vees:blog

Fred Harbinson live in-studio, Max Grassi after his first practice, a trade deadline re-cap, the Mayor of Penticton - Dan Ashton, Power Rankings, Highlights, an Alumni Update and more!

Listen Now:

 Standard Podcasts [55:35m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download | Embeddable Player

The NHL’s Central Scouting Bureau has released their Mid-Term Rankings of players eligible for the 2009 NHL Entry Draft.

Curtis McKenzie is one of 5 players listed from the BCHL among the top 210 North American Skaters. In order, the scouts like:

#93 F - Spencer Bennett (SRY), #119 D - Wes McLoed (PG), #158 F - Curtis McKenzie (PEN), #162 F - Cory Kane (VRN), #165 D - Curtis Gedig (COW).

Here’s the BCHL’s spin.

Previously on the NHL watch list, but failing to make the top 210 players from the BCHL are F - Zac Ashton (NAN), D - Jake Baker (MRT), and D - Matt Ridley (PEN), Baker and Ridley were listed as C-Rated Prospects, while Ashton was a B-Rated Prospect.

The top Ranked Jr ‘A’ player in Canada is Dylan Olsen of the Camrose Kodiaks (AJHL). Olsen is the lone AJHL player on in the Rankings.

Elsewhere around Canada, the CJHL has 3 players listed, the OJHL has 2, The SJHL has 1 player listed.

The USHL has the top tier-2 junior (NCAA eligible/non-professional) player ranked in D - John Moore of the Chicago Steel (ranked 8th). 24 USHL-ers made the list of 210 skaters.

The USHL also has 3 Goalies listed among the 30 North American Goalies Ranked compared to just a mention of 1 Canadian Jr ‘A’ goalie (Joseph Quattrocchi of Smith Falls (CJHL)), who didn’t crack the top 30 due to lack of viewing.

The USHL continues to dominate tier 2 Junior. Here’s their release.

Fred Harbinson’s newest acquisition F - Max Grassi (’88) arrived in town today, happy to join his new team-mates.

Contrary to popular opinion, Max isn’t related to Matt Grassi the All-Star Defender in Salmon Arm.

Here is Max’s BCHL Profile.

Listen Now:

 Standard Podcasts [2:34m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download | Embeddable Player

Tonight’s BOSTON PIZZA VEES THIS WEEK radio show features Fred Harbinson ‘in-studio’. If you have a question for the Vees Head Coach / General Manager send it to me before 5:30 PST today!

Questions about the Trade Deadline, Line Combos, Coaching Techniques, College Hockey are all welcome, or you can go off the board!

email me at VEESVOICE (AT) GMAIL (DOT) COM, and tune in from 6-7 to hear your question answered on EZ Rock AM 800 , myezeock.com, in the BCHL’s fanzone, or later tonight on the blog where the show is posted in it’s entirety.

The Vernon Vipers and Salmon Arm Silverback each have slipped a spot in the National Rankings released today.

The Snakes and Primates each lost a game this weekend with Salmon Arm droping their final of 3 consecutive games with Westside on Friday and Vernon losing for the first time in 5 meetings with the Vees.

The Vees recent run that has seen them amass 15 of 16 points in their last 8 games (7-0-0-1) has caught the eyes of the CJHL powers. The Vees were given an ‘Honorable Mention’ in the rankings… surely a win over Salmon Arm (@ PEN on Friday) would garner some talk of placing the team in the top 15.

All 10 Junior ‘A’ leagues across the country have a team listed in the top 15. Cute.

The AJHL leads the way with 3 teams listed (#1 Spruce Grove Saints, #4 Grande Prairie Storm, #12 Brooks Bandits), the BCHL has 2 team named (#3 Salmon Arm Silverbacks, #9 Vernon Vipers), the OJHL (Ontario Junior Hockey League) has two (#5 Couchiching Terriers, #7 Georgetown Raiders), as does the Manitoba Junior Hockey League (#6 Portage Terriers, #10 Winnipeg Saints).

The BCHL Trade Deadline has come and gone. Here’s a look at the moves that effect the Interior Conference playoff race.

SALMON ARM SILVERBACKS

When your the best team in the league, things are working! The Silverbacks made one minor tweak adding F - Brent Vandenberg (’89) from Burnaby for future considerations.

VERNON VIPERS

The Vipers got their work done early this year adding D - Mike Leidl (’88) and D - Cameron Brodie (’88) from the Burnaby Express on Thursday. Steve Tressiera and John Digness are shipped out to make the move as well as future considerations. The Vipers back-end is now bigger, tougher and more experienced.

PENTICTON VEES

The Vees added D - Kaare Odegard (’90) last week and F - Max Grassi (’88) on Saturday, giving up future considerations for each. Penticton subtracts F/D - Elias Grossmann (’88) for futures. The Vees have just three 20-year-olds on the team, but are even more skilled and deep than they were a week ago.

WESTSIDE WARRIORS

Lacking a game-breaker at the forward position, the Warriors picked up playmaker F - Cam Reid (’91) during the week and added top 10 scorer F - Chad Gehon (’88), while surrenedering F - Brett Howe (’90), F - Matt Betker (’89) and future considerations. This club has, without question, upgraded their ability to put the puck in the net.

TRAIL SMOKE EATERS

The skidding Smokies shake up their squad, moving F - Gehon (’88), F - Andrew Pickering (’89) - two of their top five scorers - and future considerations for long-time Smokie F - Brett Corcoran (’88) and a lesser known F - Scott Jacklin (’90), claimed off the Merritt scrap heap. They lose a bit of scoring punch but get back to their team identity of a blue collar club with the moves, and Jacklin, at just 18, is a wild card.

PRINCE GEORGE SPRUCE KINGS

The Spruce Kings added scoring depth upfront to go with an allready ornery group, acquiring F - Alex Goodship (’89) and F -Andrew Pickering (’89) for F - Grant Toulmin (’89), F - Michael Nardi (’90) and the ever popular future considerations. They get older and more skilled… And they had 5 All-Stars already!

QUESNEL MILLIONAIRES

The Mills move coveted F - Trevor Hertz (’89) and F - Mitchell Smith (’88) for F - Brett Howe (’90), Future Considerations and Don Cherry’s lastest DVD and Book! Who knows what they got for Hertz, the league has nothing reported yet.

MERRITT CENTENNIALS

I get the sense Al Glendenning got bored on Saturday with his club one of just two that wasn’t in action. With no game to prepare for the Merritt GM/Coach/Bus Driver decided to have every player moved in the BCHL spend an honorary minute as a Centennial before being shipped off to their new home! HERE’S THE DAMAGE!

OTHER MOVES

F - Jordan Grant (’90) goes to Powell River for F - Brooks Robinson (’89) who is then moved to Grande Prairie.

F - Trevor Hertz (’89) goes to Victoria for a Spa Weekend gift certificate to Bear Mountain Resort and bucket of range balls.