LW Jermaine Loewen - Kamloops Blazers, WHL (2016 undrafted)

[habsrule4eva3089]

http://www.kamloopsthisweek.com/sports/222418571.html

Great story of a prospect born in Jamaica that will soon be playing in the WHL. Hope his career flourishes and he can maybe someday end up with a chance to get drafted in the NHL and one day play. Would be an amazing tale, I think the second Jamaican player ever if that's ever the case! Has anyone ever seen him play?!

Click to read more...

 

[BillP]

he was colin smith's rw the other night, really athletic but he hasn't been playing for long. hopefully he can bring it all together. go blazers go!

 

[seadawg]

Very cool.

I haven't read the article yet, but his story sounds similar to Akim Aliu who didn't come to Canada and start playing hockey till he was older as well (if I recall correctly).

 

[Granlund2Pulkkinen*]

1998. Wowwwww. Making me feel old. Sounds like a great prospect to watch. Hopefully he ends up doing something right!

 

[nomorekids]

Would make a great sequel to "Cool Runnings?"

 

[Rabid Ranger]

"He was five when he landed in the Great White North" haha.

 

[Jack DiBiase]

The current Norris Trophy holder is Jamaican.

 

[MPStoEberletoHall*]

Is this guy expected to go in the draft? Very curious about him, since he has such a fantastic story attached to him.

 

[Constable]

Is this guy expected to go in the draft? Very curious about him, since he has such a fantastic story attached to him.

believe so.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

believe so.

Is there some reason? Incredible skill? Goon?

He has 14 points this year, which is abysmal for a "pro prospect."

I believe the last player to make it to the NHL with such bad point numbers in their draft year was Zac Rinaldo, who's a complete plug who shouldn't have gotten to the NHL in the first place.

 

[RoR21]

believe so.

I'd be shocked if he were picked he has good heart and compete but doesn't have enough skill. Maybe he'll be a re-entry but he hasn't been good enough this year to be a draft.

 

[Dr Pepper]

Bump.

Wanted to find out more about this kid - ok, maybe not kid, he's an overager (20) - but first Jamaican-born NHL draft pick, #199 to Dallas. Pretty cool, IMO.

This past season he racked up more goals, assists and points with Kamloops than the previous three seasons combined.

Stars' owner also owns (or co-owns) the Blazers so he obviously did plenty of research on this one.

I wonder if he will start in the ECHL or go straight to Texas.

Any Blazers fans have a good scouting report on his style of play?

 

[S E P H]

He didn't get drafted originally due to how bad his skating was and how raw his tools/gamer were. If I remember correctly, he started hockey really late like 11 years old or something like that so it makes sense he was more of a late bloomer. He's really big, has fantastic compete level, and is a team first player - add those together and he's very tough with the puck. Agility continues to be his problem where smaller players like Marchand will take advantage of his slower game, but he probably transform more into a bulldog grinder to make the NHL and be a havoc on the forecheque. Picture a Matt Hendricks type of game in a Bryan Bickell body.

 

[Dr Pepper]

That'll work out nicely.

Hope to see him in Stars green, a few years down the road.

 

[MrHeiskanen]

He will go back to Kamloops for his over age year. He really only had one WHL season of success.

 

[Skinnyjimmy08]

coulda easily just invited the guy to camp instead of drafting him. I highly doubt a team woulda drafted him. But Dallas and Kamloops have a major connection so it doesn't surprise me seeing Dallas do this

Good for him though... not many kids can say they were drafted to the NHL!!.. especially with his story

 

[Dr Pepper]

He will go back to Kamloops for his over age year. He really only had one WHL season of success.

Didn't know you could play in the CHL once you hit 20. I guess 21 is the cutoff?

 

[MrHeiskanen]

Didn't know you could play in the CHL once you hit 20. I guess 21 is the cutoff?

You can play 5 seasons, the 5th season is considered overage year. I think each team is allowed 2 or 3 overaged players.

 

[Patmac40]

Didn't know you could play in the CHL once you hit 20. I guess 21 is the cutoff?

As long as you’re 20 when the season starts it’s fine. You can turn 21 during the season.

 

[Juniorhockeyguru]

Bump.

Wanted to find out more about this kid - ok, maybe not kid, he's an overager (20) - but first Jamaican-born NHL draft pick, #199 to Dallas. Pretty cool, IMO.

This past season he racked up more goals, assists and points with Kamloops than the previous three seasons combined.

Stars' owner also owns (or co-owns) the Blazers so he obviously did plenty of research on this one.

I wonder if he will start in the ECHL or go straight to Texas.

Any Blazers fans have a good scouting report on his style of play?

Jermaine has improved every single season since he was 16. The fact he didnt start playing until 11 years old, shows how much of an athlete he is. His skating has improved immensely, when he gets the puck, the entire arena in Kamloops stands to their feet because they know that none of these other kids will be able to stop him driving to the net.

Now will he have an NHL future...remains to be seen. He has the body for it, but in todays NHL if you dont have the speed, you are going nowhere.

 

[serp]

Named Captain of his junior team