Sports stats



WHL Saskatoon Blades

Blades Add Pair of Jr. Kings, Select Weber and Houston in US Priority Draft

December 8, 2021 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Saskatoon Blades News Release


SASKATOON, SK - The Saskatoon Blades infused some royalty into the organization on Wednesday.

A pair of Los Angeles Jr. Kings heard their name called by Saskatoon in the 2021 WHL US Priority Draft, beginning with Ethan Weber at fifth overall, followed by teammate Samuel Houston at 40th overall.

Weber, a defenceman who will celebrate his 15th birthday next Thursday, stands 5-foot-11 at 165-pounds, and is working on a terrific campaign with the U15 Kings. In 33 games this season, the Manhattan Beach, CA product has 28 points (15G-13A) with 32 penalty minutes.

"Ethan is a tremendous player," said Blades director of scouting Dan Tencer, noting they had a strong indication he'd be available at fifth overall. "He's a right-shot defenceman with a late birthday, and he has a tremendous amount of skill. He's a really impressive player with the way that he moves and thinks the game, he utilizes a lot of deception, makes a ton of plays transition-wize, and he can run a powerplay. We've very happy to have selected Ethan and welcome the Weber Family into the organization."

Second-round selection Houston adds size and speed to the club, standing 6-foot-0 and having collected 17 points (10G-7A) in 34 games with the Jr. Kings.

"We were hoping Sam would be available for us (at 40)," continued Tencer, adding there was a lot of uncertainty on what other teams would do between their two selections. "Sam plays on the same team as Ethan does, so there's a nice connection there. He's a right-shot forward with a tremendous work ethic. He skates north-south extremely fast and likes to get involved in all areas of the ice. This is a guy who's going to win battles on the walls and outwork everyone on the ice."

The Blades connection with the LA Jr. Kings program doesn't end at just these two new draft picks.

Tencer added there are several members of the Blades who are cut from the same royal cloth, and are leaving lasting impressions in the organization today.

"The LA Jr. Kings program is one that we've had a lot of success with in the past," he said. "Current defencemen Spencer Shugrue and Pasha Bocharov came from that program, and then forward Brenden Fields came from that program. (Fields) was selected last year, came up for training camp and showed extremely well."

The Saskatoon Blades would like to welcome the families of Ethan and Sam into the organization, and are excited to help continue their development as members of the Blue & Gold.

Next up, the Blades, along with the 21 other WHL clubs, will take part in the 2021 WHL Prospects Draft, which begins at 11:00am CT on Thursday, Dec. 9.

Check out the Saskatoon Blades Statistics



Western Hockey League Stories from December 8, 2021


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