| Matthew Seminoff | Kamloops Blazers | WHL | R | RW | 5’11” | 183 | Kamloops Blazers | 2018 | Coquitlam, BC | 2003 | 2021-2022: B+ |
Seminoff is high effort forward who keeps his feet moving in every situation. As a puck carrier through the neutral zone he shows nice defensive gap recognition and has the skating ability to use his edges to cut hard to the middle for open ice or drive wide with his legs churning to beat the defender to the far post after changing gears to catch them flatfooted. During the offensive zone cycle Seminoff arrives to the slot with a prepared stick willing and ready to one-time any sort of bouncing puck showing the hand eye to get his sticks on anything. While forechecking we love how he stops on every puck with the awareness to keep his stick in the shooting or passing lanes and shows the quick inside edge explosiveness to take the opposing defender’s time and space away. Although he is currently averaging over a point per-game we do not view Seminoff as a dangler. Instead, he is an honest 200′ foot player who generates offense through hard work and is rewarded for making the right hockey play consistently.
WHL: Kamloops Blazers as of January 2, 2022 Season stats: Games played 30, Goals 15, Assists 18, Points 33, plus/minus 6, Penalty Minutes 2, Penalties Drawn 9, 2021 Game Averages: Time on ice per-game 18:37, Power play time 3:00, Short-handed time 01:52, Shots 5.5, %Shots on goal 72%, Face-off % 100%, Puck battles 15, %Puck battles won 49%, Hits 0.5, Hits against 1.57
WHL: Kelowna Rockets at Kamloops Blazers, December 9, 2021: Matthew made a statement early in this game showing his breakaway speed and incredible hands on the game’s first goal. Just minutes into the game he got a step on the defenceman and he was off to the races. He felt the pressure on his forehand side and protected the puck beautifully before burying a straight-on backhand shot. His awareness and ability to protect the puck was very impressive. Matthew is all about the puck possession, which is good and bad. Many times he was eager to attack and challenge defenders to create opportunities, well, sometimes it worked and he looked really good and sometimes he caused turnovers at inopportune times and he looked really bad. Nevertheless, he believes in his ability to beat players one-on-one every single time, I admire that bravado. Outside of his initial goal Matthew showed just a few more times he’s a gifted offensive threat, and playing with Logan Stankoven it needs to be shown more often. Grade B
World Selects Invite, June 4, 2018: A late ’03 who wasn’t a standout on this heavily skilled team but showed some grit and willingness to go to the net front and fight for loose pucks. He showed some flashes throughout the week; has a quick first step, he can maneuver with the puck in traffic areas and was fearless on the penalty kill and forecheck. A high-compete, high-pace forward who never stops his feet from moving. He’s not dynamic offensively at this point, but he has a strong work ethic, good speed and high motor that puts a lot of pressure on opposing defenders leading to turnovers.
CSSHL Showcase, February 16, 2018: Matthew is a hard-working/smooth skating forward. He has a high compete and is relentless on the forecheck. He puts on a lot of puck pressure and back checks consistently. He does well to twist and turn away from defenders in the offensive zone. The 2003 always keeps his feet moving and his head up ready to make a pass. He finished with 2 points through 4 games and saw time on both the power play and penalty kill. Grade: B
| Mats Lindgren | Kamloops Blazers | WHL | L | D | 6’0″ | 176 | Kamloops Blazers | 2019 | North Vancouver, BC | 2004 | 2021-2022: A- |
Lindgren is an explosive skating high end passing two-way defenseman who has the offensive ability and vision to be an impactful National League defenseman. Defensively he matches speeds very well showing the awareness to recognize where his backchecking forwards are in their progression and reading when to be patient or attack. Lindgren defends with his stick on the ice quickly moving his blade into shooting or passing lanes as he reads what the opposing forward is trying to do. During defensive breakouts or loose puck scrums we like how he uses the net as a pick to create separation and the continues moving his feet to take the open ice and generate breakouts. In the offensive zone Lindgren walks the blueline with confidence showing the swivel hips to create confusion for the oncoming defensive forward and the attack the open ice or shooting lane. To be a true offensive threat in professional hockey we Lindgren will need to continue developing his shot and hitting the net more frequently so he does not become predictable or one dimensional, but his passing skills are so elite we feel this is something that will happen naturally as he continues to train and mature.
