When Benn Olson began his WHL career with the Kamloops Blazers, he was pretty much an enforcer. Period. But he was dealt to the Seattle Thunderbirds early in the 2005-06 season and, with some hard work and some help from a coaching staff that included former WHL defenceman Jim McGaggart, Olson turned himself into a serviceable defender. He still played tough — he led the WHL in penalty minutes last season — and he still fought. But he improved to the point where he played a regular shift and killed penalties; in other words, he wasn’t a liability. On Friday, Olson, 21, signed his first professional contract, with the AHL’s Albany River Rats.
