WHL Spokane Chiefs

Bantam Draft Thursday

Published on April 28, 2009 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Spokane Chiefs News Release


In the WHL's version of the circle of life, the Bantam Draft is the beginning. This Thursday, the Chiefs will have the 16th overall pick in the league's 20th holding of the selection process in Edmonton, Alberta.

"At the end of the day the bantam draft is what builds franchises," Chiefs Director of Player Personnel Chris Moulton said. "It is very difficult to build a team through trades and list acquisitions alone."

This past season, Spokane's roster included 13 players selected by the Chiefs and another three that were picked by other WHL teams. Five of those 16 players were first round picks, including Trevor Glass (Medicine Hat, 2003), Justin McCrae (Saskatoon, 2003), Drayson Bowman (2004), Mitch Wahl (2005), Jared Cowen (2006) and Mike Betz (2007).

Mitch Holmberg became the Chiefs first round pick last year when Spokane nabbed the 5'10" forward with the 21st overall pick. With Sherwood Park of the Alberta Midget Hockey League Holmberg scored 21 goals and 41 points in 31 games and another 12 points, including eight goals, in 11 playoff games. Brady Brassart, Spokane's second round pick, had 24 goals and 55 points in 40 games in British Columbia.

Tanner Mort from Post Falls, the Chiefs fourth round pick, was the only player from last year's draft to appear in a game. Mort played in one regular season and one post season game.

Seemingly, the Chiefs have had as much success in the bottom half of the draft as they have had in the top half. Tyler Johnson was an 11th round selection in 2005, Jared Spurgeon a 10th round pick in 2004 and former captain Chris Bruton was an eighth round choice in 2002.

Although teams will select a number of players, Moulton knows that the WHL door does not shut with the end of the draft, "We're drafting these boys at 14 and 15-years-old and it is as much luck as it is hockey knowledge. Players will fall through the cracks and it is obvious that players develop on different timelines. Our scouts need to be as knowledgeable of the players who are available after the draft as they are players who are eligible.

"Levko Koper and Dustin Tokarski are some good examples of players who didn't get selected, but you look at a guy like Jarome Iginla and he wasn't picked. There are also some real good players in the NHL who didn't get to go through the process. For these young guys, its not the end of the world."

The annual WHL Bantam Draft is the first step in the identification of the top rated 1994-born prospects as WHL Clubs select players from this age group to add to their WHL Player Protected List. Players eligible for the 2009 WHL Bantam Draft will be 1994-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.

Check out the Spokane Chiefs Statistics

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Western Hockey League Stories from April 28, 2009


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