Sundher heads prospect list

by Eric Welsh - Chilliwack Progress

August 28, 2007

If Darrell May is right about the 2007 bantam draft class, then the future certainly looks bright for the Chilliwack Bruins.

The team’s general manager believes the Bruins stocked their cupboard with several future starters in early May, led by highly-touted Kevin Sundher, the Burnaby Winter Club forward selected seventh overall.

Kevin Sundher

May is extremely high on Sundher, the reigning BC Amateur player of the year. Sundher captained his Burnaby Winter Club team to the Western Canadian Bantam Championship, flashing the smarts and skills of a future WHL first liner.

“He’s got great speed,” May says. “I’ve heard people compare him to Mike Modano. His numbers last year were outstanding. We’re very excited about him.”

Sundher’s numbers were indeed a cut above. In just 66 regular season games he posted 77 goals and 96 assists. He also displayed a gritty side, collecting 196 minutes in penalties.

The Surrey native will be playing right in the Bruins’ backyard with the B.C. Major Midget Hockey League Valley West Hawks.

““We expect him to be a dominant player in that league,” May notes. “We’ll have him here for some practises during the year when injuries come up and we hope to get him up here for five games during the season, just like we did with Ryan Howse. And then we expect him to come to training camp next year and challenge for a spot.”

Carter Berg

Carter Berg was the Bruins second pick, 26th overall in the 2007 WHL Bantam Draft. He played last season with the Saskatchewan Generals bantam AA team.

May projects him as a future top-pairing blueliner with the skills to succeed at both ends of the ice.

“He’s a big strong kid who skates really well,” May observes. “He moves the puck well and he’s got a pretty good shot. He’s certainly a potential top-two defenceman down the road.”

By down the road, May is talking 18 or 19 years old, but Berg has a good chance to earn a roster spot next year.

Dylen McKinley

The Bruins were practically giddy when they grabbed this Langley native in the third round, 48th overall in the 2007 WHL Bantam Draft.

May and his scouting staff had McKinley rated as a first round talent, and they believe he may end up being the steal of the draft when all is said and done.

“He was sick a lot of the year with mononucleosis and maybe we got a better read on him because he was close to us and we saw him play a lot more than some other teams,” May notes.

McKinley fits the mold of the prototypical Bruins forward — great speed, tenacious on the forecheck and hard working with a nose for the net.

“Obviously he’s got to fill out a little more and get stronger,” May says. “But he projects to be a very good prospect. I think he probably has top-six forward upside.”

Drew Shore

Shore was the Bruins second selection in the 2006 WHL Bantam Draft. He's spending the 2007-08 season with the U.S. Development Team based in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

“He’s six-foot-one, maybe six-foot-two by now,” May says. “He didn’t feel he was strong enough to come in and do what he wanted to do in the WHL this year. So he’s following the Peter Mueller path, going to the development team for a year with hopes of coming in and making an impact next year.”

The playmaking centre has great vision and is already being touted as a second round National Hockey League pick by professional talent evaluators.

Scott Ramsay

Abbotsford native Scott Ramsay was selected by the Bruins in the fourth round of the 2006 WHL Bantam Draft.

A tree on the blueline, Ramsay stands six-foot-five.

“He’s certainly a good candidate for the future,” May says. “We’ll evaluate him very carefully to see what he needs this year in terms of ice-time. It might be best to give him another year of seasoning, but he could force his way into the lineup.”