By Adrian Nieoczym /
Injuries have decimated the Kelowna Rockets lineup, forcing many of the squad’s 16- and 17-year-olds into more prominent roles than team officials would have liked.
And it’s showing on the ice.
The Rockets went into the Christmas break on a two-game losing streak. Then, once the holidays were over, they promptly lost seven of their next eight games and slid into eighth place in the Western Conference. Should they be unable to stop their skid, they risk missing the playoffs.
“Since Christmas, we haven’t been very good. We’ve had a string of injuries here,” said Kelowna’s director of player personnel, Lorne Frey. “And our younger guys have had to play in situations that maybe they’re not really ready for yet at this time. We just have to do the best we can here and play out the year and see what happens.”
But despite their predicament, the Rockets are not willing to throw in the towel on this season. “We’re not ruling ourselves out by any stretch,” said Frey. “We still owe it to our fans here to put the best product on the ice that we possibly can.”
So while Kelowna made several moves at the trade deadline with an eye to setting itself up for next year and beyond, it also made a move to solidify its present.
The Rockets acquired the rights to 16-year-old forward Colton Sissons, along with a third round pick in the 2011 Bantam Draft, from the Saskatoon Blades for forward Curt Gogol, 18, who had requested a trade. Sissons has 17 points in 43 games so far this season with the BCHL’s Westside Warriors.
The Rockets also acquired 17-year-old centre Sean Aschim from the Prince Albert Raiders for a sixth round Bantam pick. Considered a top prospect by Kelowna, Aschim has four points in 26 games this year in his rookie season.
At the same time, the Rockets exchanged 20-year-olds with the Prince George Cougars, trading forward Tyler Halliday for defenceman Dallas Jackson, who should not only help solidify Kelowna’s back end, but was the Cougar’s leading scorer.
“We had to find an older defenceman to stabilize our group,” said Rockets general manger and president, Bruce Hamilton. Kelowna’s blueline does not have any 19-year-olds and Jackson is its only 20-year-old.
To make room for him, seldom used 18-year-old defenceman, Kyle Verdino, was sent to the Swift Current Broncos for a fifth-round Bantam pick in 2011.
The Rockets chances of pulling out of its nosedive should also be greatly enhanced by the return of 20-year-old captain Lucas Bloodoff, who missed 15 games with a knee injury, as well as Brandon McMillan, who was away at the World Juniors as a member of Team Canada.
On a sad note, the Rockets will have to do without the services of speedy forward Kyle St.
Denis for at least the rest of the season while he heals from his second concussion of the season and fourth of his career. St. Denis hasn’t played since getting hurt Dec. 8 in Swift Current. |