WHL Report: Brandon Wheat Kings

McKeen's correspondent Matt Bugg, files a report on the Brandon Wheat Kings with notes on five prospects eligible for the 2011 NHL Entry Draft - Jason Swyripa, Spencer Galbraith, Rene Hunter, Ryley Miller and Liam Liston.

Jason Swyripa (2011), C, Brandon

Ty Rattie's linemate in Bantam AAA netted over 100 points two years ago, but fell to the second round of the 2008 WHL Draft due to concerns over his size .. has yet to crest the 5-foot-9 mark, and lacks the elite skating ability a player of that height requires to be a factor at the next level .. hard worker who owns above-average hockey sense .. despite his age and experience, the 2010-11 season is his first in the WHL .. is regularly used on the second PK unit thanks to his ability to break up plays and create shorthanded scoring opportunities .. not afraid to dart into traffic, and a slick puckhandler at top-speed .. owns a hard, accurate wrist/snapshot, but takes a little too much time in getting it away .. with improvement in this area, he could be a 40-50 goal-scorer at the junior level .. as it is, is a long-term project that should be among the WHL's top producers at 19 or 20-years old.. is rapidly getting used to the speed of the game mentally if not physically, and shines more and more each game with seeing-eye passes and smooth dekes.

Spencer Galbraith (2011), D, Brandon

At 5-foot-10 and 170 pounds, he has the body of a powerplay quarterback but the nasty streak of a behemoth .. first order of business is finishing his checks as hard as possible .. although lacking an explosive first step or a refined stride, he has shown flashes of sound positioning and works hard to continually keep lock-step with his man .. little puck skills to speak of, and prefers to get the puck laterally to a stronger teammate .. Galbraith's calling card is his ability to get under an opponent's skin .. constantly yapping and taking liberties with opponents, and visibly enjoys the role of pest .. despite his diminutive frame, he is a surprisingly good fighter .. knows how to recover when in trouble, a rarity thanks to his good balance .. despite using a flurry of punches with a small wind-up rather than high-powered bombs, he can do a significant amount of damage.

Rene Hunter (2011), D, Brandon

Although just six-feet tall, he is a solid 203 pounds .. a great skater who owns outstanding technical ability and a fluid stride.. despite not being 18 until August, he may be Brandon's most reliable defensive defender .. a joy to watch, as he constantly disrupts plays with any piece of equipment or body part that will do the job .. tremendous hockey sense, and can solve any problem presented to him .. often the 'swing man' who plays extended shifts while his partner and other teammates change, and doesn't look out of place the length of the ice in one or two minute stretches .. although a flashy puck-mover, he gets the puck north-south without fuss and without panic.. lone sore spot is physical play .. although willing to engage and even initiate battles on the ice, he puts his body into dangerous positions and doesn't absorb contact in a safe manner - a problem as he could suffer serious injuries if this habit continues .. however, Hunter is an unheralded player who is just scratching the surface of his ability.

Ryley Miller (2011), D, Brandon

Undersized for an NHL-defensive prospect at 6-feet and 178 pounds .. despite his underdeveloped physique, he plays an extremely physical game and has not registered double-digit points at any level since Bantam .. a smooth, speedy skater who has good balance and acceleration .. low center of gravity makes it easy for him to line up big hits, which he does often .. however, he has a habit of chasing the puck and/or abandoning the play to make contact, making him a consistent defensive liability .. has been paired with veteran Brodie Melnychuk in an effort to help him better learn the position .. offensively, he doesn't handle the puck much, and has trouble making long-distance passes .. has little shot to speak of .. although a popular player in the room thanks to a non-stop motor and a big heart, he'll fight anyone in any weight class .. at his size, at least some offensive ability is a must .. may have a future as a sixth or seventh d-man who is great in the room and scraps more than not.

Liam Liston (2011), G, Brandon

Although a bigger goaltender at 6-foot-2 and 202 pounds, he plays too low too often in the hybrid butterfly to properly leverage it .. battles hard for position in his crease, and does his best to track the play laterally - a must for pro-goalie prospects .. active puckhandler who is not afraid to race an incoming forechecker for possession .. a positional goaltender who relies on technique and good skating ability rather than eye-popping flexibility or reflexes .. although he has no doubt faced a deluge of high-quality shots due to the young and inexperienced defense in front of him, Liston is often guilty of backing too far into his crease during breakaways or other one-on-none situations .. can get rattled easily after a bad goal, and will kick out larger and more dangerous rebounds, as he loses his confidence and ability to stay with the speed of the game mentally .. however, due to his size and strong pedigree (former Alberta Midget AAA goalie of the year), Liston has and will continue to attract attention from NHL clubs as June approaches.