By SEAN ROONEY on April 12, 2019.
srooney@medicinehatnews.com@MHNRooney
For the record, Shaun Clouston would like to be anywhere but California this weekend.
The Medicine Hat Tigers head coach and general manager is south of the border for the second year in a row helping coach the WHL’s U.S. Prospects Camp, putting 14- and 15-year-olds through their paces in Orange County.
But he’d clearly rather still be in the midst of a playoff run, now a couple weeks after his Tigers fell to Edmonton in the first round.
“This is the second year that I’ve gone, unfortunately it’s because we’re not in the playoffs. So for the vast majority of years, we’re still playing,” said Clouston during a layover Thursday in Vancouver between flights. “Hopefully next year I don’t get to go.”
It’s the 14th year the league has held a U.S.-based camp, which has evolved into a three-day showcase. Practices, seminars and a standard combine are all part of the weekend. Other coaches helping out include Swift Current Broncos’ Dean Brockman (head coach and general manager), Brandon Wheat Kings’ David Anning (head coach) and Tri-City Americans’ Brian Pellerin (associate coach).
Every team will have scouts looking on, including the Tigers’ Bobby Fox.
“It’s an opportunity to zero in on the top players, but really that’s Bobby’s job,” said Clouston. “He’s been at it all winter long along with the scouts to create our lists. It’s very exciting right now, I have had the opportunity to see a small handful of players and I’m looking forward to seeing prospects in the next few weeks.”
Clouston will coach 20 of them this weekend, getting a first-hand look the same way he did last year when the camp was held in Anaheim.
It was one of those players, Hayden Cox of Texas, who the Tigers wound up drafting with their sixth-round pick in 2018.
“I got to see him between shifts interact with his teammates,” said Clouston. “The league hands out awards for each team and he was our top forward. I also liked his demeanour and his competitive nature, so there are things as a coach I was able to get a handle on.”
Cox still hasn’t said whether he’ll commit to the team yet, but Clouston made no bones about the fact he’d like to see the young forward in orange and black down the road.
“We believe he has a ton of potential as a junior player and a pro, so we’re in the process of communicating with him and his family.”
It’s just part of a busy month leading up to the May 2 bantam draft in Red Deer. The Tigers have the 12th pick in the first two rounds and Clouston reiterated the team’s usual stance of wanting the best overall talent they can get with the pick, rather than looking for a specific position.
With provincial all-star tournaments in British Columbia next weekend and Alberta the weekend after, there are still chances for prospects to make an impression.
As for the Americans, it wasn’t always a necessity that they came to the WHL’s own camp. But it’s become rare for someone south of the border to not be there and wind up in the league.
“Most of the players, or at least a large percentage from the league will have played in this camp,” said Clouston. “It’s a big deal, I know that the league has felt that it’s worked real well to bring those players together at this time heading into the draft.”