They say to get noticed you have to perform on the sport’s biggest stage, and for Liam Liston there is no stage higher than the Canadian Hockey League’s Top Prospects Game.
“It’s going to be awesome,” said the St. Albert product and Brandon Wheat Kings goalie.
The Jan. 18 and 19 event in Toronto will showcase the top 40 NHL prospects from the three Canadian junior leagues.
“I’m looking forward to it. I get to play in the Air Canada Centre, which will be cool with that many people there, plus there is the skills [competition] as well as playing against the top [draft prospects] in Canada,” said Liston, 17.
This year’s two squads will feature two of the most recognized figures associated with hockey in Canada. Don Cherry will man one bench and Stanley Cup winner Doug Gilmour will coach Liston’s team in place of regular bench boss Bobby Orr. The game will be broadcast live on Rogers Sportsnet.
“It’s too bad Bobby Orr is not going to be involved in it but if there is ever a guy to replace him it will be Mr. Gilmour. I’m pretty honoured and I’m looking forward to being able to ask him some questions,” said Liston.
In the NHL Central Scouting rankings released in November, Liston was listed as the top draft-eligible goalie in the WHL. In his rookie season with Brandon, the former bantam AAA Sabre, midget 15 Flyer and midget AAA Raider posted a 3.48 GAA and .889 save percentage, while going 11-13-0-1 with one shutout in 26 games.
Brandon selected the six-foot-two Liston in the third round (57th overall) of the 2008 bantam draft. Last season with the Raiders, he was awarded the Bill Ranford Trophy as the top goalie in the Alberta Midget AAA Hockey League. He compiled a league-best 16-3-3 record and was second in minutes played at 1,238. He also tied teammate Brad Miller for the lowest GAA at 2.23.
At the international level, Liston was the only midget player on Team Pacific at the U17 worlds last year. He attended Hockey Canada’s Program of Excellence goaltending camp in June and was invited to the U18 selection camp for the 2010 Ivan Hlinka tournament.
As for Brandon, the 2010 Memorial Cup finalists as the host team currently sit sixth in the east division with a total of 31 points and a record of 13-22-1-4. While the team is currently on the outside looking in when it comes to the critical final playoff spot, Liston believes performances like the one Brandon showed against the Edmonton Oil Kings on New Year’s Eve makes the post-season not out of the equation.
“We had a good start tonight and with such a young team that is really important to us,” said Liston, who watched as backup Corbin Boes stopped 27 shots in the 4-2 loss at Rexall Place. “Obviously it’s still not a result we are happy with but I think the process is starting to come around.”
