Americans Look For Buried Treasures in 2007 WHL Bantam Draft

[Stay-Puft]

May 03, 2007

Dan Mulhausen Tri-City Americans




KENNEWICK, WA - Tri-City Americans' General Manager/Governor Bob Tory and his scouting staff liked what they saw from the prestigious Athol Murray College of Notre Dame in Wilcox, Saskatchewan. They liked it so much, that they used their first two picks to take two stars from the same program as former-Americans' defenseman Logan Stephenson, in the 2007 WHL Bantam Draft held at the Round-Up Center in Calgary, Alberta. Notre Dame is an international Catholic, co-educational, college preparatory school that has seen the likes of Vincent Lecavalier, Rob Brind'Amour, Curtis Joseph and Brad Richards.

With their first choice (40th overall) the Americans selected 6'2", 185 pound forward Jordan Messier who had 31 goals, 83 points and 30 penalty minutes in 23 games played for the Notre Dame Owens Hounds. The club made teammate center Brooks Macek its second second-round selection (43rd overall). Macek is 5'10", 165 pounds and hails from Winnipeg, Manitoba. Macek appeared in 22 games with the Hounds while totaling 30 goals, 63 points and 12 penalty minutes. The Americans also drafted Hounds forward Jaden Schwartz in the 8th round.

"We are always looking for the most talented players available," said Tory. "We feel we got some very skilled players and are very excited with our picks."

"They had the best bantam team in Canada," Tory continued when speaking about Notre Dame. "They are a team that's very well coached. Messier comes from a family rich in hockey tradition and Brooks is a dynamic, skilled player."

Complete results of the 18th annual WHL Bantam Draft can be viewed at www.whl.ca by clicking on the WHL Bantam Draft icon on the left side of the homepage to get the results.

The following is a summary of players selected by the Americans in the ensuing rounds:
- 3rd round (47th), defenseman Peter Stoykewich, 6'0" 160 lbs, Winnipeg, MB (27/5/6/11/48)
- 4th round (87th), defenseman Josh Monk, 5'8" 152 lbs, Langley, BC
- 5th round (95th), goaltender Warren Shymko, Calder, SK (15/900/3.80)
- 6th round (125th), right wing Patrick Holland, 5'6" 112 lbs, Lethbridge, AB (32/20/44/64/26)
- 7th round (137th), defenseman Luke Barry, Swift Current, SK (26/4/15/19/34)
- 8th round (172nd), left wing Tanner Olsdad, Calgary, AB (32/25/18/43/58)
- 8th round (173rd), center Jaden Schwartz, 5'7" 150 lbs, Wilcox, SK (25/55/74/129/8)
- 9th round (194th), left wing Justin Feser, Red Deer, AB (32/21/23/44/41)
- 10th round (214th), left wing Brett Fargher, 5'8" 180 lbs, (24/6/8/14/24)

[nivek_wahs]

http://www.sportstricities.com/sport...-8753023c.html

Tri-Cities sniffs out 3 Hounds
This story was published Friday, May 4th, 2007

ANNIE FOWLER HERALD STAFF WRITER

The Tri-City Americans are going to the dogs.

Make that the Hounds.

The Americans drafted three players from Athol Murray College of Notre Dame in the Western Hockey League bantam draft Thursday, taking high-scoring winger Jordan Messier of Canmore, Alberta, with their first selection, 40th overall, in the second round.

Three picks later, Tri-Cities drafted center Brooks Macek, a native of Winnipeg, Manitoba, and in the eighth round, took Hounds' leading scorer Jaden Schwartz of Wilcox, Saskatchewan.

"They were the best bantam team in Canada. They were dominate," said Tri-City GM Bob Tory about Notre Dame. "To have a player like Jordan available in the second round was a surprise. We added some good players in the lower rounds like Schwartz, who we felt was a first-rounder."

Schwartz was still available because he hasn't decided whether he'll play in the WHL or in the NCAA.

"It thought he was too good a player to pass up," Tory said. "With two of his friends on our team, it was worth the gamble."

The Portland Winter Hawks traded the first overall pick to Moose Jaw, along with their third-round selection in exchange for the Warriors' fifth overall selection in the first round, their second-round choice, their fifth-round pick, and prospect right winger Michael Burns.

The Warriors made left wing Quinton Howden the first pick of the draft.

Notre Dame, a Catholic independent, co-educational, boarding high school in Wilcox, has given several NHL players their start, including Brad Richards, Vincent Lecavalier, Rod Brind' Amour, Curtis Joseph and Wendel Clark. Former Americans defenseman Logan Stephenson also played for the Hounds.

Messier, a 6-foot-1, 180-pound right wing, who has dual American-Canadian citizenship, said he was a little surprised he was taken by the Americans.

"I'd talked to them once during the year and they asked the basic questions like whether I'm considering the WHL or NCAA," said Messier, who was born in Kalamazoo, Mich. "You just wait for your name to pop up and I was surprised it was with them."

Messier, 15, isn't quite sure where Kennewick is, but said he knows a little about the Americans.

"I watched them play in Regina and I like their jerseys," Messier said. "I know of Carey Price and I'm looking forward to training camp (in August. It would be cool to play for an American team. My dad (Mitch) is coming out with me and we'll talk things over after that."

Jordan Messier, a second cousin to former NHL star Mark Messier, scored 42 goals and had 48 assists in 23 games for the Hounds last season in leading them to a 25-1 league record and an 8-0 run through the playoffs where they won the South Saskatchewan Minor Hockey League AAA Bantam championship.

Mitch Messier played at Michigan State for three years, was drafted in the third round by the Minnesota North Stars in 1983, and spent the better part of nine years with the North Stars and the Kalamazoo Wings of the IHL.

Macek, who turns 15 on May 15, said being taken by the Americans came as no surprise.

"I've been talking to them quite a bit this year," said the 5-10, 160-pound center, who had 30 goals and 33 assists in 22 games last season. "I don't know much about them, but I've talked to some scouts and it seems like a real nice place."

Schwartz, a 5-8, 155-pound center who played on a line with Messier during the season, led the Hounds with 55 goals and 74 assists in 25 games.

The Americans drafted 11 players, including seven forwards, three defensemen and goaltender Warren Shymko (fifth round, 95th overall).

In the third round, the Americans took defenseman Peter Stoykewich, a 6-foot, 160-pounder from Winnipeg, who played for the Winnipeg Monarchs with Tri-City goaltender Chet Pickard's younger brother Calvin, also a goalie, who was a second-round pick of the Seattle Thunderbirds on Thursday.

[Stay-Puft]

Anybody hear as to what we got in return for the 3rd round pick we traded to Red Deer?