U17 camp
Day two of three game days at Hockey Canada’s U17 camp in Calgary completed earlier today and all 29 WHL-drafted players present were in action.
Here are the stats they put up in their first two mini-games they each played. Currently Jake Neighbours, Ridly Greig, Seth Jarvis and Cole Shepard all lead the way for WHL-drafted players with two points apiece.
Red 1-1
| # | Player | Position | WHL Team | Stats |
| 0 | Gage Alexander | G | Kootenay | 2.35 GAA, 0.900 Save % |
| 1 | Dylan Garand | G | Kamloops | 2.04 GAA |
| 31 | Bryan Thomson | G | Lethbridge | 5.66 GAA, 0.792 save % |
| 11 | Noah Boyko | F | Lethbridge | 0-1-1 point |
| 14 | Ridly Greig | F | Brandon | 1-1-2 points |
| 17 | Payton Mount | F | Seattle | 0-1-1 point |
| 18 | Justin Sourdif | F | Vancouver | 0-0-0 points |
White 1-1
| # | Player | Position | WHL Team | Stats |
| 1 | Sebastian Cossa | G | Edmonton | 2.97 GAA, 0.913 Save % |
| 4 | Luke Prokop | D | Calgary | 0-1-1 point |
| 12 | Ben King | F | Swift Current | 0-0-0 points |
| 14 | Jake Neighbours | F | Edmonton | 1-1-2 points |
| 19 | Ethan Bowen | F | Kelowna (not signed) | 0-1-1 point |
Green 2-0
| # | Player | Position | WHL Team | Stats |
| 4 | Kaiden Guhle | D | Prince Albert | 1-0-1 point |
| 7 | Joel Sexsmith | D | Vancouver | 0-0-0 points |
| 12 | Seth Jarvis | F | Portland | 2-0-2 points |
| 19 | Cole Shepard | F | Vancouver (not signed) | 2-0-2 points |
@pdxwinterhawks forward Seth Jarvis had two goals at #U17 camp for Hockey Canada yesterday. Here is the first, where he reads where the pass is going, skates in and beats the goalie. pic.twitter.com/3RdCOk05yr
— Brandon Rivers (@hodgesheroes) July 27, 2018
Here is his second, where he stick handles to find some room and pretty much ices the game – a 6-3 win for Green. pic.twitter.com/XaXCzOxzvr
— Brandon Rivers (@hodgesheroes) July 27, 2018
Gold 0-1-1
| # | Player | Position | WHL Team | Stats |
| 4 | Tom Cadieux | D | Tri-City | 0-1-1 point |
| 7 | Ronan Seeley | D | Everett | 0-0-0 points |
| 14 | Connor McClennon | F | Kootenay | 1-0-1 point |
Black 1-1
| # | Player | Position | WHL Team | Stats |
| 7 | Anthony Kehrer | D | Brandon (not signed) | 0-0-0 points |
| 9 | Ryan Helliwell | D | Portland (not signed) | 0-0-0 points |
| 19 | Ozzy Wiesblatt | F | Prince Albert | 0-1-1 point |
Blue 1-1
| # | Player | Position | WHL Team | Stats |
| 1 | Garin Bjorklund | G | Medicine Hat | 3.71 GAA, 0.902 Save % |
| 4 | Vincent Iorio | D | Brandon | 0-0-0 points |
| 8 | Daemon Hunt | D | Moose Jaw | 0-0-0 points |
| 10 | Josh Pillar | F | Kamloops | 0-0-0 points |
| 12 | Kyle Crnkovic | F | Saskatoon | 0-0-0 points |
| 14 | Jack Finley | F | Spokane | 0-1-1 point |
| 17 | Ethan Ernst | F | Kelowna | 0-0-0 points |
Lethbridge signs two
The Lethbridge Hurricanes made it official yesterday that they had signed both of the players they took in the 2018 CHL Import Draft. Goalie Akira Schmid of Switzerland became the most recent netminder from Europe to take the crease in Lethbridge. The Hurricanes have had success with drafting goalies in the Import Draft prior to the rule change made a few years back that no longer allowed the drafting of goalies.
Now that it is allowed again, the ‘Canes took Schmid, a recent fifth round draft pick in the NHL Draft by the New Jersey Devils. The 2000-born goalie played mostly last year in the Elite Junior A league in Switzerland where he compiled the most shutouts and posted a 2.60 GAA. He also suited up for Switzerland’s U20 team at the World Junior Championships but did not get into a game. The two goalies in front of him at last year’s WJC are both too old to play in the tournament now, setting Schmid up to take over the net this winter.
In Lethbridge, Logan Flodell has aged out of the league setting up a battle for time in the crease between Schmid and 1999-born Reece Klassen. Last year’s backup behind Stuart Skinner and then Flodell got into 23 games and posted a 5-8-3-0 record. He had a 3.62 GAA and 0.887 save percentage. They also have 2002-born Bryan Thomson waiting in the wings. He was the team’s second round Bantam Draft pick in 2017.
The other player to sign was defenseman Danila Palivko. The six-foot-four, 174 pound blue liner is a late 2001 birth date and so is not NHL draft eligible until 2020. The rangy d-man played for his home country – Belarus’ U17 and U18 teams last year, putting up 32 points in 52 games.
