MacRae Days with Rockets Appear Over

• It appears Myles MacRae's days as a Kelowna Rocket are over. Team brass confirming that MacRae isn't interested in playing as a 20 year-old with the Rockets next season. MacRae would have joined Colin Joe and Tysen Dowzak as overages next year. The Rockets still hold his playing rights though, with the hope he will change his mind and attend training camp this fall. MacRae was listed, not drafted by the Rockets, and played a total of 182 games between 2004 and 2007.
• When I look back at MacRae's career, he landed in Kelowna at a tough time. As a raw rookie in 2004-2005, MacRae had the privilege of playing with a WHL championship team. Tyler Mosienko, Justin Keller, Tyler Spurgeon and Troy Bodie were just a few forwards that season that consumed an abundance of ice time. A year later, MacRae again found himself in a tough spot playing behind forwards like Lauris Darzins, Blake Comeau, Chris Ray and again Troy Bodie. Call it a case of bad timing to wear Kelowna Rockets colours during a period where the Rockets were top heavy in talented forwards. Whether it stunted his growth and development as a player is up for debate.
• I will always remember MacRae's first ever WHL goal though - in his second WHL game - on a long range shot from center ice against the Calgary Hitmen. It wasn't one of beauty, but on that night it allowed the Rockets to earn a 3-3 tie.
• Rockets Director of Player Personnel Lorne Frey and GM Bruce Hamilton are in Calgary for Thursday's WHL bantam draft. The Rockets have the 10th overall pick in round one. Look for the Rockets to select a forward with their first selection. A good contingent of the top end players in this years draft according to Frey, reside in Northern Alberta.
• It would be great to see Frey attend this June's NHL draft. Frey is solely responsible for selecting Luke Schenn and Tyler Myers in the 2004 and 2005 bantam drafts. A picture of Frey between the two potential first round picks is a must. Frey is a smart hockey man bottom line. He is responsible for drafting players like Todd Holt, the Swift Current Broncos franchise leader in points. Frey was also a key in persuading at the time a young Joe Sakic to play his junior hockey in the smallest centre in the CHL.
• Congrats to the Spokane Chiefs for winning the West. The only Rockets connection I can think of is Tyler Spurgeon's younger brother Jared having a chance to play in his first ever WHL championship series. Tyler won two WHL champions with the Rockets in 2003 and 2005. Chiefs forward Drayson Bowman is the brother of Rockets defenseman Collin Bowman.