Blazers forward Caeden Bankier scores on T-Birds goaltender Thomas Milic earlier this season (Image Credit: Seattle Thunderbirds)

By Chad Klassen

WESTERN CONFERENCE FINAL

Laden with talent, Kamloops-Seattle series could be one of the best ever

Apr 28, 2023 | 3:20 PM

KAMLOOPS — Nineteen NHL drafted players and nine world junior players between the two teams.

This Blazers and Thunderbirds series could go down as one of the best in WHL history, given the amount of talent there is on both sides.

“Yeah, lots of contracts between the two and lots of talent. I know lots of heart between all of us as well,” said Blazers forward Ryan Hofer. “It’ll be a hard-fought battle and it’ll be fun to watch, but it’ll be even more fun to play in.”

Defenseman Kyle Masters, who was picked up by Kamloops in an offseason trade last year from Red Deer, added: “I think everyone’s excited. Obviously everyone pays attention to the big names on both sides, so I think everyone’s going to have to really focus in on what they need to do as an individual for the team as a whole to win.”

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Just to give you a sense of the talent. Seattle has 10 NHL drafted players, while Kamloops has nine. The Thunderbirds boast six world junior players, while the Blazers have three. “It’s mind-boggling when you really look at it,” said Seattle head coach Matt O’Dette. “You don’t see that very often in junior hockey, two teams with that amount of talent — prospects, world junior experience, NHL drafted players. You don’t see that every day, so to be able to have a playoff matchup consisting of all these players, it’s going to be exciting to watch and obviously a treat for the fans.”

However much talent will be on the ice, the players say it’ll ultimately come down to which team executes their game plan and forces their will on their oppoent. “I’ve never been part of a series like this,” said captain Logan Stankoven. “But I think at the end of the day, no matter who’s drafted or who’s signed, the puck needs to be dropped. Everyone’s going to go out there and give their full effort, so for me it’s not about who I’m going out there against. It’s just going out there, playing the game the right way, and doing everything I can to get us farther in the playoffs.”

Olen Zellweger, who’s tied with Stankoven for the WHL playoff scoring lead, added: “Everyone sees the rosters and where the other players have played before, and it’s pretty special, but at the end of the day it’s just going to come to how well we play together as a team. That’s what I think is most important. There’s going to be lots of individual talent on both team, but we’ve got to come together as a group.”

Stankoven and Zellweger will be playing against their world junior teammates like T-Birds goaltender Thomas Milic, the starter who brought Canada home gold.

Milic leads the league in goals-against average in the playoffs at 1.13 and will be tough to beat.

“A little bit, but he’s a really good goalie,” said Stankoven when asked if he has an advantage having practiced against Milic with Team Canada. “We’ve went over a few things in the dressing room there — little keys to try and pick him apart a bit. He’s going to be a tough goalie to beat, so we’re going to have to find ways to get pucks and bodies to the net and then hopefully get secondary chances.”

Games 1 and 2 are Saturday and Sunday in Kent, Washington. The Blazers return home for Games 3 and 4 Tuesday (May 2) and Thursday (May 4) next week.