GIANTS SELECT SWARD IN WHL BANTAM DRAFT
Updated

Dave Sheldon
Vancouver Giants

VANCOUVER BC – The Vancouver Giants have picked two players with local hockey ties in the opening rounds of the WHL Bantam Draft.

The Vancouver Giants have selected Centre Dalton Sward (94) from Abbotsford BC with their first selection (21st overall) in today’s WHL Bantam Draft. Sward played last season with the Abbotsford Bantam Hawks and is listed as a 6’ 160 pound right shooting centre. Sward played 61 games for the Hawks last season as their team captain and amassed 68 goals and 58 assists for 116 points as well as 98 penalty minutes. Sward also played for the BC Zone U-16 team at the Western Canadian Bantam Hockey Championships this past season. In that tourney, Sward scored seven goals and ten points in just four games and was named tournament MVP.

Sward joins a distinguished group of players to be selected by the Vancouver Giants in the first round, including current Giants Tyson Sexsmith, Evander Kane and James Wright.

The Giants have selected Mathieu Bellerive from North Vancouver BC with their second selection (43rd overall). Bellerive is a right winger and is listed at 5'9" and 170 pounds. This past season, Bellerive played for the Pursuit of Excellence Team in Kelowna. In 25 playoff games this season, Bellerive scored twenty two goals and added thirty assists for 52 points.

With their third round selection, (65th overall), the Giants have selected right defenseman Blake Orban. Orban played last season with the Calgary Bisons and is listed at 6' and 185 pounds. In 32 games played, Orban scored 17 goals and added 20 assists for 37 points and also tallied 90 penalty minutes. Orban also participated in Alberta Cup as a member of the Calgary South Flames. In five games, Orban scored three goals, added four assists and tallied four penalty minutes.

The Giants next selection comes in Round 5, 109th overall. The Giants have selected right wing Scott Cooke. Cooke played last season with Semiahmoo and is listed at 5'9" and 150 pounds.

Vancouver has three selections in Round Seven. Their first selection in this round, 142nd overall, is Landon Robin, a centre from Saskatoon, SK. Robin is 5'11" and 155 pounds. Last season with the Saskatoon Bandits, Robin played in 45 games, scoring 46 goals and adding 44 assists for 90 points. Robin also had 42 penalty minutes.

Taken 152nd overall by the Giants was left shooting defender Matias Cleland. Cleland is 5'10" and 160 pounds from Longmont, Colorado. This past season, Cleland played for the Colorado Thunderbirds Bantam AAA club.

One spot later in 153rd, the Giants selected left shooting centre Dennis Kravchenko. Kravchenko is 5'6" tall and weighs in at 140 pounds from San Clemente, CA. This past season, Kravchenko played for the LA Selects Bantam AAA club.

The Giants then waited until 197th for their next pick. Late in Round Nine, the G-Men selected left defender Brett Kulak from Stony Plain, AB. Kulak is listed as 5'8" and 140 pounds. This past season and playoffs, Kulak played a combined 40 games, scoring 2 goals and adding 23 assists for 25 points. Kulak also had 38 minutes in penalties.

In the 10th Round, 209th overall, the Giants selected Luke McColgan of Manhattan Beach, CA. Luke is listed as a 5'5", 120 pound left winger. this past season he was a teammate of fellow Giants draftee Dennis Kravchenko on the LA Selects Bantam AAA club.

The Giants rounded out their selections late in round 10. With the 219th pick, the Giants selected left winger Carter Coben from Saskatoon, SK. Coben is 6'0" and 170 pounds. Coben played for the Saskatoon Stallions this past season.

Dalton Sward will be a guest on the final GIANT HOCKEY HOUR of the season. Carter will chat with Dave Sheldon and Brook Ward on AM 650 at 7:50 Thursday night. You can catch the entire HOUR beginning at 7 pm. Dave and Brook will talk to Giants Head Coach and WHL Coach of the Year Don Hay as well as Steve Ewen from the PROVINCE.

Giants select Dalton Sward, centre and captain of Abbotsford.

http://www.bclocalnews.com/sports/41607337.html

#21, Vancouver:
Dalton Sward - Centre, 6'0" 154lbs
08-09: Abbotsford Hawks (BCAHA AAA bantam) -- no stats
08-09: Abbotsford Hawks (Western Bantam Championships) -- 4gp-7g-3a-10pts-6pim


#43, Vancouver:
Matthieu Bellerive - Right Wing, 5'10" 165lbs
08-09: Kelowna Pursuit Of Excellence (Nike/Bauer AAA bantam tournament) -- 4gp-0g-3a-3pts-0pim
08-09: Kelowna Pursuit of Excellence (Victoria AAA bantam tournament) -- 5gp-4g-7a-11pts-0pim
08-09: Kelowna Pursuit of Excellence (KIBIHT) -- 7gp-12g-5a-17pts-26pim
08-09: Kelowna Pursuit of Excellence (St. Albert AAA bantam tournament) -- 5gp-4g-2a-6pts-10pim
07-08: NSWC Winter Hawks (KIBIHT) -- 7gp-4g-8a-12pts-2pim

