Chiefs Stars Have Their Eyes On Nhl Draft

Kurt Sauer spent Tuesday with his father, sizing up a drywalling job, trying to get the feel of power tools. Tim Smith was in a barber shop in nearby Mayerthorpe, Alberta, which is news all in itself. Smith had a breakthrough year with the Spokane Chiefs wearing his blond hair straight and long, ‘70s-style.

David Boychuk has whiled away some of his time in boxing gloves, sparring with his hockey-playing younger brother, Johnny.

The draft-eligible Spokane Chiefs are trying not to dream too hard in the days and hours leading up to the National Hockey League entry draft in Calgary. The first three rounds will be announced Saturday. The later rounds will be on Sunday.

Sauer, a 6-4, 220-pound defenseman who came out of nowhere (also known as Sartell, Minn.) to turn himself into a hot prospect, could go as high as the second round.

Smith, at 5-9, 165, is a longer shot but the numbers he hung up in leading the Chiefs to the Western Hockey League West Division championship were impressive enough to convince the selection committee of Team Canada to give him a closer look.

Smith was one of 40 players - one of only 17 from the WHL - invited this week to evaluation camp for Canada’s World Junior team. The camp is Aug. 3-10 in Calgary.

“It’s elite company,” Smith said Tuesday. “I’ve never really thought about playing at that level. Things are really coming together at the right time.”

As for the draft, “You hear things,” Smith said. “There has to be some interest. How much is up to the scouts. It’s tough to get a picture on things.”

Smith said he’s not sure if he’ll attend the draft in Calgary. He had his hair trimmed, just in case he decides to.

“Had it all cut off,” he said. “It’s a new look, a new message, I guess. I’m having a great time with my friends right now. I’m still excited about the year we had.”

Sauer, a strong, smooth-skating left-handed shot, is Spokane’s highest hope for the draft. Asked Tuesday where he thought he might wind up, Sauer said, “No clue. No clue. I could care less. All I want is the opportunity.”

He does tend to take advantage of opportunity. He came out of the U.S. Junior Hockey League known - if he was known at all - as the younger brother of Kent Sauer, who had signed with New York and was playing out his final year of junior hockey eligibility in the WHL.

Kent wound up in Portland, Kurt in Spokane.

“Going to Spokane was the best move I could have made,” Sauer said.

Playing a 72-game regular-season plus preseason and postseason games hastened his development.

He said he’ll be in Calgary to take in the draft.

And don’t feel too sorry for him, having to keep up with dad on the job.

“I’m putsy with things now, but give me a week and I’ll be flying,” he said.

Tim Krymusa is the next Spokane player on the Central Scouting Bureau’s list of projected draftees. The winger is ranked 95th among North American prospects. Factoring in the European picks, his name should fall somewhere in the middle of the draft.

Boychuk, a big defenseman overlooked in the draft a year ago, improved through last season and could also hear his name called this time around.

North American players born between Jan. 1, 1980 and Sept. 15, 1982, are eligible for the draft.

Lynn Loyns, Brandin Cote and Tyler MacKay are also eligible but are considered outside shots for selection.