Sports

The Kelowna Rockets have added a veteran presence for their five day, four game Alberta road trip.

The Rockets Monday acquired 20-year-old forward Cody Fowlie to their roster.

Fowlie was available after he was placed on waivers last week by the Everett Silvertips.

Over two seasons in Everett, Fowlie has 21 goals and 34 assists in 142 games.

He had two assists in seven games this season before being placed on waivers.

The Rockets have played the entire season to date with just one 20-year-old, Dylen McKinlay.

Defenceman Mitchell Chapman was injured in training camp while forward T.J. Barnett was hurt early in the first period of the season opener in Kamloops.

Neither are expected back in the line-up soon.

The Rockets boarded the bus again Monday for the eastern trek that will see them play games in Medicine Hat (Wednesday), Red Deer (Friday), Edmonton (Saturday) and Calgary (Sunday).

Fowlie is expected to be in the Rockets line-up Wednesday.

Meantime, it appears as if 18-year-old forward Nic Kerdiles will not be suiting up for the Rockets this season.

Kerdiles, a freshman at the University of Wisconsin, was suspended for the entire season by the NCAA earlier this month.

The suspension was appealed Thursday and Friday, the NCAA reduced the suspension to 10 games.

Had the suspension been upheld, there was a chance Kerdiles could have come to Kelowna. The Rockets drafted the talented forward in the 8th round of the 2009 Bantam Draft.

While nothing has been announced formally, David McNabb, senior vice-president of the NHL's Anaheim Ducks told the Wisconsin State Journal Nic's choice is to stay at Wisconsin.

The Ducks drafted Kerdiles in the 2nd round of the 2012 NHL draft.