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Rockets Draft Two Top Rated D-men
April 29, 2010 - Kelownarockets.com
The Kelowna Rockets selected two highly touted defencemen with their first two selections in the annual Western Hockey League bantam draft held Wednesday in Edmonton.
With the 9th overall selection, the Rockets chose blueliner Jesse Lees, who played last year in the Calgary Northstars Association with the bantam AAA Sabres.
As the first round of picks closed, Kelowna pulled off a deal with Prince George, moving up to select first in the second round and picking defenceman Madison Bowey, who played with the Winnipeg Monarchs.
“We’re very happy. We feel we got the two best defencemen in the draft,” said Rockets president/general manager Bruce Hamilton.
Heading into the draft Rockets scouts had Lees as the top-ranked player. Bowey was also high on their list. When Bowey was still available Kelowna and Prince George swapped second round picks and the Rockets traded two fifth round selections to the Cougars to move up.
“We got off to a great start with our first three picks,” said Lorne Frey, Rockets head scout. “We were very pleased. We got two of the top defencemen in the draft. The bottom line in this league is you don’t win without defencemen.”
With the team’s third round pick, the Rockets selected Tyson Baille, who led the Alberta bantam AAA league in scoring in the regular season and playoffs.
“He’s a great competitor with tremendous vision and he’s a leader,” said Frey of the third rounder.
In all the Rockets selected 10 players:
6th round: Cole Linaker-Centre-Edmonton, Alta.
8th round: Hudsen Fasching-Forward-Burnsville, MN
9th round: James Fisk-Goalie-Airdrie, Alta.
9th round: Jaryd Watson-Centre-Leask, Sask.
10th round: Austin Ferguson-Centre-Abbotsford, B.C.
10th round: Mitchell Wheaton-Defense-Sherwood Park, Alta.
11th round: Ryan Forbes-Centre-Kitimat, B.C.
Prince George had the first overall selection and used it to choose centre Alex Forsberg of Waldheim, Saskatchewan.
