Calgary Hitmen Select 10 Players in 2011 WHL Bantam Draft

May 5, 2011 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Calgary Hitmen News Release

Calgary, AB - The Calgary Hitmen Hockey Club drafted 10 players today in the 2011 WHL Bantam Draft including six forwards, three defencemen and a goalie.

With the team's first pick, 1st overall, the Hitmen selected left winger Jake Virtanen (vir-TAN-in) from the AAA Bantam Abbotsford Hawks. Virtanen had 117 points (68g 49a) in 59 games this season. He also had five goals in five games at the 2011 BC Cup.

"Jake is a dynamic offensive player, a tremendous skater who also plays with a physical edge," says Hitmen Assistant General Manger and Head Scout Brad Whelen.

Virtanen becomes just the second Hitmen to be selected first overall joining Chris Nielsen who was the taken with the top pick in the 1995 WHL Bantam Draft.

The following is a summary of players selected by the Hitmen in the 2011 WHL Bantam Draft:

Round Overall Player Pos. Ht. Wt. Hometown

1 1 Jake Virtanen LW 5'11" 164 Abbotsford, BC

2 23 Josh Thrower D 6'0" 177 North Vancouver, BC

3 45 Ben Thomas D 6'1" 160 Calgary, AB

3 60 Braden Oleksyn LW 5'10" 170 Saskatoon, SK

5 89 Chase Lang C/LW 5'9" 140 Nanaimo, BC

5 93 Logan Franz C 6'0" 170 Medicine Hat, AB

6 111 Ryan Duret C 5'8" 155 Prince Albert, SK

9 177 Travis Sanheim D 5'10" 140 Elkhorn, MB

10 199 Skylar Canada C 6'2" 195 Boissevain, MB

11 221 Kyle Michalovsky G 5'8" 127 Kamloops, BC

For a complete list of all players taken in the 2011 Bantam Draft Picks go to www.whl.ca

• Discuss this story on the Western Hockey League message board...

Western Hockey League Stories from May 5, 2011

• Victoria WHL Franchise Finishes First Bantam Draft with 10 Selections - Victoria Royals
• Rockets Replenish Prospects at WHL Draft - Kelowna Rockets
• Oil Kings Bolster Roster at 2011 WHL Bantam Draft - Edmonton Oil Kings
• Raiders Select 10 at 2011 Western Hockey League Bantam Draft - Prince Albert Raiders
• Chiefs Take MacMaster in 1st Round, 11 Total in Bantam Draft - Spokane Chiefs
• 'Tips Select 10 Players at WHL Bantam Draft - Everett Silvertips
• Made in the USA: Seven U.S. Players Highlight Americans 2011 WHL Bantam Draft - Tri-City Americans
• Broncos Acquire 12 at 2011 WHL Bantam Draft - Swift Current Broncos
• Blades Select Ryan Pruden in the 13th Round - Saskatoon Blades
• Blades Select Cody Young in the 12th Round - Saskatoon Blades
• Blades Select Evan Polei in the 11th Round - Saskatoon Blades
• Blades Select Wyatt Hinson in the 10th Round - Saskatoon Blades
• Ice Select 14 Players in the Draft - Kootenay Ice
• T-Birds Take Left Wing Ryan Gropp with First Round Pick - Seattle Thunderbirds
• 2011 WHL Bantam Draft Final Results - WHL
• Vancouver Giants 2011 WHL Bantam Draft Recap - Vancouver Giants
• Blades Select Sebastien Barrette in the 10th Round - Saskatoon Blades
• 30 Manitobans Chosen in Bantam Draft - Brandon Wheat Kings
• Brandon Drafts 12 - Brandon Wheat Kings
• Tigers 2011 WHL Bantam Draft Selections Announced - Medicine Hat Tigers
• Pats Make a Splash on Draft Day - Regina Pats
• Blazers Select 11 Players in 2011 WHL Bantam Draft - Kamloops Blazers
• Cougars Select Forward Francis Bamford in Eleventh Round of 2011 WHL Bantam Draft - Prince George Cougars
• Warriors Wrap up 2011 Draft - Moose Jaw Warriors
• Blades Select Kaelan Wall in the Ninth Round - Saskatoon Blades
• Cougars Select Defenceman Sam Houston in 10th Round of 2011 WHL Bantam Draft - Prince George Cougars
• Become a Billet for the New Victoria WHL Team - Victoria Royals
• Cowen Joins Binghamton of AHL - Spokane Chiefs
• Calgary Hitmen Select 10 Players in 2011 WHL Bantam Draft - Calgary Hitmen
• Raiders Select Lance Yaremchuk, Taran Lacquette and Kevin Yasinski - Prince Albert Raiders
• Cougars Select Goaltender Ty Edmonds in Ninth Round at 2011 WHL Bantam Draft - Prince George Cougars
• Cougars Select Forward Mitchell Lipon in Seventh Round at 2011 WHL Bantam Draft - Prince George Cougars
• Cougars Select Forward Mitchell Lipon in Seventh Round at 2011 WHL Bantam Draft - Prince George Cougars
• Victoria WHL Franchise Adds Four More through Draft - Victoria Royals
• Blades Select Clayton Kirichenko in Seventh Round - Saskatoon Blades
• Blades Select Nick Gomerich in Sixth Round - Saskatoon Blades
• Blades Select Ross Hnidy in the Sixth Round - Saskatoon Blades
• Cougars Select Defenceman Ben Sowa in Sixth Round at 2011 WHL Bantam Draft - Prince George Cougars
• Raiders Make 4th Round Selections - Prince Albert Raiders
• Calgary Hitmen Select Ryan Duret in Sixth Round of 2011 WHL Bantam Draft - Calgary Hitmen
• Blades Select Ryan Rewerts in the Fifth Round - Saskatoon Blades
• Blades Select Ryan Graham in the Fifth Round - Saskatoon Blades
• 5 Rounds Complete - Brandon Wheat Kings
• Oil Kings Select Local Prospect in First Found of WHL Draft - Edmonton Oil Kings
• Raiders Select Tim Vanstone, Rylan Parenteau and Landon Welykholowa - Prince Albert Raiders
• Cougars Select Defenceman Sam Ruopp in Fourth Round at 2011 WHL Bantam Draft - Prince George Cougars
• Calgary Hitmen Select Chase Lang and Logan Franz in Fifth Round of 2011 WHL Bantam Draft - Calgary Hitmen
• Blades Select Nelson Nogier In Fourth Round - Saskatoon Blades
• Cougars Select Forward Carson Bolduc in Third Round at 2011 WHL Bantam Draft - Prince George Cougars
• Blades Select Landon Hickmott as Their First Pick in 2011 WHL Bantam Draft - Saskatoon Blades
• WHL Draft Update - Brandon Wheat Kings
• Calgary Hitmen Select Ben Thomas and Braden Oleksyn in Third Round of 2011 WHL Bantam Draft - Calgary Hitmen
• Warriors Select Uhrich 33rd Overall - Moose Jaw Warriors
• Pats Trade 1st Round Pick - Regina Pats
• Calgary Hitmen Select Josh Thrower in Second Round of 2011 WHL Bantam Draft - Calgary Hitmen
• Rockets Draft Saskatoon Star in First Round - Kelowna Rockets
• Broncos Acquire Martin and Gonek in First Round - Swift Current Broncos
• Joe Hicketts Named First Bantam Draft Pick of Victoria WHL Franchise - Victoria Royals
• Blazers Select Defenseman Jordan Thomson 4th Overall - Kamloops Blazers
• Wheat Kings Choose Two In Round 1 Of Bantam Draft - Brandon Wheat Kings
• Canes Select Pilon and Duke in First Round of 2011 Bantam Draft - Lethbridge Hurricanes
• Vancouver Giants Select Thomas Foster in 1st Round of WHL Bantam Draft - Vancouver Giants
• Warriors Select Warkentine 16th Overall - Moose Jaw Warriors
• Jake Virtanen Selected First Overall in 2011 WHL Bantam Draft by Calgary Hitmen - WHL
• Raiders Select Reid Gardiner 8th Overall - Prince Albert Raiders
• Ice Select Forward - Kootenay Ice
• Warriors Select Point 14th Overall - Moose Jaw Warriors
• Cougars Select Defenceman Jordan Harris 10th Overall at 2011 WHL Bantam Draft - Prince George Cougars
• Blazers Select Jordan Thomson 4th Overall - Kamloops Blazers
• Calgary Hitmen Select Jake Virtanen First Overall in 2011 WHL Bantam Draft - Calgary Hitmen

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.

Other Recent Calgary Hitmen Stories

• Wetsch and Hamilton Named to Canada U-18 Team for 2024 IIHF World Championship
• Yakemchuk Named WHL Central Division Defenceman of the Year
• Hitmen Part Ways with Coaching Staff
• Hitmen Close out the Season with 6-3 Win over Broncos
• Loss to Broncos Ends Playoff Hopes