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Posted Aug. 29, 2002
17-year-old named top defenseman at 8 Nations Tournament
By Annie Fowler
Herald staff writer
The ice has been laid and is ready for the Tri-City Americans, who open their 15th season today with practice at Rink B at Tri-Cities Coliseum.
The Americans expect to have 15 Western Hockey League veterans among the 67 players in camp, led by second-year defenseman Shawn Belle.
"Shawn became one of our leaders last year, and in the playoffs he took his game to a new level and he was rewarded by being named to the (Canadian) U-18 team," said Americans general manager Bob Tory. "He has proven he is one of the elite and can play with the best players in the world."
The players, separated into three squads, will take the ice at 5 p.m. with the Blue team practice. The White team will practice at 6:25 p.m., with the Red team going at 7:50 p.m. All practices are open to the public free of charge.
Belle, 17, came to the Americans in a trade with the Regina Pats when he was 15, but he finished the season with his club team. Last year as a rookie in the WHL, he played in 64 games for the Americans with one goal, 18 assists and 51 penalty minutes.
"I'm really looking forward to this season," said Belle, who arrived in the Tri-Cities on Tuesday night. "There are a lot of positives this year with the Americans."
The Americans have a new head coach in Shaun Clouston, a new assistant coach, Jim Hiller, and the team was sold by Mark Wagstaff earlier this month to a group of Canadian investors led by Tory, Darryl Porter and Vancouver Canucks GM Brian Burke.
"I think (the Tri-Cities) is a good atmosphere to play hockey and the fans are starting to come back," Belle said. "We are trying to rejuvenate hockey here. The fans who do show up are incredible."
Belle is one of the players the Americans will be banking on to lead their team.
"We are looking for him to take the team to new heights," Tory said.
Over the summer, Belle played on the Canadian National U-18 team that captured the gold medal at the Eight Nations Tournament in Piestany, Slovakia. The team finished 5-0-0, including a 5-1 win over the Czech Republic in the championship game.
Belle was named the tournament's top defenseman, scoring two goals, two assists and notching six penalty minutes.
"I was surprised I got that," Belle said of the award. "I wasn't expecting it at all. These kinds of things give you extra confidence that you can play with the elite players."
The 6-foot-2, 200-pound Edmonton, Alberta, native also was invited to be a guest instructor at Jarome Iginla's Hockey School in Calgary, Alberta. Belle, who is black, also got to work with Willie O'Ree, who broke the NHL's color barrier in 1958.
"I watched (Belle) play from the opposing bench last year and I was impressed," said Clouston, who was an assistant coach with the Portland Winter Hawks. "He has good size and skating ability. As a 16-year-old, he made a impact.
"This organization is tremendously fortunate to have a player of his caliber and character, but then again, hockey has been very good to Shawn, being part of a world champion team at 17. Hockey has provided a lot of opportunities for him already. It's just going to get bigger and better."
Belle also is considered a first-round NHL draft pick next June.
"This is the big year for him," Clouston said. "Central Scouting rates player's draft ability and rates the players, and the NHL teams have their own scouts who are out watching and evaluating. "The fact he played on the Canadian U-18 team makes you believe that he is in (the first-round) class."
Other returning Americans include goalie Tyler Weiman, defensemen Josh Morrow and Justin Togiai and forwards Tyler Dyck and Ben Kilgour, the team's second-leading scorer last season.
"We are going to be a little bit young," Clouston said. "We want to have a great season, but we also want to develop NHL players. We want to make sure we are doing the best job we can."
In goal, the Americans have invited Shannon Szabados of Edmonton, who will be the first female to attend a Tri-City training camp. Szabados played midget hockey in Edmonton last season and posted a 2.45 GAA in 17 games. Also among the prospects is Sam Hinchee of Richland, who made his WHL debut last season with the Seattle Thunderbirds.
At forward, the Americans have added a pair of NHL drafted players in Jiri Jakes and Josef Vavra. Jakes was acquired over the summer from the Brandon Wheat Kings, while Vavra was selected by the Americans in the import draft.
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