Americans Make 12 Selections in 2025 WHL Drafts
May 8, 2025 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Tri-City Americans News Release
Kennewick, WA - The Tri-City Americans completed the 2025 WHL Drafts Thursday afternoon, adding 12 prospects to their organization. The team selected seven forwards, four defensemen and one goaltender.
The WHL Prospects Draft officially began Wednesday evening with Tri-City holding the ninth overall pick. They used it to select forward Ben Oliverio out of Calgary, Alberta.
Oliverio played for the U15 Calgary Northstars during the 2024-25 season, putting up impressive offensive numbers. In 28 regular season games he racked up 77 points (37-40-77) before adding 31 points (10-21-31) in just 10 playoff games. At the 2025 Alberta Cup Oliverio captained Team Red and helped them win the tournament with three goals and three assists in five games.
Day two of the draft started Thursday morning with the U.S. Priority Draft. With their first pick at 11th overall Tri-City selected forward Riley Wolkove from the Los Angeles Jr Kings 14U AAA program. Wolkove, who is a Canadian citizen from Toronto, Ontario, played in 54 games for the Jr. Kings scoring 38 points (25-13-38).
With their second pick at 37th overall the Americans added defenseman Blake Redpath from the Colorado Thunderbirds 14U AAA team. Suiting up for 52 games the Denver, Colorado native recorded 43 points (18-25-43) from the blueline while picking up 72 penalty minutes.
The WHL Prospects Draft picked up following the U.S. Priority Draft, and after not having a pick in the second round Tri-City was up at 55th overall in the third round. They used it to draft forward Easton Arndt from the Northern Alberta Xtreme U15 program in Edmonton.
Arndt, from Sherwood Park, Alberta, played in 31 games for NAX and scored 55 points (24-31-55) in 2024-25. He also racked up 104 penalty minutes during the regular season. Arndt suited up in five games for the U18 NAX team, playing against players three years older than him, and scored two goals and four assists.The 6-foot-1 forward had a strong showing at the Alberta Cup, being named to the tournament all-star team after eight points (2-6-8) in five games with Team Black.
Tri-City's next pick was also in the third round at 65th overall. They drafted goaltender Karter Gibson, a teammate of Arndt's.
Gibson, from Airdrie, Alberta, had a sensational season with the NAX U15 team, going 17-1 with a .936 save percentage and a 1.30 goals against average. He also recorded six shutouts, leading the CSSHL U15 division in shutouts, GAA and save percentage.
He backstopped the NAX team to a win at the prestigious John Reid Memorial tournament, going a perfect 4-0 with a 1.50 goals against average.
The Americans didn't have picks in either the fourth or fifth round and saw their next selection come in at 124th overall in the sixth round. They used it to draft forward Justin Moon from Burnaby Winter Club's U15 program.
Moon, from Surrey, British Columbia, had a great season with BWC leading the team in scoring with 68 points (28-40-68) in 35 games. The five-foot-ten forward added an additional four assists in three playoff games.
Tri-City had two picks in quick succession in the seventh round at 147th and 150th overall, using the first to draft defenseman Deacon Gayfer from Rink Hockey Academy Kelowna's U15 team.
Gayfer, from Kamloops, British Columbia, picked up 17 points (5-12-17) in 36 games with RHA Kelowna's U15 team in 2024-25. He also played one game for the U18 team, recording an assist.
At 150th overall the Americans drafted another defenseman, Charlie Marin of the Winnipeg Wild U15 Green. Skating in 32 games, Marin recorded 13 points (2-11-13) before scoring a goal and adding an assist in six playoff games.
With the 167th overall pick in the eighth round the Americans drafted their third straight defenseman by taking Kaleb Peters from the Pembina Valley Hawks U15 team in Morden, Manitoba.
Peters, from Winkler, Manitoba, skated in 32 games for the Hawks and was a point-per-game player with 32 points (5-27-32). He tied for fifth among 2010-born defensemen in the WAAA U15 League.
In the ninth round the Americans drafted forward Blake Saulou from Edmonton, Alberta. Saulou played for Edmonton MLAC U15 in 2024-25, recording 42 points (19-23-42) in 34 games.
With their first of two picks in the 10th round at 216th overall the Americans added forward Colton Brum from Delta Hockey Academy. The Surrey, B.C. native scored 44 points (20-24-44) in 35 games with Delta's U15 team in 2024-25. He helped them win the CSSHL U15 Division championship by adding two goals and an assist in five playoff games.
With their final pick of the 2025 WHL Prospects Draft at 225th overall, the Americans drafted forward Peter Budaj Jr. from the California Gold Rush 14U. From Denver, Colorado, Budaj scored 29 points (17-12-29) in 47 games last season. He is the son of former NHL goaltender Peter Budaj who played in 368 NHL games from 2005-2019.
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