Played on Sep 27, 2025
Game Played in Prospera Place
General Game Notes: First overall import draft selection Thomas Poletin led the way in the hometown Kelowna Rockets 3-2 win, scoring his third goal in two games off of a laser one timer from the slot on the power play. He also scored the game winner in the shootout. Kaden Longley chipped in with a goal and an assist for the Rockets while Doogan Pederson and Brittan Alstead scored for the Vees. Vees goaltender AJ Reyelts was steady making 27 saves in the loss.
Kalder Varga (RW, R, 5’11”, 176, Kelowna Rockets, 06/24/2008, Denver)
Game Rating
B
Kalder Varga showcases impressive skating ability, particularly with top speed and acceleration. He possesses quick hands and accurate shot release, making him a strong candidate for scoring opportunities. Varga’s game is marked by a dynamic playing style, with confidence growing as the season progresses. He demonstrates determination in challenging larger defensemen and taking the puck to the net, while also improving his poise when holding onto pucks longer to make plays. However, Varga’s defensive abilities require refinement, particularly in off-puck awareness and positioning, as well as wall battles, where he currently falls short of 40% success rate. Despite these areas for improvement, there is optimism that his physical development will enhance his ability to compete for pucks.
1 Viewing
Comments: Varga is a 2008-born, University of Denver commit, draft-eligible right wing with top-six potential: he’s a strong skater with good puck skills, quick hands, and the ability to make plays in tight when engaged. He contributes to the Rockets power play and logged 18 minutes of ice time in this game. He was better in this outing than his previous game, showing flashes of the play-driving forward he can become, but consistency and effort remain concerns — when he brings his compete level he has the ability to control a game, yet he must do so more regularly to fully realize his offensive ceiling.
Kayden Longley (LW, L, 6’2″, 180, Kelowna Rockets, 01/09/2006)
Game Rating
B+
Kayden Longley’s playing style revolves around efficiency, making him well-suited to distribute the puck effectively. He excels at the walls of the rink, where he can create plays rather than relying on speed or individual brilliance. This approach has led to increased trust from his coaching staff, who now feature him in key situations more frequently. As a center, Longley is reliable and effective in defensive zones, using his strength and technique to compete for pucks. His ability to deliver hits and pin opponents has also become a valuable asset on the penalty kill. One area where he can improve is at the faceoff circle, where his win percentage currently falls short of expectations due to struggles with stickhandling and positioning.
1 Viewing
Comments: Longley (2006-born), a 6’1′ left-shot center, projects as a very reliable two-way pivot who eats tough minutes for the Rockets and factors on both the top power play and the penalty killing units. In this outing he logged nearly 23 minutes, won about 60% of his battles and showed efficient, not flashy, mobility that allows him to get to the right spots defensively and support transition. He isn’t an imposing physical force but competes hard, angles opponents well and will finish contact when required. He’s also willing to go hard to the netfront and has offered some pushback in scrums. His hockey IQ and passing stood out on the man advantage — he threaded a timely feed to Poletin for a one-timer goal in the slot — showing he can be an effective distributor and trusted option in key situations.
Owen Folstrom (RW, R, 5’11”, 176, Kelowna Rockets, 03/21/2008)
Game Rating
B
Owen Folstrom showcases impressive physical skills, including quickness that allows him to battle for position in tough areas. He effectively utilizes this speed to create scoring opportunities, both on the outside and inside of opponents. His shot release is swift and carries weight, demonstrating a strong foundation for offense. Additionally, Folstrom demonstrates good defensive awareness, making him dependable in his own zone (DZ) against opponents’ threats.
1 Viewing
Comments: Folstrom (2008, right shot) is a reliable, steady 5’11’ center for the Rockets who skates well, is strong on his edges and handles contact effectively. He’s more of a complementary piece than a primary driver of the attack, but protects the puck on the boards, sees the ice and consistently makes plays for teammates. Offensively he offers a very good shot with a quick, heavy release and is really working hard to be a quality puck distributor. He logged just over 19 minutes of quality ice time while contributing on both the power play and the penalty kill. Areas for improvement are faceoff consistency and winning more battles. He has the tools to be a quality contributor in the third centre slot.
