Blazers in trade talks

By GREGG DRINNAN
Daily News Sports Editor
So much for a goaltending controversy.
The Kamloops Blazers, who broke camp with three goaltenders, are expected to get down to two sometime today by trading sophomore James Priestner, 17.
A source familiar with the situation told The Daily News on Tuesday night that two teams are talking with the Blazers and that one of them is believed to be the Brandon Wheat Kings, who have 10 defencemen on their roster.
Kamloops general manager Craig Bonner couldn't be reached for comment. He spent the weekend scouting on the Prairies where the Wheat Kings twice played the Regina Pats.
Priestner’s departure would leave the Blazers with two goaltenders — veteran Justin Leclerc, 19, and freshman Jon Groenheyde, 17.
Groenheyde is scheduled to get the start tonight against the visiting Vancouver Giants. Game time at Interior Savings Centre is 7 o’clock.
“He was the best guy in camp,” Blazers head coach Barry Smith said when asked his thought process in deciding to start Groenheyde. “This is his chance.”
Leclerc started the Blazers’ first two games — beating the visiting Everett Silvertips 4-3 in overtime on Friday and losing 5-4 in a shootout to the Bruins in Chilliwack on Saturday.
After Saturday’s game, Smith said he was content with Leclerc’s performance.
“The team needed to be better; Justin didn’t,” Smith said.
Smith was noncommittal about his goaltending plans for two weekend games with the Kelowna Rockets, here on Friday and there on Saturday.
“”We’ll wait and see after this one . . . see how (Groenheyde) plays,” Smith said. “It’s early yet.”
Smith did say that he really would like to see one of his goaltenders play well and “force me to put him in again.”
Groenheyde, who was placed on the Blazers’ list by then-general manager Dean Clark and then-director of player personnel Randy Hansch, has one WHL start under his belt. He stopped 33 shots in a 3-2 victory over the visiting Tri-City Americans on Jan. 4. He also spent 10 games dressed as the Blazers’ backup.
The 6-foot-3, 175-pound Groenheyde, who is from Surrey, started last season with the BCHL’s Merritt Centennials, but spent most of it with the junior B Columbia Valley Rockies, who are based in Invermere. He was 6-12-0 with a 2.93 GAA and a .909 save percentage.
The Blazers selected Priestner with the 31st pick of the 2006 bantam draft. He has long been considered one of the west’s top goaltenders in his age group.
Last season, his first in the WHL, he finished 6-12-0-1 with a 3.41 GAA, a .873 save percentage and the Blazers’ only two shutouts. Late in the season, he spotted a flaw in his game — some of his movements were too lackadaisical — and in his last six games he had a 2.64 GAA and a .917 save percentage.
Priestner has a no-trade clause in his contract with the Blazers, so would have to approve any deal.
Priestner’s father, Mike, is the CEO of the Edmonton-based Mike Priestner Automotive Group and made an unsuccessful attempt to purchase the Blazers over the summer of 2007.

gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca