WHL Kamloops Blazers

2006 WHL Bantam Draft complete

Published on May 4, 2006 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Kamloops Blazers News Release


KAMLOOPS, BC - The 2006 WHL Bantam Draft is in the books with the Blazers making a total of 11 selections out of the first 186 players chosen and making no picks beyond round nine.

The Blazers made Saskatoon C Jimmy Bubnick their first pick, 5th overall, from the Saskatoon AA Outlaws. Bubnick, the younger brother of former Calgary Hitman and Saskatoon Blade Michael, and former Blazer, Pat, and Winterhawk Jonathan, posted 72 goals and 118 points, along with 107 penalty minutes in 53 games with the Outlaws last season.

Bubnick is described as someone who "plays a good, solid two-way game, competes very hard, and has exceptional skill" by Blazers Player Personnel Director Randy Hansch.

With their second pick, 31st overall, the Blazers chose goaltender James Priestner from the Edmonton Canadian Athletic Club. Priestner was a co-winner of the Alberta Major Midget League's Top Goaltender Award after posting a 21-1-0 record with a .914 save percentage and 2.02 goals against average.

The Blazers also completed a pair of trades on Thursday. They traded their 73rd pick overall (4th round) to the Chilliwack Bruins in lieu of the Bruins' taking a player from the Blazers in the WHL Expansion Draft, therefore the Blazers will not be taking part in the expansion draft set for June 1st.

The Blazers also traded the 99th overall pick (5th round) to the Moose Jaw Warriors in exchange for the Warriors' 122nd pick (6th round) in this year's draft and Moose Jaw's 5th round selection in the 2007 Bantam Draft.

Below is a list of players chosen by the Blazers on Thursday:

R OA Last First DOB Pos Ht Wt Hometown 05-06 Team Level
1 5 Bubnick Jimmy 19-Jan-91 C 6'0" 175 Saskatoon, SK Saskatoon Outlaws B2A
2 31 Priestner James 9-Feb-91 G 6'0" 165 Edmonton, AB Edmonton Canadians B3A
3 52 Caron Josh 10-Feb-91 D 6'2" 185 Campbell River, BC Campbell River Tyees B3A
3 61 Trask Jake 31-Aug-91 C 5'10" 160 Saskatoon, SK Saskatoon Maniacs B2A
4 67 Riley Matthew 26-Feb-91 RW 6'2" 185 Coquitlam, BC Coquitlam Warriors B3A
4 82 Beaulieu Kyle 16-Jan-91 D 6'3" 185 Surrey, BC Semiahmoo Ravens B3A
5 86 Tomac Nathan 15-Jan-91 LW 5'11" 170 Moose Jaw, SK Moose Jaw Warriors B2A
6 122 Vanderhoek Richard 20-Jan-91 C 5'10" 160 Langley, BC Langley Eagles B3A
8 157 Fay Colin 9-Mar-91 D 6'3" 175 St. Claude, MB Portage la Prairie B3A
9 178 Buchanan Nick 9-May-91 D 6'1" 175 Victoria, BC Juan de Fuca Grizzlies B3A
9 186 King Mike 6-Nov-91 LW 5'10" 165 Deloraine, MB Deloraine-Hartney B2A

Check out the Kamloops Blazers Statistics

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



Western Hockey League Stories from May 4, 2006


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.

OurSports Central