Blazers in no rush to deal

By GREGG DRINNAN
Daily News Sports Editor
If the WHL universe unfolds as many observers think it will, the Kamloops
Blazers and Chilliwack Bruins are going to run neck-and-neck in the Western
Conference.
But the Bruins’ move Tuesday to add two 20-year-old veterans to their roster
won’t result in Kamloops general manager Craig Bonner visiting the
marketplace.
Action . . . reaction . . . not this time, Bonner said Tuesday night.
The Bruins (2-2-1-1) are scheduled to visit Interior Savings Centre on
Saturday night, the middle game in a three-assignment weekend for the
Blazers (3-4-0-1). The Prince George Cougars (5-1-0-0) will be here Friday,
with the Prince Albert Raiders (4-3-0-0) here Monday afternoon.
The Bruins dealt centre Brayden Metz, 18, and a pair of draft picks to the
Moose Jaw Warriors for centre Evan Fuller and defenceman Brett Ward. The
Warriors also get a 2009 sixth-round bantam draft pick and a fifth-round
pick in 2010.
Metz was the 21st pick in the 2005 bantam draft, taken by the Regina Pats.
He had 14 points in 48 games with Chilliwack last season and was pointless
in three games this season.
Fuller, a native of Williams Lake who is in his fifth WHL season, had four
assists in seven games with the Warriors, who acquired him last season from
the Cougars. Last season, he had 20 points and 61 penalty minutes in 56
games.
Ward, who is from Swift Current, is in his fourth WHL season and has two
points in six games. He goes to Chilliwack at an opportune time because Matt
Strong suffered a shoulder injury over the weekend.
Fuller and Ward join grinding right-winger Partik Bhungal as Chilliwack’s
20-year-olds.
Each WHL team is allowed to dress three 20-year-old players per game. Teams
have until Oct. 16 to finalize a maximum of three 20-year-olds on their
rosters.
The Blazers are carrying two — forwards Kenton Dulle and Scott Wasden — and
Bonner said he will continue to keep an eye on the situation around the
league.
“I am but I’m sticking to our plan,” Bonner said. “If they could play in our
top four defencemen or our top six forwards, we’ll take a run at them. But,
in saying that, I’m not going to give up our future for a 20-year-old.
“We have to stick with it and keep coaching and . . . there isn’t any use
Band-Aiding things. Our guys have to play and just keep going here.”
JUST NOTES: With the HRI Food Show in Interior Savings Centre today and
Thursday, the Blazers are practising at Memorial Arena. . . . Former Blazers
G James Priestner made his first start for the Brandon Wheat Kings last
night, stopping 19 shots in a 4-2 loss to the visiting Saskatoon Blades. The
Blazers dealt Priestner, 17, to Brandon for a 2009 third-round draft pick. .
. . There always is more WHL news at gdrinnan.blogspot.com.
gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca