Calla, Wasden use buddy system

From The Daily News of Friday, Nov. 30, 2007 . . .

The way Brady Calla sees it, Scott Wasden is just what the Kamloops Blazers
need.
“He’s the type of guy we’re looking for,” Calla said following Thursday’s
practice at Interior Savings Centre. “He’s a good defensive-minded player.
He’s great in his own end and on the penalty kill.
“He’s the type of quality leader and person you want on your hockey club.”
Of course, in the interests of full disclosure, it should be pointed out
that Calla and Wasden are lifelong friends.
“Yeah, I grew up with him,” Calla added with a smile. “I went to school with
him. We played minor hockey and spring league hockey together.”
Wasden, 19, was acquired Wednesday from the Medicine Hat Tigers, along with
a 2008 seventh-round bantam pick, for left-winger Travis Dunstall, 18.
Calla, 19, came over from the Moose Jaw Warriors on Nov. 8, in exchange for
defenceman Keaton Ellerby,19.
Calla and Wasden will lead the Blazers back into action tonight as they meet
the Rockets in Kelowna. This one is special, too, because Calla is from
Kelowna and Wasden calls Westbank home.
So, yes, there will be family on hand.
Wasden expects his parents, Karen and Gord, to be there, along with brothers
Ben, 18, and Jared, 13.
“It’s perfect,” Wasden said. “Playing in front of my parents and friends . .
. and they’ll be able to make the drive to Kamloops and to games like
Vancouver.
“They were a little excited (to hear) that I was coming home.”
At the same time, Wasden admits to some sadness at leaving The Hat.
“I was a little suprrised at what happened,” he said. “The first time you’re
traded it’s a bit of a sad time, when you’re leaving your friends and stuff.
“But when I heard I was coming to Kamloops I was excited about the history
and the community and the great fan support. So I’m excited to come here.”
Wasden has 29 points in 136 regular-season WHL games, all of them with the
Tigers. But the Blazers are more concerned with his postseason experience —
he played in 23 WHL playoff and four MemorialCup games with the
league-champion Tigers last season.
As Calla said: “He’ll be able to talk at times and guys will listen and take
some lessons from him.”
“I bring some leadership, some playoff experience,” Wasden said. “Last
season, making the Memorial Cup run was a great experience. I can bring
that.”
Wasden also prides himself on his work ethic, physical play, especially on
the forecheck, and his ability in the faceoff circle.
“I’m strong in the defensive zone and, as a faceoff man, I can win some
draws,” he said.
The art of the draw is most under-rated and is an area the Blazers have
struggled with this season. A consistent faceoff man can help save a lot of
wear and tear on a team’s legs as it’s much easier to play with the puck
than to be chasing it all night.
It’s likely that Wasden will play tonight between left-winger Shayne Wiebe
and right-sider Sasha Golin, a product of Summerland. Wasden and Golin, it
turns out, were frequent opponents in minor hockey.
After tonight, the Blazers, who had a five-game winning streak snapped when
the dropped a 3-2 decision to the Kootenay Ice on Saturday, are at home
tomorrow night to the Chilliwack Bruins. Kamloops goes into the weekend in
seventh spot in the Western Conference, one point behind the Bruins and four
in arrears of the fourth-place Rockets.
“They’re huge . . . the biggest games of our season, so far,” Calla said.
“We have to pick up our intensity level for (tonight’s) game. We’ve tried to
do that all week. It’s hard to do it in practice. But if we pick it up right
before the game and get each other excited, we’ll be totally fine.
“We need these points and we need to start knocking on their door. They know
we’re right behind them.”
And they should know that Calla is bringing an old friend with him to the
battle.
JUST NOTES: The Blazers will be short one coach tonight as assistant
GM/assistant coach Shane Zulyniak stays home with his family. He and his
wife, Pam, welcomed daughter Sydni Dawn into our world Tuesday. Sydni Dawn
joins brother Sam, who turns three on March 1. . . . Zulyniak should be back
behind the bench for Saturday’s game. . . . Kamloops C Mark Hall skated
yesterday for the first time since having four wisdom teeth removed Tuesday.
He is questionable for tonight. . . . Blazers RW Kenton Dulle (lower
abdomen) will miss his eighth and ninth games this weekend. He may return
Tuesday against the visiting Portland Winter Hawks.