Tyler Garrison should stay put in a Coquitlam Adanacs uniform following this Thursday’s Western Lacrosse Association junior entry draft.
The 6-2 junior Adanacs team captain is the Burnaby NOW’s pick as No. 1 in this week’s draft – a selection that Coquitlam earlier claimed from Nanaimo.
If by some chance, the A’s go off the board and say, fill a need in goal with homegrown keeper Frank Scigliano, then Garrison is almost a certainty at No. 2.
“If Coquitlam doesn’t pick him up, he won’t be getting by us at two,” said New Westminster president and general manager Dan Richardson last month.
Richardson called this year’s draft “interesting,” and suggested the Salmonbellies may well go outside the Lower Mainland in the search to bolster their left side.
That implies either lefthanders Jesse King and Brody Eastwood of the Victoria Shamrocks may not be safe at the No. 6 and 7 picks.
King, a 6-3 runner, who led the ’Rocks in scoring with 34 goals and 111 points, could be snatched up as late as fifth with New West’s second of two picks in the first round. The ’Bellies also select second overall – a pick that could be used to solidify the team’s position in goal if they chose Scigliano, who backstopped the New West juniors to the Minto Cup final last year.
Eastwood has been a consistent 30-to-40 goal junior A scorer in his last three seasons with Victoria.
“We’re not going to let quality players slip by regardless of where they are,” Richardson said.
After that sure things go off the board if past years are any indication.
Maple Ridge, at No. 3, is always an enigma at draft time, and Scigliano may be tempting if unselected at one or two.
Matt Delmonico, who at 6-2, finished up his junior career with the A’s in the post season could go as high as fourth when Coquitlam exercises its second pick of the opening round.
But, perhaps the more interesting moments at the draft will be the second and third rounds, when most teams attempt to fill their specific needs.
Nanaimo and Coquitlam will be busiest, with three and two picks, respectively, in the second round.
The Burnaby Lakers make their first selection of the draft with the second pick of the third round, 16th overall.
“The last time we drafted in the third we got (Mike) Brascia,” said Lakers GM Paul Rowbotham, who is on the market for one more lefthander.
One player who is sure to add to the uncertainty in the later rounds is Pitt Meadows’ playmaker Reegan Comeault.
Comeault, who had 37 goals and 89 points in his second year of junior in 2011 with Langley, has indicated to some GMs he will not be playing senior ball.
Langley’s Brandon Bull and Sean Lundstrom are considered top-20 picks, as are Reid Reinholdt and Vinny Ricci from the junior A’s.
A couple of big defensive players like Brandan Smith of Victoria, Prince George native Dylan Long of New Westminster or 6-4 Kody TeKanawa of Coquitlam could also be surprise picks in the early going.
New Westminster also has some enticing players finishing their junior careers.
Kamloops product Quinn Smith is a more than capable competitor, while transition pair James McBride and Daniel Perreault both have good pedigrees.
Ontario-born Kyle Dobbie, the younger brother of Dane Dobbie, and goalie Spencer England have also graduated.
But a must-late pick for any team with a selection to spare must be Brendan Ranford, an all-rounder who is currently pursuing his hockey career with the Texas Stars of the American Hockey League.
“We think we’re definitely going to get good useful players,” said second-year Salmonbellie head coach Steve Goodwin.
Burnaby also has some holes to fill in its current lineup, either by the draft or a trade.
“We’re not finished. … If we can, we’ll trade to try and improve,” said Rowbotham.
“What we don’t do this year, we’ll get done in the second year.”
The WLA draft will take place in the banquet room at the Langley Events Centre on Thursday, Feb. 6. Doors open at 6 p.m. and the draft happening at 6:45 p.m.
