News Items from this week

A few notes to throw up from this week as the summer reaches the mid point and we start counting down the days to training camp.

- Tbirds traded 17 year old Zac Ashdown to Prince George for a conditional 4th round bantam pick. Link to the story can be found here. No doubt the condition on the draft pick is whether Ashdown reports to Prince George and then makes the team. My guess is that Ashdown was going to have a very hard time cracking the roster this season and wasn't going to report to Seattle unless he was given a promise that he would make the team.

- Two Tbirds were drafted last Saturday in the NHL entry draft. Jacob DeSerres went in the 3rd round, 84th overall to Philadelphia and Prab Rai was selected by the Vancouver Canucks in the 5th round, 131st overall. DeSerres has the ability and the size to become an NHL starter and a chance to become an All-Star. He is very technically sound and I believe would have been on the same level at Chet Pickard had he been Seattle's only goaltender last year. Jake will take the reigns in 2008-09 and likely run with his first opportunity to be the Tbirds true #1 goalie. Rai being selected in the 5th round was slightly higher than I thought he would be selected, but there is no denying his speed and vision on the ice. In the NHL of today, speed is a skill that is required and Prab certainly has it. He is a good play-maker and only needs to add 30 or 35 goal scoring ability to really become an elite level prospect. If Prab ever posted 30 and 50 I think the Canucks just made a great selection for the 5th round. Story can be found here.

- Seattle aquired a goaltender Kyle Jahraus from Tri-Cities in exchange for a conditional 10th round bantam draft pick. Again... I'm sure the condition is that Jahraus makes Seattle's roster or Tri-Cities gets nothing. Jahraus will be an 18 year old goaltender and played in 2 games last season for the Americans making 22 saves and not allowing a goal (he also added an assist). Seattle only had two goaltenders on their list (I believe) and this move allows Jahraus a chance to compete with Calvin Pickard for the backup goaltending spot if Pickard isn't quite ready and Seattle wants him to spend another whole season playing instead of sitting on the Tbird bench most of the season. Story here.

- Seattle and the WHL announced their Exhibition schedule and again they are only slated for one home game. Tbirds will participate in the Tri-Cities and Everett tournaments along with a home and home series with Portland before starting the season. Story can be found here and the schedule is:

Friday, August 29 vs. Chilliwack at 11:30 at Everett Events Center
Saturday, August 30 vs. Everett at 7 p.m. at Everett Events Center
Sunday, August 31 vs. Portland at 3 p.m. at Everett Events Center
Friday, September 5 at Tri-City at 7:05 p.m. at Toyota Center
Saturday, September 6 vs. Portland at 2 p.m. at Toyota Center
Friday, September 12 at Portland at 7:30 p.m. at Memorial Coliseum
Saturday, September 13 vs. Portland at 7:05 p.m. at Kent Valley Ice Centre