BCJALL Draft Preview: Taking Stock of Team Needs

BURNABY LAKERS 

2019 RECORD: 6-15

DRAFT PICKS: 3, 11, 19, 27, 34, 35, 43

Burnaby is on an upward trajectory and has some good talent coming through the ranks, both homegrown and through the Draft. The team has done a solid job with recent picks, including 2019 1st rounders Joel McCormick and Rhys Marshall, both out of Ridge Meadows. There is a decent crop of players coming up from Burnaby's minor system and they will be relied upon with the departure of some mainstays, including Dylan Kaminski and Kieran McKay. 

McCormick, the No. 3 pick in that draft, has signed a letter of intent to play at Stony Brook University in New York. He actually made the move to Royal Bay Secondary on Vancouver Island to help reach that goal. He may project to be more of an offensive threat at the next level but didn't look out of place on D in minor, using good anticipation skills to jump lanes. 

Marshall can really let make the ball fly if he's given the space to do so. His highlights are littered with shots from the shooter position where he punishes teams who give him too much time. But he also shows the ability to shoot on the run as well as a nifty bouncer that can fool the best of goalies. He also looks confident running the top of the power play. 

Some other names to look for: Jordan Gabriele, who was a standout with the Midget team in 2019, and goaltender Marc Rippberger. 

COQUITLAM ADANACS

2019 Record: 17-4

Draft Picks: 8, 16, 24, 32, 37, 40, 48

If you're looking for a team that could potentially try to trade up to snag one of the draft's top players, Coquitlam may top your list. They have more picks than normal, and have a number of picks in rounds four and five that could give them the draft capital to pair one of their earlier selections with the No. 8 overall selection to get their guy. Could they be a potential suitor for Jaxon Smart? 

Coquitlam has an embarrassment of riches when it comes to homegrown talent, so look for them to try to maximize their picks by finding a player who can slot into the lineup, or provide value for their Junior B1 club, instead of taking a chance on a lesser-profile player.

The Adanacs may not find someone who makes an immediate impact, but good teams are always planning several years in advance. 

DELTA ISLANDERS

2019 RECORD: 3-18

DRAFT PICKS: 1, 9, 17, 25, 33, 41

After a few years of rebuilding, expect the Delta Islanders to try and climb back into the playoff picture in 2021. They have had the benefit of having Kyle Goundrey and Andy Ogilvie behind the bench the past few seasons helping mould them into a potential contender. They hold the No. 1 overall pick for the second year in a row and could be poised to take back-to-back Burrards after going with Calum Munro last January.

Munro, who is off to High Point University in North Carolina, will pay immediate dividends for the Islanders when he gets into the lineup. He has a wicked shot and he uses multiple angles to fool goaltenders into biting on the wrong move. He moves effortlessly and is ok with operating in traffic, looking for that open man. He will be joined by fellow Ridge players Connor Bouma (No. 15) and Chase Miller (No. 16). 

Delta also has the benefit of a great Junior B1 team in '19 and some good pieces who will return. Former 1st round pick Trase Recsky could give them stability between the pipes as well. 

LANGLEY THUNDER

2019 RECORD: 12-9

DRAFT PICKS: 4, 12, 28, 36, 44

The last time we saw the Langley Thunder, they had just missed the playoffs, and thus, a shot at playing for a Minto Cup on home turf. It remains to be seen what direction the Thunder will take in 2020, but they could get off to a good start with a solid pick at No. 4. The 2020 Draft saw Langley go across the Golden Ears Bridge and take two Burrards in the first round alone: Brayden Wandler and Ethan Quinn. 

Wandler joins Brayden Washington as Ridge Meadows goalies who have made the move to Langley. Assistant GM Ryan Williams said Wandler isn't the biggest goalie, but can make reaction saves when needed. Quinn is a workhorse who is solid in the transition game. 