WHL: Kamloops Blazers as of January 2, 2022 Season stats: Games played 31, Goals 2, Assists 18, Points 20, plus/minus 4, Penalty Minutes 10, Penalties Drawn 10, 2021 Game Averages: Time on ice per-game 22:27, Power play time 3:36, Short-handed time 01:16, Shots 4.1, %Shots on goal 45%, Face-off % -%, Puck battles 10, %Puck battles won 54%, Hits 0.16, Hits against 0.71
WHL: Kelowna Rockets at Kamloops, December 9, 2021: Mats had quite a strong game. He showed plenty of upside all over the ice. He has the ability to move the puck up the ice like a veteran defenceman. When he turns it up ice it is with purpose, he has his head up and is moving very fast and deliberate. He can make the pass off the rush or carry it end-to-end and make plays. On the power play he did fine and was able to distribute the puck confidently, however under pressure and when rushed to make a decision he lacked the necessary poise a power play quarterback needs. In his own end he was fine defensively and looked at home in most situations. The one play that concerned me was when he was pressured on the forecheck by a bigger Rockets forward and he seemed to back off and let the opposing forward take the puck. He has the skating ability to beat most any forechecker to a loose puck and when this happened it was definitely a head-scratcher. Overall Mats played and showed well. Grade B+
CSSHL Midget Showcase, February 16, 2020: Mats was the best defenceman at this event and he is playing at another level than most other kids which is extra impressive given he is a ’04 born. His skating is elite and he makes getting around the ice look like a breeze. He works his edges so well and builds speed in a hurry. We like is agility and quickness along the blueline and he did well to open up shooting and passing lanes for himself while keeping his head on a swivel. He was elusive against the forecheck and forwards had a tough time getting the puck from him after dumping it in. He is quick to make decisions and he thinks the game very well with his strong hockey IQ. He is able to play both the power play and penalty kill and we were impressed with his accurate shot that netted him two goals over the weekend. He is able to get off a quick release with a lot of power behind his wrist shot and he engaged down low in the offensive zone often. He was easily the most impressive player this at the event and he is a guy you can expect to see play at a very high level. Grade: A
Canada Youth Olympic Team (U-15) VS Lac St-Louis Lions:, January 16, 2020: An exceptional skater with an extremely high hockey IQ who understands the game on a mature level. He always has his head up looking for the open man in the best position to make a play. In the D-zone before making a breakout, he rarely gets rid of the puck for no reason. He dished out a couple of beautiful passes to the open man in the middle of the ice allowing his forward an easy zone entry in the neutral zone. However, where Lindgren is most impressive is on the blueline in the offensive zone. He walks the line and handles the puck effortlessly dragging his winger to him then deceptively making a pass or putting a puck on net. At one point, Lindgren confidently did a spin move on a winger keeping the puck on a string then finding the open winger on the half wall giving him a high scoring opportunity. The way he skates and handles the puck reminds me Shea Theodore from the Vegas Golden Knights, a solid two-way defenseman with great awareness in all areas. Will be interesting to see his development.
WHL Cup, November 10, 2019: One of the most explosive players in his age group, his ability to change speeds back and forth on a dime, makes him extremely hard to mark. His puck plays are made with such confidence, because he knows his x-factor is his feet, and when in doubt, he’ll race out of trouble. Mats will make plays at speed, and seems to shine best when the game is flowing back and forth. In the offensive zone he shows real patience with the puck, he has a knack for getting pucks through from the point, even if he is lacking that slap shot weapon from the point, his feet, and passing allows him to open up lanes for teammates. Grade: A
Rocky Mountain Classic, December 8, 2018: Lindgren was excellent over the weekend for his team and established himself as one of the top players in this year coming draft. Lindgren’s biggest strength by far is his skating that allows him to be lethal in transition and the ability to get out of his zone and play offense more often than not. He has great vision up ice and will skate it up ice if he sees space in the neutral zone, he possess elite separation speed and finds entries into the offensive end. He has excellent poise with the puck, being able to skate and activate in the offensive end and find lanes to get passes off for teammates. Lindgren is creative on the point and can open lanes to get shots off using his edges and hands to open something up. Lindgren could improve on not getting caught up ice as he loves jumping in and when plays transitions can lead to an odd man break, as well as getting stronger for retrieval situations. Grade: A
Kamloops International Bantam Tournament (KIBIHT), January 18, 2018: Mats was the team’s best defenseman and we really liked the way he played. He’s a very strong skater and gets around the ice at ease; he has a quick first three strides with a lot of agility and shiftiness. He was very elusive in the corners and made it hard for teams to fore check him. The 13 year old plays a smart game; he keeps his gaps tight with his confident skating ability. He engaged physically at times but was more effective when he out-smarted his opponent with his skating and anticipation instead. He finished the tournament with 1 goal through 5 games and is someone to watch for in his draft year next season. Grade: A-
| Dylan Ernst | Kamloops Blazers | WHL | L | G | 6’2″ | 194 | Kamloops Blazers | 2019 | Weyburn, SK | 2004 | Not yet rated |
Ernst is a 6’2″ goaltender with quick reflexes and excellent explosiveness, especially when going post to post in an extended butterfly. There are times when he can get over extended and wander from the top of his crease, but his athleticism make him an interesting goalie. He is adjusting well to the WHL and he is player we will be watching closely down the second half.
