 and 2006 bantam draft players, I highlighted in blue, leaving about 20 players who likely got little sleep last night, knowing they could be on their way to Chilliwack.

Highlighted in orange are players I feel have no immediate value.

There are a few college players who have never set foot in camp, let alone donned an Americans jersey. Some are 18 and 19. Professional organizers say that if you haven't used something in a year, toss it.

I have a hard time using one of my 12 reserve tickets on a player whose minus number approaches his age. These players have been assigned to the orange team.

Knowing that Bob and the rest of the GMs would never reveal the players they protect, it's still not hard to compile a short list of Americans players Chilliwack would love to have but never will.

Tri-Cities has three goalies on its list. One they can't touch (2005 pick Kyle Birch). Carey Price and Chet Pickard? Let's put those two in the keeper pile.

Forward Taylor Procyshen is a keeper. He will be the team's top returning scorer, and his work ethic speaks volumes about the type of player he is.

Logan Stephenson? The

20-year-old defenseman just signed a three-year deal with the Phoenix Coyotes. Is he likely to be back in the WHL next year? No. But if I'm Bob, do I risk losing his rights? Tough call.

Aaron Boogaard, one of the league's top enforcers, will be an overage player this season, but he's a commodity. If he gets caught up in the overage numbers game, he could be worth a lot. So for now, let's keep him on our side.

Veteran forward Alex Aldred could be a keeper, along with defensemen Matt Swaby and Cole Butterfield.

Bob probably has a formula to assess value to a player -- productivity on the ice, leadership, potential, etc.

I'm sure an algorithm to make this a little easier would help, but Bob admitted he didn't have one.

Neither do I.