Shots from the Point-Game Day Eve edition

Like yesterday, I'll be updating this post throughout the day as I come across relevant stuff, so stay tuned.  I bring the bits of the interwebz to you :)

The first big news of the day is that the Championship Series will be broadcast locally on KAPP/KVEW.

Tri-City Americans fans, KAPP/KVEW TV is happy to announce that you will be able to see games one through six of the WHL Finals on our air.
    
Games one through five will be available on KAPP/KVEW's sister station, My Network TV, which is Charter channels 78 or 280 or 35.2 or 42.2 on your digital tuner.
   
Game six on Sunday May ninth will be seen on KVEW and My Network, and should there be a game seven, it will be on Fox Sports Northwest.  (KVEW)

Fine I'll invest in a digital receiver.  

Yes, the championship is set to start tomorrow, but today is the Bantam Draft.  Kind of a big deal.

Tory, director of player personnel Terry Bangen and the scouting staff will select 19th in the first round of today's WHL bantam draft. Barring any last-minute deals, Prince George has the first pick of the draft.

"Terry and our staff have worked hard for this day," Tory said. "We need to make sure we make some wise decisions up there. This is a busy week with the awards (Wednesday), the draft and the first game Friday. It's busy, but it's also exciting. This is big for our organization and our players."

 

"We have built a solid organization that has gone from players asking where we are, to players not wanting to come here and players who didn't even want to talk to you," Tory said. "Now, they want to come here and be part of what we are doing. Once they get here, they love it."

"There are 18 guys that go before you pick," Tory said. "Your list is changing every 10 minutes. This is not an exact science. You are drafting players who are a year or two away from playing for your organization. You just have to see how it unfolds and take the best player available at that time. In a perfect world, that would be a defenseman."  (Tri-City Herald)

It's such a crapshoot, picking a fourteen-year-old that you hope will develop into a successful 17, 18, 19, 20- year-old player.  If you want to keep up with the Draft, Alan Caldwell will be keeping track of things over at Small Thoughts At Large, as will the WHL site of course.

Looks like Gregg Drinnan is keeping track of things as well over at Taking Note:

Tri-City GM Bob Tory has been active on the floor, talking with half-a-dozen of his counterparts. . . . No deals announced yet. 

I believe in Bob Tory.  It's taken me a long time to be able to say that.  As a fan, I have my favorites (duh) just like every other fan.  It's the nature of fandom.  Bob and the organization see it different, they have to look at what is going to be best for the team, for the business.  When he released Cole Butterfield it broke my heart.  When he traded Matt Swaby I was crushed.  When he traded away Eric Mestery I was upset, till I saw what Mitch Fadden could do (and that saucy red hair--RAWR).  I didn't like that he brought in Pechurskiy, but I know it was the best thing for the team, and it's another move that paid off.  I questioned the acquisition of Mike Brown and Todd Kennedy but they've done what they've needed to do, what they were brought in to do (even if it took till the playoffs to see it happen).  When he got Mestery back, I did a happy dance (as did my ovaries).  It's hard as a fan to see the long-term vision, but I believe Bob knows what he's doing.   Haters still gonna hate, people are still gonna bitch and moan.  We're fans, it's what we do.  Especially when we don't know the ins and outs of the business.  And make no mistake, it is a business.

/off that soapbox.

Like I said, I'll be updating throughout the day as stuff comes along, not draft stuff though, I gave you links to follow that if you want :)