Oilers Select Jones In Seventh Round Of NHL Entry Draft:

This is in todays Morning Star Newspaper:

Oilers select Jones in seventh round of NHL Entry Draft

Published: June 29, 2010

The NHL Entry Draft was the furthest thing from Kellen Jones’ mind Saturday afternoon.

The 19-year-old Kootenay product was busy throwing heat for the Trail Orioles in senior men’s baseball action against the host Kelowna Jays. In between innings, Jones checked his phone and saw all these messages saying “Congratulations.”

“I said ‘What the heck is this for?’”

That’s when he listened to a voicemail from the Edmonton Oilers staff, welcoming him as their seventh-round pick (No. 202 overall) at the draft.

“I told Connor (brother). I think he was on deck.”

Jones admits the news didn’t really help his concentration on the mound.

“I was pitching really well, and then I saw that and lost my focus. They hit me up pretty bad actually.”

Over three seasons with the Vipers, Kellen posted 39 goals and 134 assists for 173 points, forming one of the B.C. Hockey League’s deadliest combinations with Connor.

The Jones boys, with their boundless work ethic, played a vital role in helping the Vipers capture back-to-back Royal Bank Cup national junior A hockey titles. Both are committed to play with the NCAA Division 1 Quinnipiac Bobcats this season.

Kellen was puzzled, and a little saddened, that Connor wasn’t chosen as well.

“Edmonton said they wanted to draft both of us, but could only take one,” said Kellen, who earned the Tubby Schmalz Trophy as the Most Sportsmanlike Player at the Royal Bank Cup in Dauphin.

I was surprised he (Connor) wasn’t chosen because he had such a good year... better than mine. I was sad he couldn’t share it with me.”

Added Vipers’ assistant coach Jason Williamson: “I think they should have probably taken both of them. Kellen showed a little bit of perseverance with the broken jaw, and good for him.

“I watched Stu McGregor, the head scout’s online thing and he basically summed it up, saying ‘He’s 5-foot-9 but plays with a heart that’s probably 5-foot-9.’ And that’s exactly right.

“Those two have a chance just because of the passion and determination they play the game with. They’re pretty special players.”

The good news is, Connor has also received an invite to the Oilers’ prospect orientation camp that Kellen is attending next week in Edmonton. The camp will also give the twins a chance to meet up with former Viper defenceman Kyle Bigos, who the Oilers took with the 99th overall pick at last year’s draft.

Aside from playing with the Orioles, the Jones boys, who likely could have earned NCAA baseball scholarships, will be helping Vipers’ head coach Mark Ferner run a hockey camp in Vernon. They will also help their father, Terry, run one in Trail before heading east to Quinnipiac.

Meanwhile, Penticton Vees’ rookie Beau Bennett was selected 20th overall by the Pittsburgh Penguins, making him the highest-ever draft pick from California.

Ryan Johansen, another former Vee who played last season with the WHL Portland Winter Hawks, was chosen fourth overall by the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Port Alberni Bulldogs’ sniper Mark McMillan was selected in the fourth round (113th) by the Montreal Canadians, and Vees’ defenceman Isaac MacLeod was selected by the San Jose Sharks in the fifth round, 136th overall.