Calgary Hitmen Player Bios

With a few days in between games I decided to complete player bios for all 22 members of the 2011/12 Calgary Hitmen.  They are listed in numerical order below. 

#3- Kenton Helgesen, D/F (6’3” 185lbs)  (HELL-ga-sen)
- Selected 6th round (132nd overall) in the 2009 WHL Bantam Draft.
- In his first season in the WHL after playing last year with the Grande Prairie Storm in the Alberta Junior Hockey League.
- Has played both defence and left wing for the Hitmen this season

#4- Peter Kosterman, D (6’4” 204 lbs)
- Selected 1st round (19th overall) in the 2008 WHL Bantam Draft.
- Attended Calgary Flames rookie camp in the fall of 2011 as a free agent invite
- Won 2009 AMHL Championship and Silver Medal at the 2009 TELUS Cup with the Calgary Buffaloes.
- Named the 2009 Calgary Buffaloes Midget AAA Most Improved Player
- Was the Hitmen’s Top Scholastic player in both 2009/10 and 2010/11.
- In his third season with the Hitmen, winning a WHL Championship in his rookie campaign in 2009/10.

#5- Spencer Humphries, D (6’2” 212lbs)
- Is one of three Hitmen Assistant Captains this season
- Was acquired in a 2011 trade deadline deal by the Hitmen on January 10th along with forward Brooks Macek and a conditional 2012 3rd round bantam draft pick from the Tri-City Americans in exchange for defencemen Matt MacKenzie. 
- Named the Hitmen’s Top Defenceman in 2010/11 season.
- Attended San Jose Sharks camp in September of 2010 playing in the Young Stars tournament in Penticton.
- In his second full season in the WHL

#7- Alex Roach, D (6’4” 220lbs)
- Drafted by the Hitmen in the 11th round (224th overall) of the 2008 WHL Bantam Draft
- Had the hardest shot at the 2010 BC Hockey Major Midget League All Star Skills Competition at 96 mph.
- Signed a three year entry level contract with Los Angeles after attending Kings camp this fall as a free agent invite
- Favourite NHL player is Shea Weber

#9- Jaynen Rissling, D (6’4” 222lbs)   (RIZZ-ling)
- Drafted by the Hitmen in the 6th round (129th overall) of the 2008 WHL Bantam Draft
- His father, Kelly, played in the WHL with the Lethbridge Broncos (’78-’80) and Portland Winterhawks (’80-’81)
- In his third season in the WHL
- Was a member of the 2010 WHL Champion Hitmen

#10- Alex Gogolev, LW (5’11” 157lbs) 
- Drafted by the Hitmen in the second round, 60th overall in the 2011 Canadian Hockey League Import Draft.
- Played for Team Russia at the 2009 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge in Port Alberni, BC where he finished fourth in team scoring (3g 3a 6pts).
- Was a member of the MHL All-Star Team this past season where he played for MHC Spartak.

#11- Brooks Macek, RW (5’11” 182 lbs)  (MAY-sick)
- Is one of three Hitmen Assistant Captains this season.
- Was acquired in a 2011 trade deadline deal by the Hitmen on January 10th along with defencemen Spencer Humphries and a conditional 2012 3rd round draft pick from the Tri-City Americans in exchange for defensemen Matt MacKenzie. 
- Drafted by the Detroit Red Wings in the 6th round (171st overall) of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft
- Had a career high 73 points including 21 goals in 72 games in the 2009/10 season with the Tri-City Americans.

#12- Joey Kornelsen, C (6’1” 190lbs)    (Core-NELL-sen)
- Was a second round (32nd overall) pick of the Moose Jaw Warriors in the 2008 WHL Bantam Draft.
- Acquired by the Hitmen in an October 26, 2011 trade with the Moose Jaw Warriors along with Collin Bowman and an a fourth round pick in the 2012 WHL Bantam Draft in exchange for Justin Kirsch and Kenton Miller.
- Is in his third full season in the WHL after posting a career high 11 goals and 25 points last season in Moose Jaw

#14- Jimmy Bubnick, C (6’2” 189lbs)
- Is one of three Hitmen Assistant Captains this season
- Acquired in a 2010 trade deadline deal with the Kamloops Blazers
- Drafted by the Atlanta Thrashers in the 6th round (155th overall) of the 2009 NHL Entry Draft but is now a free agent.
- Named to the 2010 MasterCard Memorial Cup All-Star team. He led the Hitmen and finished tied for second in tournament scoring with 8 points (3g,5a) in four games
- Won a Gold Medal with Canada’s U-18 Team and played in the 2009 CHL Top Prospects Game.
- Represented the WHL in the 2010 Subway Super Series against Team Russia
- Had two older brothers play in the WHL, including his brother Michael who also played for the Hitmen.

#15 Chase Clayton, C (5’10” 169lbs)
- Drafted by the Hitmen in the 1st round (22nd overall) in the 2009 WHL Bantam Draft
- Is in his third season with the Hitmen
- Played for Team Pacific at the 2011 World Hockey Under-17 Hockey Challenge with teammate Rob Trzonkowski winning a bronze medal
- Favourite NHL player is Alex Ovechkin

#16- Cody Sylvester, C (5’11” 180lbs)
- Team Captain this season.
- Drafted by the Hitmen in the 8th round (168th overall) in the 2007 WHL Bantam Draft
- Older brother, Dustin played 5 seasons with the Kootenay Ice and is now a member of the Flames AHL affiliate, the Abbotsford Heat.
- Was a former stick boy for the Kelowna Rockets
- Was the Hitmen Player of the Year in the 2010/11 season.

#17- Rob Trzonkowski, RW (6’1.5” 195lbs)   (CHIN-koss-key)
- Drafted by the Hitmen in the 8th round (155th overall) in the 2009 WHL Bantam Draft.
- Played for Team Pacific at the 2011 World Hockey Under-17 Hockey Challenge with teammate Chase Clayton winning a bronze medal
- Had 3 goals, including two game winners in 5 games for Team Pacific at the 2011 World Hockey Under-17 Hockey Challenge.
- Can speak Polish
- In his second season in the WHL

#19- Calder Brooks, LW (5’10” 172lbs)
- Drafted by the Hitmen in the 8th round (176th overall) in the 2009 WHL Bantam Draft.
- In his rookie season with the Hitmen after posting 50 points (20g 30a) last season in the Saskatchewan AAA Midget League with the Regina Pat Canadians
- From Emerald Park, Saskatchewan where he grew up cheering for the Regina Pats

#22- Danny Gayle, LW (5’10” 175lbs)
- Acquired from the Moose Jaw Warriors along with LW Nathan MacMaster and G Brandon Glover in exchange for LW Cody Beach and C Mackenzie Royer on November 16, 2010.
- Is having a career year in the WHL.  Just 28 games into the season he matched his point total from all of last season (21).
- Formerly a member of the Calgary AAA Midget Flames
- His father is from Jamaica

#23- Victor Rask, RW (6’1” 192lbs)
- Drafted by the Hitmen in the first round, 3rd overall in the 2011 Canadian Hockey League Import Draft.
- Draft by the Carolina Hurricanes in the second round (42nd overall) of the 2011 NHL Entry Draft.  On October 20th he signed a three year entry level contract with the Hurricanes.
- Had five points (2g 3a) in six games helping Sweden win a Silver medal this past April at the 2011 World Under-18 Championship
- Will play for Team Sweden at the 2012 World Junior Hockey Championship.

