Pair of Kelowna Rockets make preliminary rosters for World Junior Championships

The Kelowna Rockets have a long standing tradition of producing outstanding defencemen.

Some big name blue-liners have swapped the Ogopogo logo for an NHL jersey.

“Duncan Keith, Shea Weber and moving on to Tyson Barrie and players like that,” said Rockets General Manager Bruce Hamilton

Now two Rockets from the current corps of rear guards, have been named to their countries preliminary rosters for this year’s World Juniors.

Sophomore Rocket and Czech Republic native Libor Zabransky will lace up for the Czechs when they face Slovakia and the United States
later this month in World Junior exhibition action.

“I will try and do my best in those games and then will see what the coaches think,” Zabransky said.

“It will be interesting to see what Libor can do for sure. Former Rocket Vaclav Varada is the head coach, so Libor will have to earn a spot there for sure,” said Hamilton.

The other Rocket to earn a chance to play for his country is from Finland,

“It’s like always Finnish national team it’s like I’m so exciting,” rookie import Lassi Thomson said.

Lassi Thomson’s English not so good. But he’s not wrong. Lassi Thomson is exciting.

With seven goals and 12 assists, the Finnish Rocket is sixth in Wester Hockey League rookie scoring.

“If I play a couple of good pre-games, I think I can make for team,” Thomson said.

“I think that he’s going to be an interesting candidate for them, one that they are going to have to spend some time looking at,” Hamilton said.

Rockets defencemen always finishing their checks. Now two of them may just be off to do it on the world stage, come Christmas in Vancouver.