WHL Spokane Chiefs

WHL Awards Banquet on Wednesday

Published on April 30, 2013 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Spokane Chiefs News Release


All 22 WHL teams will meet in Calgary this week to help put a wrap on the season with two major events.

For the second season in a row, Spokane Chief Captain Brenden Kichton is up for the Bill Hunter Memorial Trophy as the league's top defenseman. The honor will be handed on Wednesday afternoon at the 2013 WHL Awards Luncheon.

The Chiefs will then have the 16th overall pick in the first round on Thursday when the WHL holds their annual Bantam Draft. Both events can be seen live via Webcast on www.whl.ca.

For the Chiefs' Director of Player Personnel Chris Moulton the two events bring the evolution of a Chief full circle.

Seventeen of the 26 players on the Chiefs' playoff roster were selected in the WHL Bantam Draft, 13 by Spokane. Included in that number is Kichton, who was one of two third round picks for Spokane in 2007. The defenseman spent five seasons in a Chiefs' jersey and is hoping to wrap-up his junior career on Wednesday when the WHL names their final league awards.

"When we draft 10-12 kids a year you want success for all of them," Moulton said.

"We watched Brenden grown up from bantam to midget and then to the most prominent defenseman in the WHL. To draft a player like him and see his success is like being a proud father. He deserves all the accolades he gets."

Just a few tweaks remain for Moulton and the scouting staff before the team calls their first name on Thursday.

"I'm excited to put new faces and names to our organization's future.

"The Bantam Draft ends the season for me and at the same time it's the beginning of our future. Everything that we have had to do to prepare for the draft is already done," Moulton said.

"We will meet with the scouts that are attending the draft and make a final list with some alterations but we basically have a final list for all the Provinces and U.S. We will do some small touch-ups before Thursday."

The Annual Bantam Draft is the first opportunity for teams to replenish their systems with graduating Bantam-aged players.

The order of selection for the first round of the draft is determined through a weighted lottery consisting of the six non-playoff teams. The remaining round's draft order is based on the inverse overall standings from the regular season. The Vancouver Giants will select first overall for the second time in their franchise history.

"It's the end of a long year. We'll take a break and then start camp invites. It doesn't take long before we move on and look forward to camp in August."

Players eligible for the 2013 WHL Bantam Draft will be 1998-born players who reside in Alberta, B.C., Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Northwest Territories, Yukon, Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington and Wyoming.

While the WHL Bantam Draft is the first opportunity for teams to select graduating Bantam players, it is not the last chance for a player to be listed or recruited by a WHL Club. After the Draft is completed, all remaining Bantam players become eligible to be listed by WHL Clubs, and many will be added as spots become available on a WHL Club PPL, or as player development improves at a higher level of hockey.

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Western Hockey League Stories from April 30, 2013


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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