WHL: Kamloops Blazers as of January 2, 2022: Season stats: Games played 10, Shutouts 1, Goals Against 33, Shootouts 0, Shootout Save% -%, Game Averages: Goals Against 3.3, Penalty Kill Goals Against 0.3, Saves Per-game 27, Save% 89%, Scoring Area Saves 14, Scoring Area Save% 83%, Brilliant Saves 2, Breakaways 1, Breakaway Save% 64%
Mac’s AAA, April 8, 2020: Ernst is a very athletic goalie, showing great dexterity with his limbs. He attacks shots, has a solid glove hand, and directs rebounds out of danger consistently. He battles very hard through screens and is the type of goaltender who is never out of the play, he has strong lateral movement, and challenges shooters well. It doesn’t always look pretty with Ernst, but he is consistently strong at avoiding second chance opportunities. Grade: A-
WHL Cup, November 10, 2019: Dylan is an athletic goalie who moves really well in the net. He has good rebound control, deflecting shots out of danger, or swallowing up pucks quickly. He has a particularly strong glove hand. It’s quick, and he catches pucks cleanly. Dylan works hard to see through traffic, but he can lose his angle from time to time. He doesn’t always look technically sound in his movements and saves, but he is athletic enough to make unconventional saves, and is never out of the play. Grade: B+
| Marko Stacha | Kamloops Blazers | WHL | L | D | 6’1″ | 196 | Vancouver Giants | 2020 | Ilava, SVK | 2002 | 2021-2022: C+ |
Stacha has an NHL frame, a quick stick and excellent lateral quickness when closing on opposing forwards to shut down a line rush. There are the rare times when we have seen him crossover to close the gap, but the majority of times Stacha keeps his hips low and slides quickly laterally with a heel to heel motion. While boxing out or clearing shooting lanes in n the defensive zone he keeps his hips low, his chest high and he drives his opponent to less dangerous ice with quick hard inside edge pushes. Stacha works well with his defensive partner and understands how to anticipate loose pucks so he can be a quick clean outlet. The 2002 just had his second WJC cut short as he was playing for Slovakia and he is currently in his second WHL season after playing 22 games for Vancouver Giants last year.
WHL: Kamloops Blazers as of January 2, 2022 Season stats: Games played 24, Goals 5, Assists 4, Points 9, plus/minus 14, Penalty Minutes 15, Penalties Drawn 8, 2021 Game Averages: Time on ice per-game 18:22, Power play time 0:53, Short-handed time 02:09, Shots 2.7, %Shots on goal 49%, Face-off % -%, Puck battles 11, %Puck battles won 56%, Hits 0.92, Hits against 1.42
| Nathan MacPherson-Ridgewell | Kamloops Blazers | WHL | L | LW | 6’0″ | 170 | Kamloops Blazers | 2021 | Tsawwassen, BC | 2004 | Not yet rated |
MacPherson-Ridgewell is an undrafted 2004 who is adjusting to his first year in the Western League. After putting up gaudy numbers playing for Delta Hockey Academy Varsity during the 2017-18 season (30-28-58 in 30 games), MacPherson-Ridgewell has only played 34 games since then. He plays an honest hardworking style with Kamloops showing good straight line speed and the strength to out muscle opponents while on the forecheck or in front of the net. As he gets his game legs and timing back he is a player we will be watching closely during the second half of the season.
