BLAZERS selections in 2011 WHL Bantam Draft

[Malc]

The Kamloops Blazers have chosen 11 players in the 2011 WHL Bantam Draft held in Calgary today.

With the highest draft pick in franchise history, the hockey club chose defenseman Jordan Thomson 4th overall. Thomson, who stands at 6’0” and 167lbs, is from Wawanesa, Manitoba and played Midget AAA hockey as an underage player. He had 2 goals, 14 assists for 16 points and 42 penalty minutes in 40 games with the Southwest Cougars of the Manitoba AAA Midget Hockey League.

“Jordan is a dynamic and high-end defenseman that we are pleased to select,” said Director of Player Personnel, Matt Recchi. “He is an exceptional skater and displays a ton of character, competiveness and leadership in his game.”

Without a second round pick, the Blazers next choice was in the third round, 50th overall when they took 6’1” defenseman Conner Clouston from Medicine Hat, Alberta. In the fourth round, the hockey club selected LW Mitch Friesen from Surrey with the 72nd overall draft pick. Forwards Rylan Freed from Melfort, Saskatchewan and Evan Tordiff from Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta were selected in the fifth and sixth rounds respectively.

The Blazers chose six players in rounds seven through nine which included local product Liam McLeod, a goaltender with the Kamloops Bantam AAA team. In the seventh round, defensemen Connor Hamonic and Jesse Shynkaruk were selected. The team’s lone eighth round selection was forward Kyle Nachtigall, while McLeod, forward Eric Krienke, and defenseman Riley Hummitsch, from California, were all selected in the ninth round by the Blazers.

In total, the Blazers drafted 6 forwards, 4 defensemen and 1 goaltender. The last time the hockey club selected 11 players was in the 2008 WHL Bantam Draft.

A brief synopsis on each player chosen:

1st Round - 4th Overall

D – Jordan Thomson
6’0” 167lbs
Born – April 28/96
Hometown – Wawanesa, Manitoba
Team: Southwest Cougars (Manitoba AAA Midget) 40 2 14 16 42
*Only 1996-born player in Manitoba AAA Midget League*

3rd Round - 50th Overall

D - Connor Clouston
6'1" 178lbs
Born - June 12/96
Hometown - Medicine Hat, Alberta
Team: Medicine Hat Bantam AAA 29 2 10 12 115
*Son of Medicine Hat Tigers Head Coach Shaun Clouston*

4th Round - 72nd Overall

LW - Mitch Friesen
6'1" 145lbs
Born - May 16/96
Hometown - Surrey, BC
Team: Surrey Thunder Bantam AAA 17 10 7 17 4

5th Round - 95th Overall

LW - Rylan Freed
5'9" 145lbs
Born - May 30/96
Hometown - Melfort, SK
Team: Melfort Bantam AA 23 42 26 68 24

6th Round - 120th Overall

RW - Evan Tordiff
6'1" 185lbs
Born - August 27/96
Hometown - Fort Saskatchewan, AB
Team: Fort Saskatchewan Bantam AAA 33 13 15 28 30
*Played for North West Territories in 2011 Canada Winter Games as an underage player*

7th Round - 138th Overall

D - Connor Hamonic
5'11" 150lbs
Born - June 16/96
Hometown - Winnipeg, MB
Team: Winnipeg Monarchs Bantam AAA 30 6 8 14 46
*Younger brother of Tri-City Americans prospect Justin Hamonic*

7th Round - 145th Overall

C - Jesse Shynkaruk
5'7" 155lbs
Born - May 7/96
Hometown - Saskatoon, SK
Team: Saskatoon Frostbrite Bantam AA 42 45 28 73 46

8th Round - 160th Overall

LW - Kyler Nachtigall
6'0" 139lbs
Born - December 11/96
Hometown - Calgary, AB
Team: Calgary Northstars Bantam AAA 35 18 17 35 18

9th Round - 182nd Overall

G - Liam McLeod
5'8" 187lbs
Born - April 24/96
Hometown - Kamloops, BC
Team: Kamloops Jardine Blazers Bantam AAA 31 27-3-0 2.49 .902

9th Round - 189th Overall

LW - Eric Krienke
6'4" 173lbs
Born - March 5/96
Hometown - Calgary, AB
Team: Calgary Northstars Bantam AAA 33 16 14 30 71

9th Round - 195th Overall

D - Riley Hummitsch
5'11" 185lbs
Born - October 17/96
Hometown - Chino Hills, CA
Team: Orange County Hockey Club U16AAA 33 16 14 30 71

http://www.blazerhockey.com/article/...aft-selections

[Brandon]

The pick you have in the 8th round is a good one. I know it seems by then they are not that big of a deal but that kid is a much higher pick. He fell because of a belief that he is set on the NCAA route. That is not the case at all, he is undecided from what I understand. He is an amazing skater, possibly one of the bests in the draft. He is going to be a great two way forward and he is a born leader. Solid pick.