The Thunder also drafted goalie Tenzin Fernandez out of Vancouver, so it doesn't look like that will be a position Langley will prioritize. If I was a betting man, I'd look to the Thunder grabbing an offensive player to help replace some of the graduating talents like Ryan Martel and Nathaniel Kozevnikov. They also have Cam Ickert and Declan Fitzpatrick from the 2019 draft. The two of them put up a combined 14 goals and 27 points in 28 games for Maple Ridge's Junior B1 team.

nanaimo timbermen

2019 RECORD: 14-7

DRAFT PICKS: 5, 13, 18, 20, 21, 29, 45

Nanaimo was one of the revelations of the 2019 season and they figure to be a BCJALL contender when teams hit the floor again in the Spring. They can take solace in the fact that this is a strong Island draft and they have four top-20 picks, thanks to some maneuvering in last year's Draft. 

If they decide to stay at 5, and don't get leapfrogged by Victoria, they could have a shot at a player like Comox's Jordan Vincent. We wrote about Vincent in part one of our draft preview, but he looks like a player already physically ready to play Jr. A. And with a ton of Team BC experience behind him, he could be mentally ready for the jump as well. The T-Men could also pair one of their four second or third-round picks to move up to ensure they get another top Island player in the first round. 

The Timbermen will return a solid core, including 2019 Rookie of the Year who has already been selected 32nd overall by the Calgary Roughnecks. He's also represented Team Israel at the World Junior Box Lacrosse Championships. 

NEW WESTMINSTER SALMONBELLIES

2019 RECORD: 14-7

DRAFT PICKS: 6, 14, 22

The Salmonbellies, much like Langley, really went for it in 2019 when the BCJALL had two spots in the Minto. That is evident as the team only holds three selections in tonight's draft. New Westminster seems to be OK with relying mostly on homegrown talent, but could be a potential trade partner for anyone looking to get back into the first round to help replenish some of the cupboards.

One position you could see the 'Bellies try to shore up is in goal. It was a bit of a revolving door in 2019, as a couple of Ontario imports the team brought in didn't work out as hoped. But New Westminster always has a strong feeder system, and two years ago, this same incoming group beat out a strong Comox team 5-4 to win the A2 provincials. There are hopes the next wave of talent can help finally put New Westminster over the top consistently against Coquitlam.

PORT COQUITLAM SAINTS

2019 RECORD: 4-17

DRAFT PICKS: 2, 10, 26, 30, 38, 42

It's tough for smaller programs like Port Coquitlam to consistently compete with only their minor program to grab talent from, making these Drafts all the more important. The Saints have done a great job teambuilding with these recent drafts and have a good crop of players coming through. They will need it after a 4-17 season where they gave up the third-most goals in the BCJALL and were tied for the fewest amount of goals. 

The defensive help could come from Brayden Laity, last year's No. 2 overall pick. The 6'2" defender has grown leaps and bounds already and his Summer 2020 tape shows an active stick, relentless on loose balls and a willingness to play the body. He looks like a great player to build your defense around. He could pair with Jacob Pahnke, who is currently playing defense for Canisius College. He pushes the pace a little more in transition than Laity, but should also be a cornerstone for the next few seasons.

Offensively, draft picks Jordan Kujala and Kenyon Nyman combined for 29 goals and 70 points in just 25 games for the B1 Burrards in 2019.  

 VICTORIA SHAMROCKS

2019 RECORD: 14-7

DRAFT PICKS: 7, 15, 23, 31, 39, 47

It's going to be tough for the Shamrocks to top a dream 2019 season, where they ran into a juggernaut Orangeville Northmen in the Minto Cup final. Yet, the 'Rocks always seem to find a way, and arguably have the best minor system outside of Coquitlam. Having a number of talent-laden organizations situated in and around Victoria can't hurt either. When you have the ability to draw from some great teams like Saanich, Peninsula, Victoria-Esquimalt, you'll usually have a tough time trying to figure out how they all fit in.

One player to keep an eye on is Kyle Pepper. The 2019 No. 3 pick comes highly touted and got into a handful of games in 2019. Victoria only had a few top picks the last few years, but hold the 7th and 15th selections this time around, so they could theoretically just add the vaunted "best player available" and let the cards fall as they may. Teams will be looking to shut down Patrick Dodds this year. he scored 24 points in nine playoff games en route to the Minto and had more than a few highlight-reel goals along the way. Dodds also put up 17 points in 7 Minto games. 

Tonight's 2021 BCJALL Midget Draft will be conducted virtually and begins at 6:30 p.m. Head to our home page for more details, including how you can tune into the broadcast.