WHL Tri-City Americans

Americans Add 11 Players in 2024 WHL Prospects Draft

May 9, 2024 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Tri-City Americans News Release


Kennewick, WA - The Tri-City Americans drafted 11 players into the organization during the 2024 WHL Prospects Draft on Thursday, adding six forwards, four defensemen and one goaltender.

With the third overall selection the Americans drafted defenseman Aden Bouchard from Edge School Prep U15. It was the third straight year the Americans first-round pick came from Edge's U15 program following Jackson Smith in 2022 and Cruz Pavao in 2023.

Bouchard, from Airdrie, Alberta, scored 36 points (9-27-36) with Edge U15 this past season while also adding two goals in seven games with Edge's U18 team. The 6'0 ‚¬Â², 162-pound defender saved his best for the CSSHL U15 playoffs where he tacked on 10 points (2-8-10) in five games.

At 24th overall the Americans stayed in Alberta by taking forward Crew Martinson. The 6'0 ‚¬Â², 159-pound forward was limited to just 19 games with the U15 Red Deer Rebels but recorded 48 points (20-28-48).

The Olds, Albera native carried that offensive production into the playoffs as he scored at nearly three points per game with 25 (12-13-25) in just nine games.

The Americans held two third-round picks, using 47th overall to select defenseman Lukasz McIsaac from the St. George Academy U15 team. Standing at nearly six feet and 175 pounds, McIsaac recorded 17 points (5-12-17) in 26 games during the 2023-24 season. He picked up three assists in four playoff games.

His older brother, William, plays for the Spokane Chiefs.

With the 56th overall pick the Americans drafted forward Trae Peterson of Yorkton, Saskatchewan. The high-scoring Peterson racked up 84 points (38-46-84) in just 27 games with the U15 Sask East Oilers.

He then posted an additional 14 points (4-10-14) in four playoff games.

Tri-City held back-to-back picks at 68th and 69th overall, using them on defenseman Carter Bylycia and forward Alexander Laing, respectively.

Bylycia, from Kamloops, B.C., spent the 2023-24 season with Yale Hockey Academy's U15 program posting 20 points (2-18-20) in 25 games. Standing at 6'1 ‚¬Â², 163 pounds, Bylycia then added two goals and two assists in just three playoff games.

Laing, from Langley, B.C., played for Delta Hockey Academy's U15 Green program this past season, scoring 49 points (24-25-49) in 27 games. Listed at 6'1 ‚¬Â² and 182 pounds, Laing added eight points (1-7-8) in three playoff games at the CSSHL Championships.

With no pick in the fifth round the Americans' next selection didn't come until 127th overall in the sixth round, which they used on Brandon, Manitoba's Hudson Champagne.

The 6'0 ‚¬Â², 177-pound forward played for his hometown U15 Brandon Wheat Kings this past season, recording 51 points (18-33-51) in 28 games. He then added 13 points (6-7-13) in 11 playoff games to help the Wheat Kings claim the A-side Championship.

With their first of three picks in the seventh round the Americans drafted forward Seth Garofalo of Calgary, Alberta.

Playing for the U15 Calgary Bisons, Garofalo posted 39 points (19-20-39) in 34 games in 2023-24. After a goal and three assists in the U15 playoffs, the 6'0 ‚¬Â², 177-pound Garofalo suited up for two games with the U17 Calgary Bulls team scoring twice.

With the 144th overall selection Tri-City added their first goaltender of the draft with Kamloops, B.C. native Blake Mumford.

The 6'1 ‚¬Â² netminder went 5-7-1 with a 4.18 goals against average in the regular season, but had a strong postseason performance by going 4-1 with a 2.49 GAA and one shutout with the U15 Thompson Blazers.

Three picks later the Americans rounded out their trio of seventh-round selections with defenseman Lucas McConnell of Edmonton, Alberta.

Playing for the KC Squires U15 AAA team, McConnell picked up 37 points (12-25-37) in 34 games during he 2023-24 season, tied for second on his team in scoring.

In nine playoff games he added three goals and five assists.

Tri-City used their last pick of the draft, 157th overall in the eighth round, to draft forward Owen Wiemer out of Edge School's U15 Varsity program. In 22 regular season games Wiemer recorded 28 points (8-20-28) before adding 10 points (4-6-10) in five playoff games.

His father, Jason, played 726 games in the NHL from 1996-2006.

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