Powell River Kings rookie forward Kyle Betts got a surprise in the mail the other day: a letter from the National Hockey League (NHL).
Betts came home from practice to find out he had been announced as a junior player to watch by NHL central scouting.
“It caught me off guard,” said Betts. “It’s pretty exciting though.”
Betts has a hockey scholarship from Cornell University and said he plans on earning a degree in electrical engineering before he thinks about a spot on his favourite NHL team, the Toronto Maple Leafs.
“I want to get my education first, and to do that while I play hockey is great,” he said. “I can still go to the NHL after if I want to go that route.”
Originally from Flesherton, Ontario, Betts is in Powell River playing for the Kings for his first season in the BC Hockey League. Along with eight other members in the provincial league, NHL central scouting ranked Betts as having a chance of being selected as a late-round pick in next year’s June draft.
“There are no guarantees,” said Betts, “but I am very honoured to be on the list.”
According to Kings head coach Kent Lewis, Betts is doing a good job keeping his skates on the ground since the announcement.
“Good on him,” said Lewis. “He can skate, he works hard and he’s got good potential.”
Betts is not the first Kings player to be ranked as a possible NHL draft candidate. Others include Carmine Buono, who was selected by scouting last year, now playing hockey for the University of Massachusetts.
“Being selected doesn’t mean you’ll get drafted, but it’s a good indicator that you are playing well,” said Lewis. “I think the biggest thing it shows to the kids is the exposure you get at this level of play.”
Former Kings players to be drafted into the NHL include several born and raised in Powell River. Among them are Sean Maguire, who was selected by Pittsburgh Penguins as a fourth-round pick in 2012; and, most notably, Brad Bombardir, who was drafted by New Jersey Devils in the third round in 1990. Bombardir went on to win a Stanley Cup with the Devils in 2000.
