WHL: Blazers Not a Good Fit for 2008 Draft

The Kamloops Blazers are not blessed with any top-end prospects for the 2008 NHL Entry Draft, as they are a team in transition and will be rebuilding for the future. McKeen's correspondent Randy Gorman looks at their 2008 hopefuls including defenseman Jordan Rowley and forward Tyler Shattock, who likely have the best chance at being drafted.

Jordan Rowley (2008), D, Kamloops Blazers

Rowley has caught the eye of scouts this season because of his steady improvement .. someone had to step up and fill the void that was left with the departures of Keaton Ellerby and Victor Bartley and Rowley has accepted the challenge, as he now forms the Blazers best duo an the backend with Ryan Bender .. Rowley is a good skater with a smooth stride, and improved his defensive awareness as the season progressed .. scouts like his composure and his ability to jump into the play and know when to hang back and not be caught .. he is not very physical for his size (6-0, 180), but makes smart plays and does not get beat very often .. has a hard, low shot that has some pop and has ability to gain position on opposing players .. he could be a fourth or fifth round sleeper pick in this year's draft

Mark Hall (2008), C, Kamloops Blazers

Small forward puts up a hard-working effort most games, as he is determined and very driven to succeed .. a very good skater that utilizes his speed well, but the knock on Hall is that he is not a finisher and that reflects in his second-year stats of three goals and nine points in 54 games .. at 5-foot-9 and 185 pounds, he does not shy away from the rough stuff and has racked up 130 minutes in penalties .. he has also dropped the gloves on more than a few occasions .. must work on his shot, as he needs more velocity and control .. needs to work on his faceoffs and improve the defensive part of the game if he is going to make the leap to the next level.

Tyler Shattock (2008), RW, Kamloops Blazers

The 6-foot-3, 190-pound winger was having a pretty decent season before his injury, as he had nine goals, 12 assists and 60 penalty minutes in 41 games .. an average skater, but is sometimes a little lazy getting back into plays .. has slick-passing skills that are on the money to his teammates and has some dipsy-doodle-type moves that are successful at times .. the knock on Shattock is that scouts would like to see him compete more for the puck and use his size and strength to dominate, something that he has not shown yet on a consistent basis .. he should get better defensively as his junior career progresses but he definitely has some upside.

Shayne Wiebe (2008), C, Kamloops Blazers

His skating and foot speed are a concern, as many times, he has been caught out of position and has struggled to catch up and get back in the play .. likes to get under the skin of opposing players much like his teammate Mark Hall .. he has struggled to put his game together this season and has been a healthy scratch on many nights seeing action in 54 games and recording nine goals, 17 points and 55 penalty minutes .. needs to work on many aspects of his game and may turn out to be a decent junior player, but may have difficulty progressing on to the next level.

Matt Wray (2008), LW, Kamloops Blazers

Making the jump from the BCHL to the WHL this season has been difficult at times, as he is having problems adjusting to the speed of the game .. his skating and foot speed are a concern, however, his physical presence and body checking ability make opposing forwards keep an eye open for the blindside hit that might be delivered by the 6-foot-3, 212-pound winger .. scoring has disappeared, as he is playing mostly on the third or fourth line and has taken on a checking role with the Blazers .. his stats reflect that with only three goals and four points in 33 games .. will likely not garner much draft attention.

Kurt Torbohm (2008), D, Kamloops Blazers

The 6-foot-3, 198-pound defenseman has not seen much action with the Blazers in his draft year .. He has been oft injured an appeared in just 26 games recording one assist and 27 penalty minutes .. he is big and rugged but is too slow and his skating is a concern .. he plays the body well but needs to learn how to play better defense at this level, as he gives the puck away far too often, which ultimately lead to costly penalties or quality scoring chances by the opposition .. would benefit from taking a power skating course and to work with the defense coach on his pivot turn, as he makes it too late to face oncoming forwards who are gaining better position on him or getting by him .. a project that needs work but will likely not be drafted this season.