It’s interesting to note that of all the players selected in the recent NHL Draft held at the United Centre in Chicago there were a total of 33 players selected from the WHL – seven (7) current Brandon Wheat Kings players were selected.
Many will just showcase their talents for the teams, but others actually have “a shot” at making the Pro’s.
Regardless of the team the players were selected from, Sportswave wishes to congratulate Wheat Kings GM Grant Armstrong on his recent success.
Grant comes from North Delta and mentions that to everyone and continues to remark about the community in which he once lived and grew up in.
He’s extremely proud of North Delta and having remembered him as a youngster playing for North Delta MHA, I am like a proud “Dad” knowing that I have had the opportunity to not only know him, but also be a small part of his life during his playing days.
Grant joined the Victoria Royals in 2012 after spending four seasons as the Head Scout for the Winterhawks.
He was working under Victoria GM Cameron Hope, and anyone you ask will tell you that he (Grant) has been a huge part in the Royals success in the WHL.
In the past Grant has been heavily involved in hockey in BC and in the 2010-11 and 2011-12 seasons, he was the Head Coach of the North Delta Devils of the Pacific Junior Hockey League (PJHL) while also serving as the Director of Hockey Operations for the North Vancouver Minor Hockey Association.
While Grant has only been with the Wheat Kings for a year, his players have grown with his help and enlightenment and will continue to do so in the coming seasons ahead.
We spoke to Grant this past December when the Wheat Kings came to town to play against the rival Vancouver Giants and while he was all business, he was happy to return to see Family and Friends and actually expected us, so it’s a good thing we showed up.
Current Wheat Kings players who will have to earn their way or make an impact to a training camp this fall are Ty Lewis (Colorado’s development camp) and Brandon net minder Logan Thompson, who is hitting the ice with the Vegas Knights.
He is working under former Coach/GM Kelly McCrimmon and is coming off an impressive season that saw him score 30 goals and 38 assists for 68 points in only his sophomore season.
Thompson took over from then starting “tender” from Jordan Papirny managing to finish off a decent successful first season.
Three other members of the 2016/2017 Brandon Wheat Kings have graduated from the junior ranks and will also be partaking in WHL development camps this week.
They include Reid Duke the first signing in Vegas Golden Knights history and currently impressing at the Golden Knights development scrimmages.
He is joined by former Wheat King and former Vancouver Giant Dmitry Osipov who was the Wheat Kings third twenty year old from last season.
Tyler Coulter, is skating with the Arizona Coyotes at their development camp and is hopeful he might get a contract to play professionally – somewhere next season.
The CHL import draft took place June 28th and the overall 24th selection saw Brandon select the 6’1” winger from Pardubice Czech.
Martin Kaut who last season played with the Pardubice U20 Czech Jr. club collecting four goals and 12 assists in 22 games as well as 24 PIM’s.
Kaut could possibly join Wheat Kings D-man and fellow Czech, Daniel Bukac as the Wheat King’s two European imports for the coming season.
Martin, also 6’1 winger is from the Czech Republic and will be in his 18 year old season and looking to impress in his draft year, as he is not eligible until the 2018 NHL Entry Draft.
Note worth knowing?
Nolan Patrick recently had successful surgery on June 13th, his third surgery relating to the sports hernia injury, and GM Ron Hextall of the Philadelphia Flyers reports he will be out 4-6 weeks.
This means that although he will be in attendance for the Flyers development camp, he will not participate in any of the on-ice sessions.
