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Edit: Drafted 53rd Overall by Washington.

It just wouldn’t be an NHL Draft preview without a highly rated defence prospect from the Kelowna Rockets. Madison Bowey continues a tradition that includes Shea Weber, Duncan Keith, Luke Schenn, Scott Hannan, Tyler Myers, Josh Gorges, and others who have come out of the Western Hockey League’s premier defence factory in recent years.

With 12 goals and 30 points season, Bowey has had a real breakout performance this year. The numbers may not look huge compared to fellow defencemen in the CHL, however it is his great all around game that makes him a strong contributor to the Kelowna blueline. He played big minutes for the Rockets and was a key contributor to a team that finished 1st in the B.C. Division and 2nd in the WHL’s Western Conference.

Bowey also had some big success on the international scene. He played for Canada at the 2012 Ivan Hlinka tournament and the 2013 IIHF Under 18 World Championships, winning gold medals at both events. He also played for Canada West at the 2012 Under 17 World Challenge.

Defense

Born Apr 22 1995 — Winnipeg, MAN

Height 6.01 — Weight 194 — Shoots Right

Bowey’s game is defined by his great skating ability. His mobility is top notch, as he has very good top end speed, and acceleration; both in his forward and backwards skating. He has great pivots, excellent agility and very good edgework which allows him to cover a ton of ground out there. This skating ability allows Bowey to keep the play in front of him, as well to recover when he makes a mistake.

Bowey is an excellent puck mover with the ability to rush the puck or to make a strong first pass. He has a cannon of a slap shot from the point, and this can be seen in the 12 goals he scored this season. He needs to learn to keep it low and on net at times though. His passing and vision are decent, but he needs to work on his poise and not rushing plays from the backend. There is a lot of offensive skill here, but Bowey is very raw, and will need time to develop.

While the offence has broken out this season, its the combination of that along with Bowey’s defensive abilities that have him ranked as a potential first rounder. He has high hockey IQ, reads the play very well, and understands how to cut down passing and shooting lanes. Bowey has been willing to play a gritty game as he wins battles along the boards, and is a willing shot blocker, sacrificing himself for the good of the team. He’s raw though, and at times he can be a little bit over-aggressive and get himself out of position, either gambling to create a turnover, or looking for the big hit.

Bowey’s style is reminiscent of Jay Bouwmeester. However he is a very raw prospect and whoever drafts him will need to spend some time harnessing his abilities going forward. This can be a real boom or bust pick for whoever takes him. He has the potential and skills to be a legit #2 defencemen in the NHL, however there is going to be a lot of development work needed here, and it will take time and patience before he makes an impact at the NHL level.

Check back tomorrow for our number 30 prospect.

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