Several Rockets eligible, 3 ranked for NHL draft
The 2018 NHL Entry Draft at American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas, takes place tonight and Saturday, with three Kelowna Rockets’ draft-eligible players listed on NHL Central Scouting’s final rankings of North American skaters in mid-April.
Centre Kyle Topping, defenceman Libor Zabransky, and winger Leif Mattson all made the list released April 16.
Topping, ranked 59th, concluded his second full campaign with the Rockets this season.
Heading into the draft weekend, Topping says he’s eager to get it started.
“I have an open mindset. You never know what can happen on draft day. It’s definitely super exciting and I can’t wait for the weekend. Most likely I’m just going to spend the day with my family and see what happens,” said Topping. “I’m already excited and anxious for next season in Kelowna to start. I think were going to have a really strong group of talented and great guys that will do whatever it takes to win.
“As for myself, I am wanting to come into my third year and play a leadership role for our group, as well as take another step forward and be a key player for our team.”
In 125 regular-season WHL games so far, the Salt Spring Island native has notched 36 goals while adding 58 assists for 94 points. Topping scored 22 goals this past season, placing him fifth on the Rockets in goal-scoring. He finished the season with 65 points, which also ranked fifth on the Rockets. Topping added two goals and three assists for five points in four post-season games as Kelowna was swept by Tri-City in the first round of the 2018 WHL playoffs.
Topping was selected by Kelowna in the 11th round (226th overall) in the 2014 WHL Bantam Draft.
“After the season ended, I took about two weeks off to just unwind and enjoy some time with family and friends,” said Topping. “Then I started up again with my personal trainer who runs his gym out of Cowichan Valley. There is a group of about six WHL and Jr. A players that all train together five days a week. It’s a really fun group and we all push each other to reach similar goals. I also try to get on the ice as much as I can across Vancouver Island.”
Zabransky completed his WHL rookie campaign this season with Kelowna. The import defenceman from the Czech Republic is ranked 115th on NHL Central Scouting’s final list. He was selected 51st overall by the Rockets in the 2017 CHL Import Draft.
In his first year with Kelowna, the Brno, Czech Republic, native was one of only two Rockets to play all 72 regular-season games. The smooth-skating defenceman scored two goals and 17 assists for 19 points.
In 2016-17, Zabransky played 34 games for HC Kometa Brno U20 back home, scoring nine goals and 26 assists for 35 points. He also skated in 15 games for HC Kometa Brno of the Czech Extraliga, notching an assist.
On top of that busy schedule, he laced up for the Czech Republic U17 team at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge. In five games, Zabransky registered an assist. He also played 14 other international games with the Czech U17 team, recording three assists.
This season, Zabransky captained the Czechs at the World Under-18 Championship where he notched one goal and four assists in seven games. He played another seven games for the U18 team outside of that tournament, scoring two goals and adding four assists for six points, as well as captaining the team at the Ivan Hlinka Memorial Cup, scoring one goal and adding three assists in four games.
Zabransky is also looking forward to the draft.
“I’m super excited and also nervous because you never know what the NHL teams want,” he said. “I will be with my family and trying to enjoy the day.”
Zabransky has been in Brno training with a professional team in hopes on expanding his role in Kelowna next season.
“It’s good for me to be able to workout with the older guys. Next season, it will be my second year in Kelowna. A lot of defencemen are leaving, so I hope my role will be bigger,” Zabransky said. “Also I know my billets, coaches, the city and my teammates, so I think it will be more fun for me and I can’t wait to be back.”
Mattson, ranked 157th, finished his second season with the Rockets by scoring 25 goals — fourth most behind Carsen Twarynski (45), Kole Lind (39) and Dillon Dube (38). Mattson’s 60 points in 63 games placed him sixth in team scoring at the end of the regular season. The Stonewall, Man., native was held off the scoresheet in the post-season.
Mattson was originally selected in the eighth round (163rd overall) by the Brandon Wheat Kings in the 2014 WHL Bantam Draft.
The Rockets acquired Mattson in October 2016 after he had started that season with the Drumheller Dragons of the Alberta Junior Hockey League. Upon joining Kelowna, Mattson played his first 46 WHL games, producing nine goals and 14 points as a rookie.
The 1999-born forward who is considered an over-ager for this year’s NHL draft is trying not to overthink the potential of being selected among the 217 total picks.
“Going into the draft this weekend, I would be extremely grateful to be selected. However, if I’m not, it’s not the end of the world,” said Mattson. “My main focus is improving my game this summer in order to ensure I have a very strong year in Kelowna this coming season.
“I’m super excited to get back to Kelowna this August because my expectations for myself and the team are extremely high. I believe we have a strong core group of guys coming back that will allow us to contend again and have a deep playoff run.”
When it comes to his off-season training, Mattson has been hard at work — even mixing in some yoga.
“I’m training in Calgary for the summer at Bold Athlete. It consists of off-ice training four times per week, on-ice twice a week, as well as yoga once a week,” he said.
A handful of other Kelowna players could also be on the draft radar, including first-time eligible forward Liam Kindree, plus over-age forwards Jack Cowell, Conner Bruggen-Cate and Erik Gardiner.
Towering defenceman Braydyn Chizen is also back in the draft after going unsigned by the Minnesota Wild, who had selected him in the seventh round (204th overall) in 2016.
Any of those names could be called over the course of the weekend, with the first round tonight (4:30 p.m. PT), followed by rounds two through seven on Saturday morning (commencing at 8 a.m. PT).
Stay tuned to kelownarockets.com for draft updates.
Meanwhile, registration is now open for the upcoming 17th annual Kelowna Rockets Alumni Golf Tournament on July 21 at the Black Mountain Golf Club. Golf with some of your favourite Rockets’ alumni in support of the Canucks Autism Network.
For more info, including a registration form, visit kelownarockets.com/golf-tournament.
Rockets season tickets are also available now for the upcoming 2018-19 WHL season. Email gavinh@kelownarockets.com.