By Michael Gorman
THE VANGUARD
NovaNewsNow.com
Yarmouth Mariners head coach and GM Laurie Barron couldn’t be happier with his team’s draft last weekend in Bridgewater.
“We feel that we accomplished just about everything that we went to the draft looking for,” Barron said last Saturday following the draft.
It was an up-and-down season for the Mariners this year, one that ended with them missing the playoffs. Although inconsistency and off-ice distractions factored into the disappointing result, a lack of offence didn’t help, either.
Barron believes the team addressed that through the draft.
“We wanted to add some scoring depth up front and with the kids that we brought in . . . hopefully they can step in and play right away.”
The Mariners, with the third pick overall, drafted Kyle Campbell, a forward from East Hants who Barron described as “an unbelievable hockey player and an even better kid.”
Cape Breton Tradesmen forward Brock Morrison was the Mariners’ second pick. Barron called Morrison a “very gifted scorer” and thought enough of him that he traded up to get him at 16th overall.
Yarmouth also added a piece at defence, taking Brody Power in the third round. Power played for the midget AAA Halifax Titans.
The team used a territorial pick to take another forward, Colin Campbell, from the Cape Breton Tradesmen.
Although the Mariners roster is now stocked with young offensive potential, there is also always the possibility that the players could end up playing major junior hockey instead of junior A. Asked about this Barron said that although it’s possible, he expects at least some of them to be with the team for the upcoming season.
“Obviously when you take the best players available you never know if you’re going to see them right away,” he said. “But we think we have an excellent shot at these kids being in Mariners uniforms.”
Barron said part of his goal for the draft was to remake the team. He certainly accomplished that goal through the draft as well as several major trades.
Yarmouth sent Alex Newman, John Hubley and the rights to two other players to the Metro Marauders for Matthew Miller, a forward called up by the Halifax Lions during the playoffs last season.
“This kid is going to be a real go-to guy,” said Barron.
The team also sent Justin Chiasson to Pictou for four players, including Josh Desmond, a prospect from the Dartmouth Subways and a 2011 draft pick.
“We think he’s going to step in and be a phenomenal defenceman,” Barron said of Desmond.
Barron called the move “absolutely gut-wrenching,” but as talented as Chiasson is, the team didn’t expect to have him back this season.“When they say they won’t report and they ask for a trade, your hands are kind of tied,” he said.
Yarmouth sent Neil Coombs to Campbellton for Jared Hicks
“The people we brought in are not just good players, they’re great kids,” said Barron.