FROM ISS:

Mathieu Bellerive – Pursuit of Excellence Kelowna. A tough as nails kind of player, Bellerive plays very well in the physical aspects of the game. He has a great solid frame and shows fantastic strength in fighting off sticks and checks to get off his above average shot. A good quick skater, Bellerive is very strong with stops and starts and will often dump the puck and chase it hard. His strong offensive instincts provide intense pressure on opposing defensemen. Bellerive has a good move set to go with good agility. His 4 goals in 5 games were tied for the team lead during the St. Albert Bantam AAA tournament.

3rd  round pick..

Blake Orban

http://powerplayerscouting.com/sr2009_blakeorban.htm

Blake Orban
Team: Calgary Bisons (AMBHL)
Position: Defence/Centre
Shoots: Right
Height: 6' 0"
Weight: 183 lbs
DOB: January 28 1994
Draft Status: WHL Eligible 2009
Times Viewed: 12
2009 Stats: 32GP 17G 20A** 37PTS 90PIM

Blake Orban is an offensive defenseman who can be used as an effective forward as well. Blake likes to play a physical game and has the size to back it up. His hits are very solid and more often than not create turnovers for his team. When controlling the puck Blake is very calm, never seeming to get rushed. This along with his speed and puck handling ability allows him to make good outlet passes or make end to end rushes which often lead to scoring chances. His soft hands allow him to use the touch pass effectively. When in the offensive zone Blake is able to hold the zone well and get shots through to the net consistently. He also mixes his shots up well, not always looking for the slapshot from the point; willing and able to take wristshots or snapshots as well. Blake also has good hockey sense shown in his one ice communication, his ability to read and anticipate the play and his positional play in his own zone.
**League Leader – Defence

No 4th Round pick –

One 5th round pick traded to Blades for Ryan Funk

5th round

#109, Vancouver:
Scott Cooke - Right Wing, 5'5" 140lbs
08-09: Semiahmoo Ravens (KIBIHT) -- 7gp-3g-8a-11pts-8pim


#142, Vancouver, using Kamloops's pick they acquired for Linden Saip:
Landon Robin - Center, 5'10" 155lbs
08-09: Saskatoon Bandits (SMHA AA bantam) -- 51gp-48g-53a-101pts-44pim
08-09: Saskatoon Bandits (Saskatoon bantam tournament) -- 3gp-11g-8a-19pts-6pim

#152, Vancouver, using Saskatoon's pick they acquired for Mike Reich:
Matias Cleland - Defence, no ht/wt
08-09: Colorado Thunderbirds (USA AAA bantam) -- 6gp-3g-9a-12pts-12pim
08-09: Colorado Thunderbirds (Nike/Bauer AAA bantam tournament) -- 6gp-1g-1a-2pts-0pim
07-08: Colorado Thunderbirds (USA AAA bantam) -- 56gp-7g-24a-31pts-44pim

#153, Vancouver:
Dennis Kravchenko - Center, no ht/wt
08-09: L.A. Selects (USA AAA bantam) -- no stats
08-09: L.A. Selects (Nike/Bauer AAA bantam tournament) -- 4gp-3g-4a-7pts-0pim

#197, Vancouver:
Brett Kulak - Defence, 5'6" 140lbs
08-09: Spruce Grove Timberwolves (AMBHL AAA bantam) -- 33gp-2g-18a-20pts-28pim
08-09: Spruce Grove Timberwolves (AMBHL AAA bantam - PLF) -- 7gp-0g-4a-4pts-10pim
08-09: Spruce Grove Timberwolves (St. Albert AAA bantam tournament) -- 6gp-1g-5a-6pts-18pim
07-08: Stony Plain Rebels (AMBHL AA bantam) -- 24gp-3g-13a-16pts-40pim

#210, Vancouver, using Seattle's pick they acquired for Jonathan Parker:
Luke McColgan - Center, no ht/wt
08-09: L.A. Selects (USA AAA bantam) -- no stats
08-09: L.A. Jr. Kings (Nike/Bauer AAA bantam tournament) -- 4gp-0g-0a-0pts-0pim

#218, Vancouver:
Carter Cobin - Left Wing, 6'1" 185lbs
08-09: Saskatoon Stallions (SMHA AA bantam) -- 19g-29a-48pts-54pim
08-09: Saskatoon Stallions (Saskatoon bantam tournament) -- 3gp-3g-2a-5pts-4pim