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09-26-2006, 09:17 AM
http://www.princegeorgecitizen.com/


Tuesday, September 26, 2006

The Elliott equation
Cougars top draft pick sounds less than excited about playing junior hockey in Prince George

by JASON PETERS, Citizen staff

Stefan Elliott, the Prince George Cougars’ top pick in the most recent WHL bantam draft, fell far short of committing to the organization while in town this past weekend with the Vancouver Northwest Giants.

Elliott, a six-foot, 165-pound defenceman from North Vancouver, is taking a wait-and-see approach when it comes to his hockey future.

“I think I’ll play in the WHL but I’m still trying to keep my options open right now for as long as I can,” said the 15-year-old Elliott, selected 12th overall by the Cougars in the draft.

“I haven’t really thought about it much, to tell you the truth. I’m just trying to get this season underway first and get rolling before I think that far ahead.”

The day of the bantam draft, which was held in May, Elliott told The Citizen he would prefer to play “closer to home, like (with) the (Vancouver) Giants.”

Elliott, who was a no-show at Cougars’ training camp, is playing this season in the Major Midget League. On Saturday night, his Giants skated to a 3-3 tie with the Cariboo Cougars, the Prince George-based MML team. On Sunday, Elliott had a goal and an assist during a 4-2 victory for the Giants.

The head coach of the Giants is Grant Kerr. If that name sounds familiar, he is the grandfather of Ryan Kerr, who became property of the Cougars after they used the first-overall pick in the 2004 bantam draft to secure his WHL rights.

Ryan Kerr played three games for the Cats in the 2004-05 season and 17 the next season before he was traded to the Lethbridge Hurricanes with fellow defenceman Randy King, in exchange for Kalvin Sagert and Jesse Dudas. During those 17 games in 2005-06, Ryan Kerr managed just one assist. Skating weaknesses translated into limited icetime for the six-foot-one rearguard, who was sometimes used as a forward by the Cats.

Grant Kerr said he has not discussed his grandson’s short time as a Cougar with Elliott.

“I stay right out of that,” Grant Kerr said. “We have not discussed it whatsoever.

“My grandson had his problems here. I don’t particularly like the way the team was coached, but that’s my preference. Off the glass and out is not my kind of hockey.”

Grant Kerr said he did ask the Elliott family if they had spoken to Ryan.

“They said ‘no.’ The only thing Mr. Elliott told me is they want to keep their options open. To say Stefan has written off Prince George, I don’t think so at all. I just think they’re going to wait (to) when he’s 16 years old and make the decision that they think is best for their son — what direction he wants to go.”

Elliott said he has spoken with Cougars management “a few times” over the phone. Prince George general manager Dallas Thompson did not meet with Elliott while the player was here with his MML team.

“I talked to his dad in the summer and I saw him this weekend,” Thompson said.

“We have a year to work on (Elliott) and that’s what we’ll do.”

During the MML games, Elliott was not flashy. He did, however, show a well-rounded skill set.

“He’s a terrific prospect,” Grant Kerr said.

“I thought he was a little nervous (Saturday) night but in our four pre-season games he was clearly one of our best players. He moves the puck sharply and doesn’t get beat 1-on-1.

“He skates very well, but he passes the puck just terrific. He’s going to make a terrific power-play point man for somebody down the road.”