#25- Greg Chase, C (6’0” 182)
- Drafted by the Hitmen in the 1st round (22nd overall) in the 2010 WHL Bantam Draft
- Named to Team Pacific for the 2012 World Hockey Under-17 Hockey Challenge
- His uncle Kelly was a WHL grad of the Saskatoon Blades and went on to play 458 games in the NHL with St. Louis, Hartford and Toronto.
- In his first season in the WHL after collecting 39 points (24g 15a) in 30 games last season in the Alberta Midget Hockey League with the Sherwood Park J. Ennis Kings.
- Won a Bronze medal with Team Alberta at the 2011 Canada Games.

#26- Brock Sutherland, D (6’2” 205lbs)
- Acquired from the Tri-City Americans on October 6/2011 in exchange for Nathan MacMaster.
- Is in his in his fourth full WHL season, starting his career with the Lethbridge Hurricanes before a trade to Tri-City.
- Drafted by the Lethbridge Hurricanes in the fifth round (104th overall) in the 2006 WHL Bantam Draft
- Has played over 200 regular season games in the WHL.

#27- Brady Brassart, C (6’1” 180lbs)
- Acquired from the Spokane Chiefs on August 18/2011 in exchange for a conditional fourth round pick in the 2012 WHL Bantam Draft.
- Was the Chiefs Rookie of the Year in the 2009/10 season.
- Was Spokane’s Scholastic Player of the Year in back-to-back seasons (2009/10 and 2010/11)
- Played for Team Pacific at the 2010 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge where he recorded three points (1g 2a) in five games

#28- Collin Bowman, D (6’2” 200)
- Acquired by the Hitmen in an October 26, 2011 trade with the Moose Jaw Warriors along with Joey Kornelsen and an a fourth round pick in the 2012 WHL Bantam Draft in exchange for Justin Kirsch and Kenton Miller.
- Is one of two American-born players currently playing for the Hitmen joining Trevor Cheek.  Bowman is from the Littleton, Colorado.
- Older brother Drayson also played in the WHL winning a Memorial Cup in 2008 with the Spokane Chiefs.
- Recorded his first career WHL hat-trick on November 19/2011 against the Prince Albert Raiders.

#29- Trevor Cheek, LW (6’2” 205)
- Protected List Addition by the Hitmen in January 2010.
- Is one of two American-born players currently playing for the Hitmen joining Collin Bowman.  Cheek is from Vancouver, Washington.
- Spent the last two years with the P.F. Chang’s Hockey School in Phoenix, Arizona.
- Was the Hitmen’s 2010/11 Rookie of the Year.
- Attended San Jose Sharks rookie camp this past fall as a free agent invite.
- Had his first career two goal game in the WHL on December 11/2011 scoring a pair of goals against Brandon.

#31- Brandon Glover, G (6’3.5” 170lbs)
- Acquired from the Moose Jaw Warriors along with LW Nathan MacMaster and LW Danny Gayle in exchange for LW Cody Beach and C Mackenzie Royer on November 16, 2010.
- Drafted by the Moose Jaw Warriors in the 6th round (116th overall) in the 2007 WHL Bantam Draft.
- In his third full season in the WHL
- Attended the Los Angeles Kings 2010 Development Camp
- Was the VAUGHN WHL Goaltender of the Month for November 2011.  Glover posted a 6-1 record during the month with a 1.96 GAA and 0.933 save percentage.  The 19-year-old Victoria, BC, native allowed just 13 goals on 193 shots and earned a Three Star selection in three of his seven games played.

#33- Chris Driedger, G (6’2.5” 186lbs)    (DREE-gurr)
- Acquired from the Tri-City Americans on July 20/2011 in exchange for a third round pick in the 2012 WHL Bantam Draft.
- Attended the 2011 Hockey Canada Program of Excellence goaltending camp where he was one of just 16 invites, including four from the WHL
- Backstopped Manitoba to a silver medal at the 2009 Western Canada U16 Challenge Cup.
- Was one of 36 top rated prospects for the 2012 NHL Entry Draft who attended the 2011 NHL Research, Development and Orientation Camp in Toronto this past August.
- Currently the number two ranked WHL goaltender by Central Scouting for the 2012 NHL Entry Draft.