Kamloops Blazers
At the WHL draft last Thursday, Kamloops really added skill and speed to the future line up, while adding a future starting goalie into their lineup. On defense they took some long shot players who will take time to develop but have potential to play a bottom pairing to middle pairing role someday. They took one American who has NHL and WHL bloodlines to his name, and is someone who we are high on if he commits to the WHL. All in all, I think Kamloops draft is one you will need to look back on in five years to really assess how successful it was.
1st Round Selection
Josh Pillar (14th Overall) – One of the most competitive and effective players off the rush. The Sask Valley Vipers captain had a successful season and led his team to second in Westerns. Pillar plays a fast paced game with good intelligence and the ability to be effective in all three zones. His speed is hard to match and he is able to create separation with the puck with his poise + quick hands. Always has his head up, he has the potential to be a top line playmaker at the next level.
Notable Picks
Dylan Garand (58th Overall) – Arguably the top goalie coming out of BC this past season, Garand spent the season on one of the best teams in Western Canada and put up some impressive numbers. He isn’t the biggest but looks around screens well and is heavily mobile in his crease. We like Garand’s upside and believe he could step in someday to take a starting role once his later teens come around.
Reese Belton (97th Overall) – A heavily skilled player, Belton was one of the top scorers coming out of Manitoba and was very impressive at Westerns. He loves to have the puck on his stick and has the ability to score from anywhere. Sort of a one dimensional type of offensive player who is most effective with the puck entering the zone or when he attacks off the wall.
Jarrod Semchuk (125th Overall) – Semchuk really grew this season and was able to add size and skill to his tools. He is an offensive minded forward who loves to shoot the puck but can also make plays with his hands. He has good size at 6’0 and spent some time this past season with the midget squad. A sure shot WHL player who will bring depth scoring from the third line someday in our opinion.
Josh Doan (190th Overall) – Son of NHLer Shane Doan, Josh is an undersized playmaker who may be one of the smartest players in the entirety of this class. He spent the season in Arizona and led the league in assists. He has excellent vision and awareness, no commitment yet for anywhere on his part so it’ll be interesting to see what route he ends up taking.
Conclusion
In conclusion we like what Kamloops added up front and how they were able to add a goalie who has high upside. We would have liked to see them potentially add a more well-rounded defender who isn’t as much of a long term project, but we think that they knew what they wanted before the draft and were able to bring it. Kuntz is someone we think will anchor that bottom pairing one day. Ironside has potential to be a fourth line player. Overall I think Kamloops added good pieces who could make or break that team in the future.
