Winning while signing Wong

Trevor Wong featured on video screen before debut 

• The Kelowna Rockets were winners on the ice and off it Saturday night. The team signed highly touted 15 year-old prospect Trevor Wong and then went out and earned a 4-3 overtime victory against the Prince George Cougars. The Wong signing is significant for many reasons, which I will get too momentarily, but the win itself was huge as it marked the first time this season the team was able to record back-to-back victories at Prospera Place. With four wins in their last five games, the team is trending upward in a BC Division that has seen both Kamloops and Prince George stumble out of the gates. While the Rockets overall play has improved, so has that of the Blazers and Cougars. The good news is the Rockets are in the mix despite a horrendous start that saw them at the bottom of the WHL standings at one point. Trust me, they are a long way from keeping their head above water on a consistent basis, but at least now they are treading water and limiting the number if times it dips under the surface. In the opening two weeks of the season, the team was drowning and no one in the WHL was willing to throw them a life preserver. And do you blame them? The answer is no! 
• The Trevor Wong signing came as a bit of a surprise to me, only for the fact that I spoke to both father Ed and Trevor at training camp and both were in tune on the benefits of the WHL and what NCAA hockey had to offer. At the time they seemed both undecided on which way to go. I credit them for listening to both sides of the argument and making an informed decision from there. They were not tricked or persuaded in choosing the Kelowna Rockets over Denver University. I would bet the Denver Pioneers were aggressive in pursuing Wong, and heck they got a verbal commitment out of him before the Rockets even selected him in 2018. When picking Wong in the WHL bantam draft, 18th overall, it may have sent a clear signal to the 15 year-old and his family that the organization was willing to stick their neck out for the highly touted forward, who many teams simply wouldn't touch when he made it clear the NCAA was his likely first landing spot. The gamble, which was mighty risky, did pay off.
• The Wong's attended training camp in late August and got a general sense then that they loved the city, the team and the winning environment that few in the WHL can equal. While I am told winning the Memorial Cup bid in 2020 was not a tipping point on whether Wong committed or not, it surely didn't hurt. I have no inside information on this, but I am assuming Adam Foote's hiring as head coach was just a cherry on top for the Wong's to consider the WHL, who routinely lose recruitment wars with the NCAA. Rockets GM Bruce Hamilton told me current player Liam Kindree also had a hand in telling Trevor Wong the positives of  playing junior hockey in Kelowna. In my opinion, if a player and his family is on the fence, does it not only make sense to speak to a player directly to see how his experience has been with the organization? I am not a recruiter, but if I had a hand in it, I would put a video together of the current NHL players that have come through the organization and feature them giving testimonials on what they experienced at the WHL level. Heck, it doesn't need to be just NHL players. Many have come through the locker room and have gone on to other things outside of pro hockey and have glowing reviews of their Rockets experience. 
• I don't think many realize the significance of Wong's signing. After dealing away first round WHL bantam picks for Leon Draisaitl and Reid Gardiner, it has crippled the Rockets to a certain degree to build a contender with high end, young talent. Face it, first round bantam picks are the building blocks for success. Selecting in the second round with your first pick in the draft puts you at a distinct disadvantage. That is why Ethan Bowen, the  teams first pick in the second round in 2017 is another vital player to obtain in an effort to increase the skill level among the franchises younger talent. It is players like Trevor Wong and Ethan Bowen that give the team a chance at long playoff runs beyond 2020. Wong and Bowen make the team a contender in 2021, 2022 and 2023.       
• Wong made his debut Saturday night wearing jersey #14. Eligible to play in a maximum five games this season as an underage player, we could see him again when the team makes its Alberta road trip before the Christmas break. Shane McColgan did just that as a 15 year-old in Red Deer in December of 2008. A night later in Edmonton he scored his first career WHL goal. We will be watching Wong closely this season as he and his Greater Vancouver Canadians compete for a BC Major Midget Hockey League crown.  
• On the ice, Nolan Foote returned to the line-up after a two game absence and scored the game winner in overtime. Foote's snap shot without hesitation,when it hits its desired target, is one of the best in his draft class. The about to turn 18 year-old is now tied for the team lead with 8 goals and has found the back of the net in four straight games. It was a slow start for Foote, who had only two goals in opening eight games. 
• While fighting the puck at times, I thought goaltender Roman Barsan was significant in the one goal win. When the Cougars dominated play in the third period by owning the puck for significant stretches, Basran had to be sharp to keep the visitors off the board with 14 saves in the final period.
• Kyle Topping continues to impress. Another player off to slow start, the 19 year-old now has points in 10 games. The early struggles to the season as a team also impacted Topping, who had only one goal in the opening 7 games. 
• The power play has really come alive over the last few weeks. It bailed out the team again Saturday with three of the four goals coming courtesy of the extra man. The Cougars were guilty of taking several undisciplined penalties and the Rockets made the most of their chances. The best goal of the night came when defenceman Lassi Thomson, even strength, went coast-to-coast and scored what is right now the best goal by any Rockets player this season. That will undoubtedly make the WHL Plays of the Week.   
• Five of Thomson's 7 goals this season have come on home ice. Never one in hesitating to rush with the puck, the 18 year-old's confidence level continues to soar. If he keeps it up, so will his draft status. 
• With an extremely quiet schedule after playing its opening 15 games in 26 night's, the team has ample time to practice under new head coach Adam Foote. Frankly, the timing couldn't be better with the Brandon Wheat Kings providing the opposition Saturday night before the team heads out on a 6 game road trip. That 6 game roady will be a tell tale sign if this team is indeed better than their record shows (6-10-0-0) or will it answer the question if they will struggle all season long to even get close to playing .500 hockey?
• Two more notes. Tip of the hat to the parents and the kids who came out Saturday night for the Halloween candy scramble. Wow. The number of kids on the ice in the second intermission was eye popping.
• Congrats to Rourke Chartier in scoring his first career NHL goal Sunday night. The San Jose Shark forward scored that first goal in only his 8th career game. If your wondering, Chartier tied Duncan Keith for the second quickest NHL goal to start a career among Kelowna Rockets alumni. Keith also scored his first career NHL goal against Minnesota in his 8th career game in 2005. The record is held by Jamie Benn, who scored his first NHL goal in only his 4th career game (vs. Vancouver) in 2009.