The Kelowna Knights entered the draft the reigning champions, but having recognized their window was closed, made a series of trades to bolster the prospect cupboard and move on to a new core of future champions.  The Kelowna GMs swung deals with Anaheim, Newfoundland, and St Louis to come away with a whopping 11 picks made over seven rounds, while sending out a beloved player in Travis Konecny.

Round 1 - 12th overall - Leons Briedis LD 
The stay at home defenseman from Riga, Latvia was picked at the end of the first round and projects to become a vital member of the Knights Top 4 for the next several seasons. His 6'3" 225 lbs frame projects well against those in the Junior League and should stand up to the punishment at the higher level. It was expected that Colorado would grab the player at 7th overall, however it was impossible for the Knights to overlook the clear talent possessed by Briedis. 

Round 2 - 17th Overall (From ANA) - Tomas Zadina LW
With the first pick acquired from Anaheim, the Knights wasted no time grabbing Tomas Zadina, a quick, two way player who will likely find a role in the Top 6 soon. He put up excellent numbers in the prospect tournament, scoring 19 goals and tacking in an additional 15 assists. Expect this player to turn heads at both ends of the rink as he progresses.

Round 2 - 22nd Overall (From NLB) - Petra Sabor LW
Petra Sabor is a player GMs dream of having on their team. Although he has a way to go to develop, the sky is the limit for this hardworking winger. While only putting up 21 points in the Prospect Tournament, he demonstrated his amazing potential. The Swiss national should be a mainstay on Kelowna for several seasons as he develops into the SHL star he should become.

Round 3 - 29th Overall (from ANA) - Duncan Mackenzie RW
An intriguing pick, if a bit of a reach, Duncan Mackenzie is a hard hitting, hard scoring Power Forward that looks to slot into a Top 9 role next season. He was a late entry into the draft and not much was known about him until he turned heads, putting up 10 goals and 18 assists in 27 games with the powerhouse Aztec squad. His performance cooled in the playoffs, as the Aztecs were eliminated in the first round. This will be a prospect to watch and Anaheim may eventually regret trading out of this spot.

Round 3 - 34th Overall (From NLB) - Sean Stevenson III C
The Czech center has work to do to get to the level he believes he can reach, but the 30 points scored in the Prospects Tournament show what kind of player he can become. He projects as a two way player, staying responsible in his own end, while getting it done up the ice. Time will tell if the price paid for the pick from Newfoundland is worth it.

Round 3 - 36th Overall - Jason Playstation G
The Japanese netminder was the obvious choice at number 36. At 6'4, Playstation covers a significant portion of the net and his technical positioning is already at the SHL level. He led the way in GAA in the Prospects Tournament and was in the hunt for the lead of the other goaltending categories. He has work to do in the skating and puck handling areas, but Playstation projects as a Starting Goalie in the SHL.

Round 5 - 60th Overall - Sebastian Weiss LD
Standing at 6'5, Sebastian Weiss cuts an imposing figure on the ice, although he prefers to use his skill to defend as opposed to brute strength. The Austrian national has potential, but a shaky showing in the Prospects Tournament showed that he is a work in progress.

Round 6 - 62 Overall (From STL) - Scott Thorn RW
The second Power Winger drafted by the Knights, Scott Thorns ceiling is just as high as the others picked before him. He did not appear in the Prospects Tournament, however, those that have seen him play say that he would have likely gone in the first two rounds if he had played. This pick could end up being the steal of the draft.

Round 6 - 70th Overall (From NLB) - Tim Rocker C
Another very late entry to the draft, Tim Rocker projects as a pure offensive centerman. His speed and soft hands should lead to some gaudy numbers if he is not overly held back by his tendency to coast in his own end. If the  staff of the Knights can coach some defense into his game, Tim Rocker could be an impact player in the SHL.

Round 6 - 72 Overall - Zachary Berdan LD
Zach Berdan was another no-show at the Prospects Tournament, but those in the know say Berdan projects as a Top 4 offensive defenseman and PPQB. If the Knights can mine a player of that caliber in the 6th round, the chances of a repeat championship in the coming seasons is that much higher.

Round 7 - 84th Overall - Luca Shark LW
All offence, all of time. The flashy Canadian out of Laval skates with speed and has a nose for the net. Despite a slow start in the Prospects Tournament, only putting up 11 points, he showed flashes of a prospect that can put up big numbers if given the chance. We shall see if he is able to overcome his complete defensive indifference.


Overall, it is clear Kelowna came away from this draft with a boatload of potential and could reasonably be seen to have had the most success mining talent in a very deep draft class. With surefire picks such as Leons Briedis leading the way and the potential to see a future star in players like Tim Rocker or Duncan Mackenzie, Kelowna's future looks very bright indeed. I believe it is necessary to give Kelowna an overall draft grade of A+.

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