Deven Sideroff of the Kamloops Blazers chases a loose puck as Prince George Cougars’ goaltender Ty Edmonds tries to cover up. Allen Douglas/KTW
Kamloops Blazers’ head coach Don Hay might not have liked Deven Sideroff’s game last night, but the same cannot be said for Vancouver Canucks’ general manager Jim Benning.
“I don’t mind that Sideroff,” Benning told KTW after the second intermission of the Blazers’ tilt against the Prince George Cougars at Interior Savings Centre on Wednesday, March 11.
“He’s a hard-working kid and it seems like he’s having a pretty good year. I’ve got my eye on him.”
Kamloops downed Prince George 7-4.
After the game, Hay did not have many nice things to say about his 17-year-old forward.
He told Radio NL the Summerland product was tentative and did not use his speed to drive to the net, both reasons why he was yanked off the first line.
Sideroff, who has 16 goals and 40 points in 59 games this season, returned to WHL action last night after missing four games due to an upper-body injury.
Benning’s primary reason for attending Wednesday’s game was to get a first-hand look at Cougars’ forward Jansen Harkins, the 17-year-old from Vancouver.
“He’s had a good year this year,” Benning said of Harkins, who has 20 goals and 78 points in 65 games this season.
“He’s real good on the power play, on the half-wall. He’s a smart player. He’s got good hands around the net and he can finish plays off.
“I wanted to make sure I saw him going into the draft.”
Both Sideroff and Harkins were held off the scoresheet on Wednesday.
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