Things That Make Me Go Hmm....

• Arguably the top two 16 year-old defenseman in the Western Conference clash Saturday night in Spokane. The Rockets Tyson Barrie faces Spokane blueliner Jared Cowan. It's time to compare the two offensively gifted rookies. Barrie has four points on the season (2+2=4), while Cowan has (1+4=5). Both have played seven games. Cowan was the first pick overall in the 2006 draft, while Barrie was selected 18th overall by the Rockets.
• Rockets rookie defenseman Collin Bowman has to be excited about Saturday's game in Spokane. Bowman will be facing his older brother Drayson in that game. Drayson Bowman is the Chiefs leading scorer this season. Look for Bowman's mom and dad from Littleton Colorado to be in the stands cheering them on. The last Rocket player to face his brother in a WHL game was also against Spokane, when Tyler Spurgeon battled then 16 year-old Chief defenseman Jared Spurgeon.
• Don't look now, but the Rockets have scored about as many goals as division leading Vancouver and Chilliwack. The Rockets have 26 goals scored, the same as the Giants and just two behind the leading Bruins.
• If you attended Rockets practice today, you couldn't help but notice a 20 year-old missing. Lyon Messier was no where to be found, yet the team has not officially announced who was released at the WHL overage deadline. I can tell you that James McEwan, Kristofer Westblom and Brady Leavold where at practice, so despite no 'official' announcement, you do the math.
• Brandon McMillan is 3 points shy of tying the point total he had from all of last season. McMillan had 12 points in his first year in the WHL, yet now leads the team with 9 points, two better than Colin Long.
• I made a lunch stop at the Wood Fire Bakery today, and ran into 8 members of the Rockets enjoying each others company. Luke Schenn was joined by Colin Long, Jamie Benn, Brady Leavold, Kristofer Westblom, Colin Joe and Matt Brusciano. It was especially nice to see Benn and Leavold there, as the two get to know their new teammates better.
• Rockets head scout Lorne Frey again looks like a genius when you look at who he selected in the 2004 bantam draft. Frey picked Luke Schenn in round one, despite having the last pick in the opening round. Frey also picked Cody Almond in round 4 and Colin Long in the 11th round. All three are key pieces of the Rockets puzzle this season.
• That 2004 draft could only be compared with the success Frey had in 2001 when he picked Tyler Spurgeon in round one, Blake Comeau in round two, and Mike Card was nabbed in the 4th round.