Jacob Henderson (D, R, 6’1″, 191, Kelowna Rockets, 03/13/2008)
Game Rating
B
Henderson’s skill set is built around his strong skating ability, which allows him to maintain excellent body positioning when defending. He excels in physical battles, demonstrating tenacity and resilience along the boards and in net-front positions. His willingness to engage in physical play showcases his competitive nature and ability to push back against opponents. He is also a solid puck mover who makes the easy play when needed, and his mobility allows him to maintain position on incoming forwards. Henderson’s confidence in making plays, both physically and with the puck, positions him as a formidable presence on the blue line.
1 Viewing
Comments: Henderson (2008) is a 6′ right-shot defenseman and a draft-eligible prospect who has developed into a reliable, steady presence on the back end. He is a good skater with decent mobility and shows the ability to play physically—when engaged he can be heavy on the body, a trait he should prioritize more consistently. He displays good poise in the puck, is an effective puck handler and routinely makes the smart, strong first outlet pass to jump-start transition. In this game he logged just over 11 minutes (well below his ~20-minute season average), posted an impressive 67% win rate on battles, underscoring his competitive details and underlying consistency.
Ethan Weber (D, R, 6’0″, 187, Penticton Vees, 12/10/2006, Penn State)
Game Rating
B+
1 Viewing
Comments: Weber (2006 commit to Penn State) is a 6’0′, right-shot defenseman who pairs mobility and grit to impact all three zones; a very good skater, he reads the play early in the neutral zone to cut off attacks and finish physically, and in the defensive zone he consistently wins positioning, stick battles, and pins effectively. His puck skills are very good—an effective first passer who routinely makes difficult plays look easy and displays excellent poise with the puck. Notably at the offensive blue line where he calmly received a D-to-D pass, showed patience, beat the defender and threaded a shot through to the net. He wins races, competes hard on the boards, and contributed just over 20 minutes in this game with shifts on both the power play and penalty kill, showing the versatility and temperament to handle varied special-teams roles.
Sean Burick (D, R, 6’8″, 210, Penticton Vees, 01/09/2008, Denver)
Game Rating
B
1 Viewing
Comments: Burick is a 6’7′, right-shooting defenseman committed to the University of Denver who projects as a high-upside, stay-at-home type with intriguing size and reach. He is an average skater who will need to improve skating mechanics and quickness to consistently handle this higher level pace, though his mobility is adequate at this point, enough to move around the ice and recover in many situations. He showed good puck-handling skills and some poise, along with the ability to move the puck out of danger, but his effectiveness diminished as the pace increased in the second and third periods, revealing a need for better transition speed and endurance. To maximize his tools he needs to become more engaged physically on puck battles and tighten up gap control; with improved skating and a more assertive physical game he projects as solid shutdown defender at the collegiate/professional level.
Nolan Stevenson (D, R, 6’2″, 175, Penticton Vees, 01/04/2005)
Game Rating
A-
Nolan Stevenson is a skilled defenseman who excels in both offensive and defensive situations. His ability to move pucks and contribute to the attack is notable, as he ranks second on his team in assists. With highly mobile skating, Stevenson can transition effectively during offense and handle opposing attacks with agility. He relies on excellent positioning and strategic defense to compensate for lack of physicality. STEVenson’s puck-handling skills allow him to execute plays effectively, and he demonstrates confidence with the puck. As a key contributor on the power play, he excels at quarterbacking the first unit. Defensively, he is a competitor who wins battles consistently, maintaining a strong season average.
1 Viewing
Comments: Stevenson (right shot, 2005) — a 6’2′ University of Nebraska Omaha commit — is a steady, reliable presence on the backend who does many things well and has seamlessly transitioned to the WHL from the BCHL. He skates effectively with good mobility, shows strong puck skills and poise under pressure, and consistently functions as a quality puck mover who can make plays. Equally effective at both ends, he plays on his team’s top power play and penalty kill units, and while not an overly physical defender he posted exceptional battle numbers (winning ~80%) in this game. A true workhorse, Stevenson led his team in ice time at 25+ minutes, providing dependable, high-end minutes shift after shift.
