With three Kelowna Rockets players ranked among the top 40 North American Skaters, this could be a big year for the WHL team at the NHL draft.
Rockets defenseman Lassi Thomson is ranked 15th after putting up 7 goals and 24 assists with the WHL club last season.
While teammate, and fellow right-shooting defenceman, Kaedan Korczak is ranked 32nd.
Forward Nolan Foote, son of Rockets coach and former NHLer Adam Foote, is ranked 37th.
The trio, along with teammate Dillon Hamaliuk, attended the NHL Scouting Combine in Buffalo, N.Y. this week for interviews with NHL teams, as well as medical and athletic assessments.
Nolan Foote’s brother, Callan Foote, was drafted by the Tampa Bay Lighting in the first round of the 2017 NHL entry draft while his father, Adam Foote, was drafted 22nd overall by the Quebec Nordiques 30 years ago.
Nolan said his brother gave him tips about what interview questions he should expect from the teams while his father’s advice was “to have a good time and enjoy it” because going to the NHL Scouting Combine is a once-in-a-lifetime event.
NHL.com is reporting that Nolan actually played all of last season with a broken wrist after initially receiving medical advice that it was only a sprain.
The league’s website said by the time the injury was discovered it had already healed.
Nolan still managed to score 36 goals and 27 assists during last season.
Meanwhile, Rockets’ defenceman Kaedan Korczak had a strong showing at the Combine’s fitness tests where he was ranked in the 25 in 11 of the 18 tests.
“The fitness tests were a good experience. I worked really hard the last couple of weeks, I felt prepared going into it,” said Korczak.
“The Combine gave me the chance to meet some the guys that I’ve played against for years, it was pretty cool to spend some time and get to know them.”
Rockets’ goalie Roman Basram is also ranked 18th among North American goalies heading into the draft.
We’ll find out how the Rockets fair in three weeks when the NHL Entry Draft is held on June 21 and 22 in Vancouver.
The Vancouver Canucks have the 10th overall draft pick while Nolan Foote’s brother’s team, the Tampa Bay Lightning, will draft 27th overall.
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