Port Moody's Ryan Johansen came out of virtually nowhere to shine with the Western Hockey League's Portland Winterhawks.
Kelowna Rockets director of player personnel Lorne Frey believes he found his own hidden gem in, ironically, Johansen's younger brother, Lucas.
"I honestly think he might be the steal this year," Frey told the Kelowna Daily Courier of 14-year-old defenceman Lucas Johansen, whom the Rockets chose in the sixth round (119th overall) at last Thursday's WHL Bantam draft in Calgary. "For what we got, I think his upside is huge."
Coquitlam product and Burnaby Winter Club star Mathew Barzal was chosen first overall by the Seattle Thunderbirds.
For Lucas, just hearing his name called was a huge thrill.
"It was a pretty crazy day," Lucas told The Tri-City News on the phone Thursday morning, during a break from his Grade 9 classes at Heritage Woods secondary school. "Going to the WHL is obviously a huge accomplishment and I certainly had no problem with going to Kelowna.
"It's a big confidence boost for me and just makes me want to work harder."
Six-foot-three forward Ryan Johansen currently toils with the Columbus Blue Jackets, who chose him fourth overall in the 2010 NHL draft after being a later bloomer himself. Selected 150th overall by the Winterhawks in the 2007 WHL Bantam draft, Ryan made the B.C. Hockey League's Penticton Vees as a walk-on for the 2008-09 season before rising to join the Winterhawks the following campaign and averaging nearly a point a game in his WHL rookie season. Why the WHL's other 21 teams -- particularly the Winterhawks -- overlooked Lucas is mystery to Frey. At five-foot-10, Lucas skated last season with Port Moody's Bantam 'A' squad and was chosen the Port Moody Amateur Hockey Association's player of the year.
"I was a little bit shocked at that [given his bloodlines]," said Frey, adding that Lucas was a standout at the recent BC Cup Under-16 tournament. "You can see he's going to be a big guy. There's a lot or growth in him, I think. He's an excellent skater and a very intelligent player.
"I think he went under the radar because he played in Port Moody and I don't think a lot of scouts really saw [Port Moody] play."
Lucas said Ryan told him after that Kelowna could be the perfect fit for his kid brother, just as Portland was for him.
"He said it's a great place to play and live," said Lucas, adding that he hopes to grow both on an off the ice in the Major Midget ranks first next season. "I think I need a little bit more time... defencemen usually take a little longer to develop at that level. I just want to work hard and try to become a better all-around player."
Meanwhile, Barzal racked up 107 points in 35 games last season with the Burnaby Winter Club's Bantam 'A' squad.
"It's really exciting going number one," the Dr. Charles Best secondary student said in a T-birds' press release. "I am very proud to be selected by the T-birds. I am glad [it] happened how it happened."
Said T-birds general manager Russ Farwell: "We are very excited to add Mathew Barzal to our team. [He] has true star potential and will be a very exciting player for our fans to watch develop. He has a style all his own and plays the game at a pace that is truly fun to watch.
"He has been a dominant player for a number of years and his package of skill and winning attitude will have a tremendous influence on our team from top to bottom."
Barzal became the highest ever WHL Bantam pick of a Tri-Cities' product, surpassing Port Coquitlam's Zach Hamill, who was chosen third overall in 2003 by the Everett Silvertips and currently skates in the NHL Boston Bruins' organization.