Doogan Pederson (D, L, 6’4″, 185, Penticton Vees, 06/27/2006)
Game Rating
B+
1 Viewing
Comments: Pederson is a 6’3′, left-shot 2006 defenseman who stands out for his mobility and strong skating — he gets to pucks quickly on retrievals, moves well laterally at the offensive blue line and consistently gets pucks through to the net. He’s comfortable carrying the puck and uses evasive puck skills to create space; he showed good poise under pressure, often holding possession to scan for a lane and make the play. Defensively he handles one-on-ones well against quick attackers, using his stride and positioning to steer plays away from danger. He provided key minutes on the top penalty killing unit for the Vees. Overall he projects as a transition-driving, two-way blueliner who can log minutes in all situations while continuing to refine physical strength and decision speed at pace.
Diego Johnson (LW, R, 5’11”, 177, Penticton Vees, 09/07/2006, Connecticut)
Game Rating
B
1 Viewing
Comments: Johnson (2006) — right wing — committed to University of Connecticut. He plays a strong all-around game with good skating while being difficult to knock off his feet, allowing him to play a physical, puck-hunting game on the forecheck and is willing to power to the net; uses his edges and strength effectively along the boards and in traffic. Reliable in his own end with solid defensive awareness and responsible positioning, making him a dependable option over 200 feet. In this outing he logged just over 15 minutes and won 58% of his battles, showing the competitive drive and board play that project well to the collegiate level. He has shown a knack around the net, as he has three goals in the team’s first four games, although he was held off the score sheet on this night.
Ryden Evers (F, L, 6’4″, 196, Penticton Vees, 06/22/2005, Clarkson)
Game Rating
A-
Evers is a well-rounded center who excels in multiple facets of the game, showcasing impressive work ethic, skating ability, and hockey IQ. He consistently competes hard across 200 feet, demonstrating strength and determination in puck battles and physical play. Evers’ versatility allows him to contribute on both top power plays and penalty kills, making him a valuable asset for his team. His combination of skill, size, and tireless work ethic make him a crucial player at the university level. With good hands, Evers excels in tight spaces and can free up his stick to create scoring opportunities. He also displays strong defensive skills, particularly in backchecking and disrupting opposing attackers.
1 Viewing
Comments: Evers is a 6’3′ left-shot center who projects as a very reliable, three-zone pivot with pro-style instincts; while his skating mechanics don’t appear as elite, he shows deceptive top-end speed and quick bursts that allow him to close gaps and escape pressure. He is excellent down-low in the defensive zone — strong positioning, hard on pucks and willing to engage in the dirty areas — and consistently took key defensive-zone draws late in this game, showing coaches’ trust. Offensively he competes hard around net, wins battles for loose pucks and protects the puck well in traffic thanks to a high hockey IQ, making him a sneaky good, impact two-way center who can be trusted in all situations. He was his team’s leading forward in ice time with almost 24 minutes, while being relied upon on both the top power-play and penalty killing units.
Brittan Alstead (F, L, 5’9″, 177, Penticton Vees, 01/06/2006, Connecticut)
Game Rating
B+
1 Viewing
Comments: Alstead is a high-effort, competitive forward and a University of Connecticut 2006 commit who plays far above his 5’9′ frame by consistently attacking the dirty areas—walls and net front—using his body and stick to win battles. In this game he logged nearly 19 minutes and won an impressive 53% of his battles, showing relentlessness and tenacity uncommon for his size. He protects the puck well, is shifty in tight with quick hands that he uses well to make plays, and a rapid release, notably finishing off a back-wall bounce for a power-play goal in this game. He combines that playmaking touch with good skating and quickness, making him a real threat on the attack and a reliable two-way contributor.
Cameron Norrie (LW, L, 6’1″, 196, Penticton Vees, 05/29/2007)
Game Rating
B
1 Viewing
Comments: Norrie (6’1′, 190 lb) is a hard-nosed 2007 left-shot centre who logged ~14 minutes and saw penalty-kill duty, standing out for his compete and physicality. Reliable in all three zones, he was very good in the defensive end as a down-low centre—consistently holding body position, backtracking aggressively through the neutral zone, and closing on the forecheck and finishing his check physically. He’s willing to dig in every shift and is effective on the penalty kill; offensively he’s serviceable but his primary value is defensive responsibility and grit. Good skating speed for his frame, though his skating mechanics could be refined; projects as a dependable defensive/penalty-killing middle-six centre.
Photo credit: Dan Hickling/Hickling Images
Scout: Bill Maguire