Prospects flooding to Rockets‘ rookie camp

[Malc]

By Warren Henderson

Mitch Chapman can’t even fathom a guess as to how many Kelowna Rockets games he watched as a youngster growing up in Summerland.

What the 6-foot-3 defenceman always knew with certainty was his desire to one day suit up for the Western Hockey League club.

“I used to come to games all the time, I remember when they won the Memorial Cup and I followed them right up to the end of last season, too,” said Chapman, 17, who weighs in at 215 pounds. “I’ve wanted to play here for a long time, it’s been a goal of mine since I was young.

“Now to get the chance is very exciting. I feel confident and that I’m ready to make the step up.”

Chapman and Tsawwassen product Colton Jobke are two newcomers who have been summoned to help shore up the Kelowna blue line this season.

With Brandon McMillan returning to forward this season, Tysen Dowzak having graduated, and the uncertainty of the status of Tyler Myers who heads off to Buffalo Sabres training camp next month, the Rockets were in the market for reinforcements on the back end.

Both Chapman and Jobke played in the BCHL last season. Chapman saw action in 53 regular season games with the Salmon Arm SilverBacks, recording a goal and seven assists, while Jobke had 11 points in 46 regular season contests with the Penticton Vees.

Rockets player personnel director Lorne Frey said both players have taken some significant steps forward in their games over the last six to eight months.

“Both of the them have really progressed nicely,” said Frey. “Chapman is a big guy who skates well and can move the puck…Jobke isn’t as big, but his skating is excellent. They’re two guys who have done lots of work over the summer and have come to us in good shape and ready to go. We’re looking forward to watching them develop and become good players for us.”

Chapman describes himself as a “shutdown, stay-at-home defenceman,” who, on occasion, likes to provide some offense when the opportunity warrants.

Jobke, at 6-feet, 170 pounds, considers himself more offensive-minded than Chapman, but said he is ready and willing to play whatever style is required by the Rockets coaching staff. As for the learning curve and making the adjustment to playing defense in major junior hockey, Jobke said watching a pair of Rockets veterans during training camp with contrasting styles has been helpful.

“(Collin) Bowman plays a really strong defensive game, he’s a stay-at-home guy I can learn a lot from about playing in my own zone,” said Jobke, a 10th round bantam pick of the Rockets in 2007. “(Tyson) Barrie is obviously a very gifted player offensively and he’s great to watch and pick things up from the offensive side of things. I’ve really got the best of both worlds.”

http://www.bclocalnews.com/okanagan_.../55497217.html

[Malc]

By Doyle Potenteau

The Kelowna Rockets had their scissors out on Thursday, cutting players as training camp came to an unofficial close.

On Monday, 55 players hit the Prospera Place ice in hopes of becoming a member of the defending WHL champions. Today, after 22 cuts Thursday, the numbers are between 26 and 28, with approximately four more cuts to be made.

One player who appears to have made the Rockets‘ grade is 2007 draft pick and defenceman Antoine Corbin, a big 17-year-old from Caronport, Sask., who tilts the scales at just under 6-foot-3 and 200 pounds.

“He has a shot,” Rockets top scout and assistant general manager Lorne Frey said of Corbin, who was selected in the fifth round, 105th overall, by Kelowna. “He‘s a big guy who works hard but is a little rough around the edges. But we think he can develop into a pretty good player.

“He has excellent size, competes hard and has decent skills. He has to learn the game a little bit, particularly in his own end, but, for the most part, we like all the qualities he brings. We think down the road, he‘s going to be a pretty good asset for us.”

Skills and hopes aside, Corbin has an interesting story, having been raised near Montreal before his family moved west to Caronport.

Can you say culture shock?

Going from living near Canada‘s fashion and culture capital to small-town Saskatchewan couldn‘t have been an easy adjustment for a then 12-year-old.

“During the school year, the population was... probably 1,000. In the summer, probably 300,” said Corbin, who was born and raised in Granby, an hour away from Montreal. “It was pretty hard at first, but I guess I got used to it.”

