Vancouver, BC (AP) -

The as-yet-unnamed Vancouver expansion franchise, which won't begin to play
until 1999, nevertheless acquired its 15th player last week. The no-names
sent their second round '99 rookie pick to St. Louis for 22-year old
defenseman Rhett Warrener.

Anonymous sources in the Vancouver front office - currently a janitor's
closet in a motel on Denman Street - claim that the deal wasn't made for
Warrener's okay two-way skills or good upside, but rather to keep up in
roster acquisitions with the even-more-unnamed Expansion B.

Since the commissioner has thus far resisted making it a matter of public
record, here is Vancouver's current roster. Anyone desperate for veterans
for a playoff push, you know who to call. Anyone desperate for actual
quality players also know who to call, but it isn't going to have be in the
604 area code, that's for sure.

Centre: Jan Benda, Nathan Lafayette, Jason Morgan, Kevin Todd, Scott Walker
Left wing: Donald Brashear
Right wing: Cameron Mann, Grant Marshall, Vladimir Vorobiev
Defense: Grant Ledyard, Craig Millar, Jan Vopat, Rhett Warrener
Goal: Tyler Moss, Bill Ranford

Draft picks: 1st round rookie; 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th round free agent, and
Idaho's 2nd, 3rd and 4th free agent picks.

Jeff Morris
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