Jake Lee has been a standout so far this season for the Kelowna Rockets.
The 6-foot-2 and 194-pound product from Sherwood Park, Alta., has anchored Kelowna’s blue-line since being traded from Seattle in 2019.
“I think that he’s had a really good year so far. He’s been one of our most consistent defencemen,” Rockets president and general manager Bruce Hamilton said of Lee, 20.
“He’s very gifted. He does a lot of things with the puck that allows him to get free and get pucks to the net.”
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The talented blue-liner has amassed 36 points in 43 games during this season, which is also his last year of junior hockey eligibility.
“This being my last year, I kind of realized now that if I want to do something with hockey, I really got to perform and give it my all every night,” said Lee.
He credits a number of factors for his success this season.
“I got great teammates, great coaches, great resources helping me out throughout this year,” said Lee.
With 14 goals so far this season, Lee is now tied for seventh in franchise single-season, goal-scoring by a defenceman.
The current record is 24 goals, set by Michael Sykora during the 1992-93 season.
Lee has 23 games left to score 11 goals in order to break the franchise record.
“That’s my goal for the rest of the year, to break that franchise record,” said Lee. “Hopefully.”
Lee will have a chance to add to his offensive output this weekend, as the Rockets face the Kamloops Blazers in a home-and-home series on Friday and Saturday before travelling to Seattle for a game against the Thunderbirds on Sunday.