Each Western Hockey League team maintains a player protected list, which contains 50 players that a specific team has the exclusive rights to. Included in these 50 players are the 22-25 players currently on the team's roster. Players are added and dropped from this list frequently as needs within the organization change and new players are found. This list is the product of the money and time the club has invested in its scouting. Below is a subset of that list and represents some of the Americans top prospects.
Players who do not make the final roster cuts, but remain on the player protected list play in any number of amatuer hockey leagues for their age groups. Players who are considered 15-year-olds usually are completing their second season of bantam hockey, but occasionally they will move up to play midget level hockey. Midget level is usually reserved for 16 and 17-year-olds, but occasionally an exceptional 15-year-old will crack a midget roster. British Columbia is a bit different as elite players in the 15-17 age group generally play at the junior B or junior A level.
Its important to remember that the list of prospects for the Americans changes monthly, weekly and even daily. This list reflects the top prospects in the organization as of May 3rd, 2008. Ages reflect "hockey ages" for the 2008-09 season.
Notes:
After a standout season with Camrose in 06-07, Colborne is back from another season in the AJHL.
RW
Patrick Holland
16
5-8
130
Lethbridge, AB
Lethbridge Midget
Notes:
Patrick attended his first training camp this fall. As a 15-year-old this season, he will move up to the midget program in Lethbridge, Alberta.
LW
Tanner Olstad
16
5-8
140
Calgary, AB
Calgary Midget
Notes:
Tanner attended his first training camp this fall. He will move up this season from bantam to midget in the Calgary amateur hockey program.
LW
Justin Feser
16
5-8
150
Red Deer, AB
Red Deer Midget
Notes:
Justin attended his first training camp this fall and this season will play for his hometown Red Deer midget program.
RW
Jordan Messier
16
6-2
185
Canmore, AB
Notre Dame Midget
Notes:
Messier attended his first Americans training camp this fall. He attends Notre Dame in Wilcox, Saskatchewan and plays in their top notch hockey program. He will move from their bantam program to their midget program this fall.
G
Drew Owsley
17
5-7
145
Lethbridge, AB
Lethbridge Midget
Notes:
With a strong 2007 training camp, Drew earned a spot on the Americans protected list. He will play this season in the midget program in his hometown of Lethbridge, Alberta.
RW
Nils Moser
15
6-1
170
Canmore, AB
Alberta Bantam AAA
Notes:
Tri-City made right wing Nils Moser of the Airdrie Extreme its second round selection (44th overall). Moser is listed at 6'1, 170 pounds and hails from Canmore, Alberta. Moser, who will play for the Notre Dame Hounds next season, appeared in 33 games with the Airdrie Extreme, totaling 22 goals, 61 points and 126 penalty minutes. Moser finished in the top-5 in scoring in the Alberta Major Bantam Hockey League.
LW
Max Moline
15
6-3
165
Lethbridge, AB
Lethbridge Bantam AA
Notes:
With their 5th round pick in the 2008 WHL Bantam Draft, the Amerians selected Max Moline. Moline had 17 goals and 27 points for the Lethbridge Golden Hawks this past season.
British Columbia Prospects
Pos
Player
Age
Ht
Wt
Hometown
Current Level
LW
Spencer Asuchak
17
6-3
190
Kamloops, BC
Kamloops Midget
Notes:
Asuchak was listed by the Americans last spring and will play midget hockey in Kamloops this fall.
D
Josh Monk
16
5-9
155
Langley, BC
Fraser Valley Midget
Notes:
Monk attended Americans training camp this fall and made a solid showing. This season he will make the jump from bantam to midget and play for the Fraser Valley midget program.
Notes:
Spencer is a recent addition to the Americans PPL.
D
Jesse Pauls
16
5-9
150
Chilliwack, BC
Notre Dame Midget
Notes:
Jesse is a teammate of fellow Americans list player Jaded Schwartz, Brooks Macek and Jordan Messier on the Notre Dame Hounds.
D
Zach Yuen
15
6-1
200
Vancouver, BC
Vancouver Bantam AAA
Notes:
With their first choice (22nd overall) in the 2008 WHL Bantam Draft, the Americans selected 6'1, 200 pound defenseman Zach Yuen who had 12 goals, 46 points and 108 penalty minutes in 52 games played for the North Shore Winterhawks AAA Bantam. Yuen, a native of Vancouver, British Columbia, was named the Most Valuable Defenseman at the Burnaby Minor Tournament in late December. The Winterhawks, who held a 19-0-1 regular season record, fell one win short of the provincial tournament.
C
Zach McPhee
15
6-2
165
Vernon, BC
Vernon Bantam AAA
Notes:
With their 6th round pick in the 2008 WHL Bantam Draft, the Americans selected Zach McPhee from Vernon. The 6'2" centerman had 6 goals and 11 points in 34 games will racking up 64 PIMs.
G
Jordan Liem
15
5-10
150
Surrey, BC
Surrey Bantam AA
Notes:
With their first pick in the 9th round of the 2008 WHL Bantam Draft, the Americans selected goaltender Jordan Liem from Surrey, BC.
C
Mark Barden
15
5-9
150
Surrey, BC
Surrey Bantam AA
Notes:
With their second pick in the 9th round of the 2008 WHL Bantam Draft, the Americans selected center Mark Barden from Surrey, BC.
Notes:
Brett was added to the Americans protected list in the fall of 2007. Brett was named the 2007-08 Top Goaltender for the Manitoba AAA Midget Hockey League.
F
Ryan Marshall
17
5-9
165
Ste. Rose, Manitoba
Parkland Midget
Notes:
Ryan was acquired from the Saskatoon Blades in exchange for forward Cody Wutzke. Ryan was named 2007-08 Most Sportsmanlike Player for the Manitoba AAA Midget Hockey League.
C
Robby Lazo
17
5-5
145
Winnipeg, MB
Winnipeg Thrashers Midget
Notes:
Robby is the younger brother of Americans forward Johnny Lazo. He attended Americans training camp and was recently added to the Americans protected list.
Notes:
Cole is a recent addition to the Americans player protected list. This season Pruden played for the Winnipeg Thrashers Midget team where he scored 25 goals and 53 points in just 39 games.
D
Brett Pile
15
6-0
160
Winnipeg, MB
Winnipeg Bantam AAA
Notes:
With their first selection in the 8th round of the 2008 WHL Bantam Draft, the Americans selected defenseman Brett Pile from Manitoba. Pile had 2 goals and 6 points for the Winnipeg Monarchs.
C
Brendyn Illchuk
15
5-11
160
Winnipeg, MB
Winnipeg Bantam AAA
Notes:
With the Americans second selection of the 8th round in the 2008 WHL Bantam Draft, they selected center Brendyn Illchuk from Winnipeg. Brendyn had 4 goals and 10 points in 30 games for the Winnipeg Hawks.
Notes:
Hayduk is a recent addition to the Americans protected list. In his rookie season in the MJHL playing for the Winnipeg Saints, Tim registered 11 goals, 24 points and 104 PIMs in 55 regular season games. In 15 playoff games, Tim had 1 goal, 7 points and 29 PIMs.