The Hurricanes could make two picks due to them releasing forward Yegor Zudilov and d-man Igor Merezhko being an overage player. We do not have any information leading us to believe that Merezhko has signed to play professionally anywhere. That means he would be eligible to return as an overage and an import. Lethbridge has three other overage options for the three available spots though, so they may deem that they do not want to use both an import and an overage spot on the big blue liner. The other 1998-born players are forwards Taylor Ross and Jake Elmer and d-man Matthew Stanley.
Kootenay signs a Finn
Like the Hurricanes, the Kootenay ICE signed an import today. They officially brought in Valttteri Kakkonen, a 2000-born defenseman from Finland that they selected 11th overall in the 2018 CHL Import Draft.
The ICE were able to make a selection because defenseman Martin Bodak is an overager. Like Merezhko, there is a possibility that he comes back and takes both an import and overage spot. If he does come back, the ICE would need to trade or release their other import – forward Gilian Kohler or release Kakkonen.
Kakkonen played last year for the JYP U20 team, where he had 12 points in 47 games playing in the Junior A SM-liiga. The native of Jyvaskyla, Finland is listed as a six-foot and 168 pounds.
Kamloops Adds Two
On Thursday the Kamloops Blazers officially signed both their imports selected in the 2018 CHL import draft. Both 2001 born players, Martin Lang is a right shot forward from the Czech Republic. He played last season with HC Plzen U18 team amassing 37 goals, 22 assists and 59 points in 35 games. Draftgeek’s Brayden Sullivan reports “A crafty scorer… shifty footwork… deceptive in line of attack… exploits open ice in the offensive zone.” Joonas Sillanpaa, from Finland, is a hulking defenceman standing 6’5″ tall, he played last season with HIFK U18 and U20 teams.
Barring any injuries, both players are expected to be in the Blazers opening day lineup.
Klatt heads to the SJHL
The Terriers are excited to announce after clearing waivers in the WHL, forward Branden Klatt will be playing his final junior year in Yorkton! Branden split 3 years in the WHL between the Oil Kings and the Warriors and will be great addition to the Terriers. #Welcome pic.twitter.com/pqJnYTIGme
— Yorkton Terriers (@SJHLTerriers) July 26, 2018
1998-born forward Branden Klatt is going to play his 20-year-old season in the SJHL for the Yorkton Terriers. The Moose Jaw native played last year for the Moose Jaw Warriors where he potted seven goals and eight assists for 15 points. He also had a single assist in 14 playoff games.
Klatt was acquired by Moose Jaw from the Edmonton Oil Kings at the 2016-17 trade deadline for a fourth round pick in 2018 and a conditional sixth round selection in 2019.
In 85 games over three seasons with the Oil Kings he had 17 points with Edmonton. After being brought in during 2016-17, he had 13 points in 30 games. The Warriors entered this summer faced with the strong likelihood of seven 1998-born players coming into camp for the 2018-19 season. They had forwards Vince Loschiavo, Barrett Sheen, Klatt, Tristin Langan, defenseman Brandon Schuldhaus and goalie Brody Willms.
They have since moved Loschiavo to Edmonton in May and now with Klatt going to the SJHL, they are down to Sheen, Langin, Schuldahus and Willms.
Swift Current adds Pouliot and signs an import
On a day filled with the signings of 2018 CHL Import Draft selection, the Swift Current Broncos added Finnish, 2001-born forward Joona Kiviniemi. The six-foot, 161 pound left wing had seven points over 14 games last year between Junior B and Junior A in Finland. He was taken 59th overall in the CHL Import Draft.
Swift Current has yet to sign their other import pick – Roope Pynnonen, also from Finland. The Broncos also could be getting back an overage import in d-man Artyom Minulin as well.
Furthering the tough decisions to be made among import and overage players, the Broncos added defenseman Ryan Pouliot off of waivers from the Kootenay ICE. The 1998-born, right-handed blue liner was drafted originally by the Red Deer Rebels in the 11th round in 2013. He played 14 games for the Rebels in 2015-16 before being moved to the ICE as part of the deal for Luke Philp.
Pouliot is the second player who was part of that deal for Philp to be moved this week after Tanner Sidaway was moved from Regina to Victoria.
Swift Current now has six overage players to be expected back this year. They are d-men Pouliot, and Minulin and forwards Kaden Elder, Kole Gable, Tanner Nagel and Andrew Fyten.
Links and notes:
-Former Calgary Hitmen forward Jake Virtanen has re-signed with the Vancouver Canucks.
-Lindsay Hofford was named the assistant general manager and director of amateur scouting of the Arizona Coyotes. The former Lethbridge Hurricanes head coach (2003-06) was director of scouting for the Toronto Male Leafs from 2015 to 2018.
https://twitter.com/JeffCoxSports/status/1022561060086329344
NEWS: Trevor Heinzerling Joins Colorado Eagles of AHL https://t.co/Zo9vZn2tIC pic.twitter.com/ALncj3JxQ3
— Seattle Thunderbirds (@SeattleTbirds) July 26, 2018
-Steve Ewen of the Vancouver Province had a nice write up on Lethbridge Huricanes winger Jordy Bellerive and his recovery from his injuries sustained this summer.
-Former Edmonton Oil Kings goalie Tristan Jarry re-signed with the Pittsburgh Penguins. The deal was for two-years and is two-way in 2018-19 and one-way in 2019-20.
