WHL Report: Swift Current Broncos

Four is the magic number for the Swift Current Broncos. Winning their last three games by scores of 4-0, 4-1 and 4-3, the Broncos have climbed to second in the highly-competitive East Division. Matt Bugg reports on Adam Lowry and Graeme Craig, among other Broncos eligible for the 2011 Draft.

Adam Lowry (2011), LW

At 6'4 and 184 lbs, Lowry is sure to tempt NHL teams with his raw but potentially powerful frame.. thanks to his long legs, moves a country mile with every stride.. possesses good balance and the ability to handle the puck on either side of his body in full flight.. plays a simple north-south game, getting his body to the net and his stick open for opportunities.. while not a flashy player by any means, owns good patience and awareness and can surprise opponents with a quick move in tight.. Lowry especially hard for defensemen to handle when he takes up position by the posts, as his reach is so long he can corral a puck from behind the net and get it out front by just turning.. although he is off to a slow start goal-wise and all four of his points came in a three-game stretch, Lowry receives very little special-teams time and has proven an effective foil to skilled veteran Stephen Novotny when paired together.. could stand to improve all of his basic offensive skills save for puckhandling, but he is an intriguing project that could pay off in a major way.

Graeme Craig (2011), D

Another Bronco who is built like the team's namesake, Craig is a strapping 6'4 and 217 lbs.. as part of an extremely young Swift Current defensive unit, has taken the reigns, so to speak, and may be the team's most reliable player defensively.. a plowhorse who can log heavy minutes in any situation and with any style or skill level of partner.. has taken his play to another level this season in terms of aggression, using his size and power to dominate opposing players that get caught between he and the wall.. however, unlike many junior rearguards, understands that puck retrieval is the primary role of any defensive play and uses his long reach and strength to win possession.. Craig is a technically sound skater who is constantly moving his feet.. must get faster out of the blocks, but his agility, balance and top-end speed are all extremely good for a player of his size and allow him to scramble- if not win- races for the puck.. despite showing brief flashes of dominance when allowed to rush the puck, and although he owns a cool outlet pass that reliably hits its target, Craig is frequently left out of the cycle when the Broncos set up in the offensive zone.. would likely have more than one point on the year if this were not the case.. all in all, Craig has the size, mobility and raw skill to be a long-term surprise.

Austin Smith (2011), G

Although he has played just twenty minutes so far this year- and allowed one goal on eight shots- there is reason to believe Smith is a player.. pushed to third-string duty thanks to the acquisition of Derek Tendler in October, the undrafted '92-born has not looked solid either in sparse duty and may end up relinquishing duty to his younger counter-part if and when 20-year-old Mark Friesen needs rest.. an acrobatic, reflex-based goalie who can make that game-stealing save.. extremely fast glovehand and plays his angles aggressively but soundly when matched one-on-one with a skate.. can be a rebound machine when the play gets active and he does not have time to concentrate on both making a save and re-directing the puck to a safe area of the ice.. good skater and above-average quickness when moving laterally.. with further coaching in rebound control, has the athleticism to be a professional goaltender.