Past Nitro's: Drayson Bowman

From DEG website

Drayson Bowman started the season with Colorado Eagles in the ECHL (3 assists in 3 games), before playing with the Charlotte Checkers in the AHL (2 goals, 4 points in 16 games) and then finishing the season with Dusseldorfer EG in the DEL (10 goals, 17 points in 24 games). He then added one goal in 5 playoff games.

Bowman last played for the Dynamiters in the 2004-05 season.

Past Nitro's: Bryce Nielsen

Bryce Nielsen played this past season with the New England College Pilgrims. In his second year with the team he played in 26 games scoring 13 goals and 8 assists.

Nielsen played a half season with the Dynamiters, but impactful playoffs, during the 2013-14 season

Photo from Pilgrims Facebook page.

Canada's Junior A & B Leagues at the NHL Draft

Last year I ranked Canada's Jr B leagues, which created some controversy out East, because I relied on stats instead of the eye-test. However, with the NHL draft this weekend, it was interesting to see how Canada's Jr A and Jr B leagues did.

First let's look at the Junior A leagues and then Junior B.

Junior A

A total of eight players were drafted from the Jr A ranks, across four different leagues and six different teams.

What really stands out is the BCHL with THREE first round picks, nearly matching the WHL and their four first round picks.

Next stand-out for me is Penticton (BCHL) and Carleton Place (CCHL) each having two players drafted from their squad.

BCHL
Rnd	Pick	Overall	Team	Player	Pos	Country	Height	Weight	Amateur League	Amateur Team
1	10	10	COL	TYSON JOST	C	CAN	5' 11"	190	BCHL	PENTICTON
1	17	17	NSH	DANTE FABBRO	D	CAN	6' 0"	192	BCHL	PENTICTON
1	20	20	DET	DENNIS CHOLOWSKI	D	CAN	6' 1"	177	BCHL	CHILLIWACK

CCHL
Rnd	Pick	Overall	Team	Player	Pos	Country	Height	Weight	Amateur League	Amateur Team
4	8	99	BUF	BRETT MURRAY	LW	CAN	6' 4"	217	CCHL	CARLETON PLACE
5	7	128	DAL	COLTON POINT	G	CAN	6' 3"	219	CCHL	CARLETON PLACE

MJHL
Rnd	Pick	Overall	Team	Player	Pos	Country	Height	Weight	Amateur League	Amateur Team
7	7	188	ARI	DEAN STEWART	D	CAN	6' 1"	170	MJHL	PORTAGE

OJHL
Rnd	Pick	Overall	Team	Player	Pos	Country	Height	Weight	Amateur League	Amateur Team
3	23	84	EDM	MATTHEW CAIRNS	D	CAN	6' 2"	200	OJHL	GEORGETOWN
6	7	158	ARI	PATRICK KUDLA	D	CAN	6' 3"	175	OJHL	OAKVILLE

There are 10 Jr A leagues in Canada, and four had players drafted from them.

Junior B

The Junior Hockey News often says that the GOJHL is the top Jr B league in Canada (and I'd support that), and this would be further proof to that, as the GOJHL was the only Jr B league to have a player drafted.

GOJHL
Rnd	Pick	Overall	Team	Player	Pos	Country	Height	Weight	Amateur League	Amateur Team
6	23	174	NYR	TYLER WALL	G	CAN	6' 3"	202	GOJHL	LEAMINGTON

There are 24 Jr B leagues, and only one had a drafted player.

Last Observation
When looking at these nine drafted players, two are goalies, two are forwards, and five are defecemen.

Arizona Coyotes drafted two players from Canada's Jr A leagues

Conclusion
Canada's Jr Leagues did well at the NHL 2016 Draft, congratulations to these players and best of luck to them as they continue their hockey careers.

Past Nitro's: Tommy Latouche-Gauvin

Tommy Latouche-Gauvin played this past season with the Balsta Hockey Club. He was an assistant captain on the Senior Team that plays Division 2 hockey, while scoring 13 goals and 21 points in 21 games. He then added 7 goals and 11 points in 6 playoff games. However, Latouche-Gauvin's season was, unfortunately, highlighted by one of the most vicious cross-checks of all-time, if not, then this past season.


Latouche-Gauvin last played for the Dynamiters in 2007-08 season.

Past Nitro's: Lincoln Lane

Lincoln Lane split his season in the PJHL with the Langley Knights and the North Van Wolf Pack. He played 18 games with both teams, and all together he scored 9 goals and 12 assists. He also registered one goal in six playoff games.

Lane was interviewed shortly after arriving in North Van, you can listen to the Feature Player sound cloud interview here:


Lane was a part of the 2014-15 Dynamiters championship team.

Past Nitro's: Tyson Klingspohn

Tyson Klingspohn played this past season with the Springfield Express of the Western State's Hockey League. He played in 51 games scoring 28 goals and 33 assists. He then added three helpers in five playoff games.

Klingspohn played the bulk of his KIJHL career with the Dynamiters, splitting his last season (2014-15) with the Nitro's and the Summerland Steam.

Past Nitro's: Tyler Kinnon

Tyler Kinnon suited up for the Cochrane Generals. The defenceman registered 8 assists and 114 PIM in 25 games. He added a goal and three assists, along with 21 PIM in 11 playoff games.

Kinnon last played for the Dynamiters in the 2014-15 season.

Here are some pics from the Generals Facebook page of Kinnon being Kinnon:

Past Nitro's: Tyler Garcia

Tyler Garcia had a busy 2015-16 season. He started the year in the KIJHL with the 100 Mile House Wranglers, then the Nelson Leafs, and then finished the season off with the Great Falls Americans of the North American 3 Hockey League. He played 22 games with the Americans scoring 9 goals and 11 assists. He then scored 5 goals and 2 assists in 8 playoff games.

Garcia last played a split season with the Dynamiters in the 2014-15 season.

Past Nitro's: Riley Hellekson

Riley Hellekson played for the Edson Ice of the North Central Senior Hockey League (NCHL). He was the teams leading point scorer for the season with 28 in 16 games including 11 goals. He then added one goal in three playoff games.

Hellekson played a shortened season with the Dynamiters during the 2012-13 season.

Past Nitro's: Jonas Gordon

Defenceman Jonas Gordon played his debut season in Jr A hockey with the Canmore Eagles in the AJHL. He played in 56 games, registered 3 goals and 8 assists while tallying up 105 penalty minutes. He played in 8 games during the playoffs.

Gordon played his only season with the Dynamiters in 2014-15.

Past Nitro's: Matthew Gann

Defenceman Matthew Gann played for the Whitecourt Wild of the North Central Senior Hockey League. This season he posted one goal and three assists, and then played three more games in the playoffs.

Gann last played for the Dynamiters in the 2012-13 season.

Photo from Whitecourt Wild Facebook.