| John Babcock | Kelowna Rockets | WHL | L | D | 6’0″ | 201 | Kelowna Rockets | 2019 | North Vancouver, BC | 2004 | Long Term Player Watch |
Babcock is a hard playing sturdy left shot defenseman. He moves the puck quickly in transition, yet shows the skating ability to do a reverse escape while under heavy pressure in the neutral zone and then move his feet to create space or passing lanes. He shows a powerful core while clearing shooting lanes and the quickness to beat opposing forwards to loose pucks in the corners. After playing 9 games for Kelowna last season Babcock is earning approximately 15 minutes of even strength ice time for the Rockets in 2021-22. We feel the naturally strong and powerful defender is a long shot to be drafted this year, but the combination of quick decisions with the puck and ability to defend line rushes with very tight gaps and lateral quickness make Babcock a player to watch as his Junior career progresses.
WHL: Kelowna Rockets as of January 6, 2022 Season stats: Games played 23, Goals 0, Assists 9, Points 9, plus/minus 10, Penalty Minutes 14, Penalties Drawn 1, 2021 Game Averages: Time on ice per-game 16:15, Power play time 0:05, Short-handed time 0:58, Shots 2.9, %Shots on goal 44%, Face-off % 0%, Puck battles 8, %Puck battles won 57%, Hits 0.79, Hits against 0.92
Kamloops International Bantam Tournament (KIBIHT), January 2018: John was the Storm’s best defenseman and played consistently the entire tournament. He has a heavy point-shot but needs to work on getting it off quicker. The 2004 plays physical and finishes his checks in the corners, and he does well to step up on forwards entering the zone. His gaps are good and he does well to angle forwards off towards the boards and eventually pinch them off. Grade: B
| Elias Carmichael | Kelowna Rockets | WHL | L | D | 6’3″ | 192 | Kelowna Rockets | 2018 | Langley, BC | 2003 | 2021-2022: C |
Carmichael has a National League frame with a defense first mentality that we feel will translate into professional hockey. Defensively he has the foot speed to hold the offensive blue line longer than his peers and the confidence to play with consistent tight gaps that force early poor decisions. He moves well laterally to protect the defensive blue line and retrieves dump-ins with his head on a swivel to locate the opposing F2 and F3. It may not be highlight reel worthy, but Carmichael makes quick decisions with the puck and understands that getting the puck into his forward’s hands will lead to quick zone exits. He shows quickness and power when shutting down the cycle, leading with his stick to take away time and space before accelerating through contact. Carmichael is not a banger, but he uses his reach and agility to his advantage. We feel Carmichael is a defender who will not end up on many draft lists because he does not play a sexy game, but we do feel that professional coaches want a simple straight forward game from their defensive core and as he continues to train and develop a more powerful lower half his style of play will find him a steady home in professional hockey.
WHL: Kelowna Rockets as of January 6, 2022 Season stats: Games played 21, Goals 1, Assists 2, Points 3, plus/minus 4, Penalty Minutes 15, Penalties Drawn 3, 2021 Game Averages: Time on ice per-game 18:10, Power play time 0:12, Short-handed time 2:10, Shots 1.77, %Shots on goal 33%, Face-off % 0%, Puck battles 9, %Puck battles won 57%, Hits 0.41, Hits against 0.77
WHL: Everett, Kelowna, Portland, Prince George, Tri-City, Seattle, Spokane, Victoria. 36 NHL Prospects, June 8, 2021: Elias is a strong defender who plays a subtle game. On the surface of Elias’ game, there is nothing that jumps out as elite, but you’ll be hard pressed to find any holes in his game either. With his skating, he is solid. He transitions smoothly and has good foot work that allows him to keep good tight gaps. He works well on his edges and generates power out of his pushes and crossovers. His overall stride is okay. He has big strides, they can look awkward at times, but he generates good speed. Defensively, Elias is big, and uses his body and leverage well in the corners. He doesn’t play an overtly physical game, but isn’t shy either. He protects his net with good positional play, and will show is fierce side from time to time. But for the most part, Elias makes his impact through good positioning, a strong stick and smart quick plays on the puck. When transitioning out of his own zone, again, there is nothing flashy about what Elias does, but he does make good decisions consistently, even when under pressure. He is solid on his back hand, has good awareness about where his help is, and where his escape routes can be. Elias isn’t afraid to break the puck out with his feet, but he is quick to make passes to teammates when he sees an opening. Offensively, Elias plays smart. He has a very heavy wrist shot from the point and he uses it smartly. He will show a little poise along the blue line, but again, as with the rest of his play, he likes to make decisions quickly, and at times doesn’t look comfortable yet possessing the puck for extended time. Elias is already proving to be a reliable option for the Rockets, and could very well develop into a reliable pro one day. Grade: B
CSSHL Showcase, February 16, 2018: Elias was the team’s best and most noticeable defenseman. He plays with a physical edge and battles for pucks and positioning. The 2003 is a strong/heavy skater and out-muscles opponents when he rushes the puck. He makes a strong first pass out of the defensive zone and played some big power play minutes. His shot is heavy but he can improve on getting it off quicker. The 14 year old finished with 4 assists through four games and also saw some time on the penalty kill. Grade: A-
| Jackson Desouza | Kelowna Rockets | WHL | R | D | 6’4″ | 187 | Kelowna Rockets | 2018 | Erie, CO | 2003 | 2021-2022: C+ |
Desouza is a 6’4″ right shot defender who we feel is starting to scratch the surface of what he can be as a defensive presence. He is long and lanky, but we feel as he continues to add strength and mature that he will earn an opportunity to play professional hockey. In the defensive zone he uses smarts and surprising quickness to shut down the cycle and clear shooting lanes. Desouza is strong on the puck and we like his ability to advance the puck without taking risky chances. Again we feel Desouza is project, a 6’4″ right shot with a good skating base who’s style will only improve as he matures.
WHL: Kelowna Rockets as of January 6, 2022 Season stats: Games played 27, Goals 1, Assists 4, Points 5, plus/minus -5, Penalty Minutes 19, Penalties Drawn 5, 2021 Game Averages: Time on ice per-game 17:41, Power play time 0:16, Short-handed time 2:18, Shots 2.3, %Shots on goal 53%, Face-off % 0%, Puck battles 10, %Puck battles won 56%, Hits 0.79, Hits against 0.64
Macs Midget Tournament, March 13, 2019: A cerebral defender who reads the play, can get to spots to break up passes and cut down angles and has decent mobility. On offense he is very aware of sleeping defenders and will pinch and play aggressive on them. A positionally sound defender who battles hard along the boards. His puck skill is average and he struggled in a fast-paced play. Grade: B-
World Selects Invite, June 4, 2018: Jackson is a balanced skater with good speed. Tall defenseman who combined his reach and mobility to close on puck carriers. Used his stick to dig pucks out and played on the correct side when things became chaotic. Showed he can carry the puck. He is athletic, prepared and strong. He will only get better with time and added strength.
Rocky Mountain Classic Bantams, November 27, 2017: Big bodied defenseman who covers a tremendous amount of ground due to a big long stride. He has a great stick, long and using it effectively on the poke check as his reach allows him to break up many plays. He likes to play it physical and was effective on a couple of big open ice hit as well. He has good compete level, and can be counted on to use his big body for shot blocking. Grade: B+
| Noah Dorey | Kelowna Rockets | WHL | L | D | 6’3″ | 192 | Kelowna Rockets | 2018 | Surrey, BC | 2003 | 2021-2022: C+ |
Dorey is a big strong left shot defenseman who plays with high compete and jam. At 6’3″ we like his skating posture as he shows excellent power, acceleration and four way agility all while keeping his hips low and his chest high. Dorey can use his feet to open passing lanes creating space for himself, defensive partner and forwards. In the defensive zone there are times when he will wander, but we feel this is a result of him having high end skating ability so he has been able to cheat at lower levels. We are generally not a plus / minus watcher, but Dorey is leading his team in the minus category by quite a few and that is something we will monitor as the WHL season progresses.
WHL: Kelowna Rockets as of January 6, 2022 Season stats: Games played 26, Goals 3, Assists 9, Points 12, plus/minus -19, Penalty Minutes 18, Penalties Drawn 5, 2021 Game Averages: Time on ice per-game 20:10, Power play time 1:51, Short-handed time 1:25, Shots 4.3, %Shots on goal 41%, Face-off % 0%, Puck battles 9, %Puck battles won 57%, Hits 1.15, Hits against 0.77
WHL: Kelowna Rockets at Kamloops Blazers, December 9, 2021: Noah is a physical, hard to play against defenceman, and he plays alongside Kelowna’s top-end offensive defenceman for a reason. That is a great compliment to any stay- at-home player, however Noah is more than just a stay-at-home defenceman. He does excel at that, however there were a few times he turned the puck up the ice and looked quite fluid. Head up, strong lateral movement and then delivered nice crisp passes. I wouldn’t expect him to be a coast-to-coast guy, but he definitely has the ability to move the puck up the ice in a variety of ways. Not long into the game Noah started to establish his physicality when he threw a couple beautiful body-checks. One of his better plays on the evening was in a flat out 1 on-1 with Logan Stankoven. Stankoven exited his zone with full speed through the neutral zone, and Dorey played him perfectly. He kept a tight gap, guided him out of the middle and allowed Stankoven to get within striking distance. Stankoven’s hands and speed are on the elite level and Dorey made him look like anything but that. His lightning quick poke check ended the rush just around the blueline. Dorey’s skating and footwork were on full-display during this sequence. Grade B
CSSHL Midget Showcase, February 16, 2020: Noah was the team’s best defenceman this weekend and he was noticeable often. He played top power play minutes and he was quick to move the puck. His shot is accurate and quick and he does well to adjust his shooting angles to open up lanes. The ’03 plays a tight gap and stepped up and made a big hit in the team’s first game. He pinched often and was very aggressive holding the offensive zone. We really like his smooth skating abilities, his edgework is smooth and his feet are quick when moving laterally. He is smart and calm with the puck and he was quick to anticipate the play without it. Grade: A
CSSHL Showcase, February 16, 2018: Noah was the team’s best defenseman in the Showcase. He played with a lot of grit and physicality; he isn’t afraid to mix things up and doesn’t back down from anyone. He consistently finished his checks and battled for pucks in the corners. The 2003 has a high compete and an aggressive style to his defending. He joined the rush a lot or skated the puck himself, his stride is seems effortless, allowing to get around the ice at ease. The 14 year old made solid first passes to help create smooth breakouts and he played top PP minutes and displayed a heavy point shot. Grade: A-
Rocky Mountain Classic Bantams, November 27, 2017: Noah was undoubtedly the best defenseman on his team. He has a very physical mindset, finished every hit he can either on the boards or in open ice, has a great compete level and is tenacious defending. He is a very good skater who can carry the puck up ice when needed making him an effective two-way player. He plays on his team’s first powerplay unit and has good passing vision. When shooting, Noah possesses a very hard shot from the blueline. Grade: A-
| Nolan Flamand | Kelowna Rockets | WHL | L | LW | 5’9″ | 159 | Kelowna Rockets | 2019 | Saskatoon, SK | 2004 | 2021-2022: C+ |
Flamand is an undersized forward who excels in transition showing the understanding of when to use his quickness to stretch the zone or when to provide close support to create quick 2 on 1s. As a puck carrier he may not be a straight line burner, but he has high end edge control and explosiveness that generates time and space in all three zones. We like his vision and ability to pass through defender’s legs as they try to close on him. As his game continues to mature and develop, we feel Flamand will need to continue working on his release and shot as to not become predictable at higher levels. Flamand plays with high energy and his mentality of expecting to win every loose puck will only enhance his appeal to NHL teams as the season progresses.
WHL: Kelowna Rockets as of January 6, 2022 Season stats: Games played 29, Goals 5, Assists 19, Points 24, plus/minus 17, Penalty Minutes 4, Penalties Drawn 7, 2021 Game Averages: Time on ice per-game 16:42, Power play time 1:54, Short-handed time 1:47, Shots 2.6, %Shots on goal 53%, Face-off % 51%, Puck battles 14, %Puck battles won 58%, Hits 0.5, Hits against 0.8
WHL: Kelowna Rockets at Kamloops Blazers, December 9, 2021: Nolan had a solid game and works well with his line mate Andrew Cristall. The two of them work off of one-another and have similar hockey IQ’s. Nolan’s skating is sold, but not dynamic. He can get from point A to point B at a fairly rapid pace, but when it comes to blowing the doors off a defenceman on a rush it wasn’t in the cards on this night. His hands are above average, picking up passes and making quick handles in traffic wasn’t an issue. Furthermore he uses his smarts combined with those skills to make things look a little too easy sometimes. Kelowna has had high hopes for Nolan and he has delivered to some extent as he sits fourth in team scoring and is averaging 0.75 ppg. He has a strong offensive upside, but also consider his defensive play, which is quite strong and responsible. Grade C+
| Max Graham | Kelowna Rockets | WHL | L | C | 6’3″ | 181 | Everett Silvertips | 2020 | Whitehorse, YT | 2004 | 2021-2022: C+ |
Graham is a 200′ center who gets better with each viewing. He is an 04 who was not drafted in the WHL Bantam draft, but was able to play nine games for Everett last season before finding a home in Kelowna after a trade. Graham is a lanky forward who has quick hands around the offensive zone and is gaining an understanding of how to use his length to protect the puck to be an asset while cycling. He has a nice balanced stride with a powerful toe push that will only gain power as he matures. Graham finishes checks with authority without lunging into contact and becoming off balance. He generally maintains net side positioning and uses quick feet to beat his opponent back to the net or the open ice. Graham is a player that Neutral Zone did not know very well coming into the 2021-22 season, but his style of play and upward trajectory make him a very interesting professional prospect.
WHL: Kelowna Rockets as of January 6, 2022 Season stats: Games played 28, Goals 7, Assists 9, Points 16, plus/minus 8, Penalty Minutes 12, Penalties Drawn 10, 2021 Game Averages: Time on ice per-game 14:43, Power play time 0:51, Short-handed time 1:06, Shots 2.1, %Shots on goal 66%, Face-off % 48%, Puck battles 10, %Puck battles won 49%, Hits 1.17, Hits against 0.59
| Rilen Kovacevic | Kelowna Rockets | WHL | R | RW | 5’11” | 170 | Kelowna Rockets | 2019 | Kelowna, BC | 2004 | Not yet rated |
Rilen Kovacevic is a high energy winger who is going to give you every thing he’s got on every shift. He is averaging about nine minutes of even strength ice time per-game, but he’s averaging 1.67 hits per-game and winning 53% of his loose puck battles. As an 04 we feel he is player who will continue to develop his skills to be a very impactful player for Kelowna.
Medicine Hat Hockey Hounds Tournament, December 21, 2017: Kovacevic played well through the weekend and created some chances offensively through hard work and battling his ass off. An average skater who lacks a top speed, played well through neutral ice showing good vision and play-making to open space for teammates. He often gained the zone for his team and set up play along the half wall or by getting play down low and chasing it down himself. He works hard for the puck below the goal line and once it’s on his stick likes to crash the puck to the net and dig for second chance rebounds. Kovacevic has a decent shot he likes to take from distance and when he finds free ice in the offensive end. Would like to see him work on his stick handling, so he could create more in tight an be able to free himself up more often. Grade: B
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