Today, Corbin now calls Kelowna home, as last season he played for Okanagan Hockey Academy.

Asked if there are differences between playing hockey in Quebec and Western Canada, Corbin said an immediate yes.

“Down east, it‘s more skills and stick-handling,” he said. “Out west, it‘s more physical and pushing your heart out. Personally, I like playing the physical game.”

Frey isn‘t the only Rocket who sees big potential in Corbin.

“He‘s a big boy, for sure,” said head coach Ryan Huska. “You can tell he‘s been instructed very well because he‘s very sound all over the ice. And with his size, he‘s going to be a very difficult guy to play.

“He‘s got quite the story (moving from Quebec), but we feel we‘re quite fortunate to have him at our camp.”

http://www.kelownadailycourier.ca/st....php?id=208115

[Malc]

By Regan Bartel

It looks like MacKenzie Johnston will be calling Kelowna home this winter. The 16 year-old from Swift Current, Saskatchewan played midget hockey with his hometown Legionnaries last season, dressing for 39 games, scoring once and adding 3 assists.

Johnston was never drafted by a WHL team, but Rockets scout Lorne Frey liked him so much when he attended training camp two years ago after playing bantam hockey in Notre Dame, he listed the defenceman.

Frey has had success pulling players out of southwest Saskatchewan in the past. Look no further than Marty Flichel (Hodgeville), Travis Moen (Stewart Valley) and Ryan Cuthbert (Swift Current).

http://reganbartel.blogspot.com/2009...bert-moen.html

[Toe Drag]

By Regan Bartel

It looks like MacKenzie Johnston will be calling Kelowna home this winter. The 16 year-old from Swift Current, Saskatchewan played midget hockey with his hometown Legionnaries last season, dressing for 39 games, scoring once and adding 3 assists.

Johnston was never drafted by a WHL team, but Rockets scout Lorne Frey liked him so much when he attended training camp two years ago after playing bantam hockey in Notre Dame, he listed the defenceman.

Frey has had success pulling players out of southwest Saskatchewan in the past. Look no further than Marty Flichel (Hodgeville), Travis Moen (Stewart Valley) and Ryan Cuthbert (Swift Current).

http://reganbartel.blogspot.com/2009...bert-moen.html

Who is going to make this roster?And why?

[Malc]

By w henderson

With a dozen players still away at NHL training camps, the Kelowna Rockets will carry a short bench into their final WHL preseason game.

Head coach Ryan Huska expects nine forwards, five defenceman and two goaltenders to dress for Friday’s contest against the Vancouver Giants, 7 p.m. at Prospera Place.

“It gives the guys who are pushing to make the team another chance to show what they can do, and lots of ice time to do it,” said Huska. “With the small numbers, we’re able to pay attention to each player, watch their work habits and get a good grasp on what they can do.

“We have a few decisions to make up front,” added Huska, “and there are always decisions to make on the back end. Nothing is guaranteed.”

The Rockets have a handful of newcomers remaining in camp whose fate will be decided in the next week, including forwards Cody Ito, Cody Chikie, Brady Poulson and Jessey Astles, along with defencemen MacKenzie Johnston and Anton Corbin.

Kelowna expects at least eight players to return from NHL camps by this weekend or early next week. The only players confirmed not to return are Jamie Benn (Dallas) and Cody Almond (Minnesota) who will both play pro, either in the AHL or NHL. Defenceman Tyler Myers, who signed a pro deal this summer, is expected to push for a roster spot with the Buffalo Sabres, but may yet be back with Kelowna.

Centre Colin Long remains unsigned by the Phoenix Coyotes and is expected to be back for his fifth WHL season.

Brandon McMillan, Tyson Barrie, Mitch Callahan, Kyle St. Denis, Evan Bloodoff, Lucas Bloodoff, Stepan Novotny and Collin Bowman will all return to Kelowna in the next few days and should be on the team’s opening night roster when the Rockets battle the Giants on Thursday, Sept. 17 at Prospera Place.

http://www.bclocalnews.com/okanagan_.../57876767.html