| Fraser Minten | Kamloops Blazers | WHL | L | LW | 6’1″ | 185 | Kamloops Blazers | 2019 | Vancouver, BC | 2004 | 2021-2022: B- |
Minten is a 200′ center with an NHL frame and good lateral quickness. We like the defensive awareness he shows as the F2 or F3 by doing doing an excellent job of judging his width and depth as to not give opposing players easy access to any of the lines. Minten is one of the few forwards we have seen this year that has the footwork to stand-up an opposing forward at center-ice when they try to cut through the middle to manipulate Kamloops’ defensive gaps. Minten has a quick release, can snap it while his feet are moving and shows the ability to shoot through the defenseman’s legs while on an even man line rush. As the low man in the defensive zone he provides close support without being too low or getting trapped on the wrong side of the puck. Out of defensive scrums we like his awareness to use his weakside defenseman to alleviate pressure and then the quickness he shows as he jumps out of traffic for a return pass. Minten is quick laterally and shows a good first step when coming off of contact, but we feel he will need to continue developing his lower body strength and foot speed as he matures towards a professional career. After putting up 18 points is 22 games as a WHL rookie, Minten is beginning to heat up and has 10 points in the last 12 games heading into the New Year.
WHL: Kamloops Blazers as of January 2, 2022 Season stats: Games played 30, Goals 9, Assists 13, Points 22, plus/minus 9, Penalty Minutes 18, Penalties Drawn 5, 2021 Game Averages: Time on ice per-game 18:18, Power play time 02:37, Short-handed time 01:32, Shots 5.2, %Shots on goal 63%, Face-off % 49%, Puck battles 12, %Puck battles won 54%, Hits 1.13, Hits against 0.57
Kamloops International Bantam Tournament (KIBIHT), January 18, 2018: Fraser is a hard-working playmaker. He distributes the puck effectively and sees the ice well. He has quick hands and dangle ability and he has a quick first step. He has a quick release on his shot but can improve the strength of it. The 2004 finishes his checks and has good positioning in the defensive zone. He was arguably the Warriors flashiest player but needs to be a consistent threat. He went invisible on a few occasions during games. Minten finished with 2 goals and 1 assist through 4 games. Grade: B+
| Tye Spencer | Kamloops Blazers | WHL | R | C | 5’8″ | 146 | Kamloops Blazers | 2019 | Saskatoon, SK | 2004 | 2021-2022: C |
Spencer is a high speed undersized forward who is able to create offensive opportunities by using his agility and quickness in neutral zone transition. Currently Spencer is averaging 9:29 in ice-time about nine minutes of that coming at even strength yet his highly competitive nature and competitive instincts have led to 11 points. Spencer is a player who has a quick unpredictable release and a nose for the net which we feel will bode well as he tries to earn more ice-time in the second half. We currently have Spencer rated as “C” 2021-22 prospect because of his ability to thrive on transition, quick competitive nature and the belief that he will earn more ice-time and continue to put up points at his current points per-minute played pace.
| Dylan Sydor | Kamloops Blazers | WHL | R | RW | 5’10” | 170 | Kamloops Blazers | 2020 | Kamloops, BC | 2003 | Not yet rated |
Sydor is a 2003 in his second year of NHL draft eligibility, and while we don’t feel he will necessarily be drafted this year we do feel he is player who NHL teams will be tracking closely because of his game awareness and the upward trajectory of his play. Sydor is averaging 10:28 minutes of ice-time per-game including 1:11 while on the power play, but he has put up a very interesting 6 goals and 15 points in that time. He plays a quick energetic game and uses his skating ability to create space for himself while on offense and takeaway time and space while on the forecheck or while defending. As an averaged sized forward with brains and speed we can see him earning an NHL development camp invite, surprising management and earning himself a professional contract.
BCHL: Merritt vs Cranbrook (Exhibition Game), November 21, 2020: Dylan is an 03’ and is used in all situations for Merritt. He is skilled with and without the puck and was constantly making things happen. On a few occasions he received bad passes in his skates and was able to fluidly transition them to his stick and continue with the line rush. Creative on the Power Play and uses the extra time and space to make plays. He looks cross-ice to spread out the ice. Did a good job with his body protecting the puck and buying time along the half-wall. Fights through pressure and is not separated from the puck easily. Grade: B
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