Blades Select Forward Kain Martinuik with 15th Overall Pick in 2025 WHL Prospects Draft
May 8, 2025 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Saskatoon Blades News Release
Edmonton, AB - The Saskatoon Blades are excited to announce the selection of Kain Martinuik with the 15th overall pick in the 2025 Western Hockey League (WHL) Prospects Draft.
The pick wasn't held by Saskatoon minutes before the selection was made. The Blades struck a deal for the 15th overall pick minutes before it was called with the Swift Current Broncos. Going the other way was the Saskatoon Blades 22nd overall pick, a 2025 fourth round pick, and a 2025 fifth round pick.
The 93rd overall selection came from a deal right before the draft started that saw forward Willy James head to the Penticton Vees.
"For Willy James, it was a great chance at a refresh," said Blades general manager and president, Colin Priestner, "He had a great start to the year for the first ten games, and then (suffered) a lot of injuries and just never got on track with us. There's so many young guys coming in that are signed, so, we didn't want him to be in a numbers game."
Martinuik, a 15-year-old winger, scored a blistering 44 goals and 36 assists for 80 points in 57 games with Shattuck St. Mary's 14U AAA. The Peachland, BC native native added six goals and three assists in five games at US 14 Nationals.
"I couldn't have done it without my coaches, my teammates, my peers, especially my family, and everyone that's been there along the way," said Martinuik, "I'm kind of lost for words at the moment."
The 5-foot-11 winger previously played with St. George's School U15 Prep in the Canadian Sport School Hockey League (CSSHL) in 2023-24. Martinuik registered more than a point-per-game with 14 goals and 23 assists in 27 games. In four playoff games, the left-handed shot dished six helpers to go along with his eight penalty minutes.
"I heard my name and my phone just started exploding, and all my teammates came in and cheered me on."
"We had Kain Martinuik rated in our top three overall," said Priestner, "We didn't really spend a whole lot of time talking about him throughout the preparation of the week because we just assumed that he was gone in the top five, if not ten. Then, at ten, 11, 12, it's starting to be like, 'what's going on here? Why is this guy falling?' Maybe it's being from Shaddock St. Mary's, a Canadian kid going down south to play."
Martinuik is the first player to be selected by Saskatoon in the first round since defenceman Isaac Poll in 2022.
"He's a 6-foot plus kind of power forward scoring centre that plays with an edge," said Priestner, "He's mean. He had 110 PIMS for SHA this year and 40 goals. He just brings the intensity of the whole group up, and I thought he was a great compliment to some of the guys like Halat and the Johns, smaller wingers we took last year. He's a power centre that we think can be a first liner and certainly play at 16."
The U.S. Priority Draft begins Thursday, May 8 at 9:00am CT, followed by the remaining rounds of the WHL Prospects Draft.
Western Hockey League Stories from May 8, 2025
- Winterhawks Add 11 Players During 2025 WHL Prospects and U.S. Priority Drafts - Portland Winterhawks
- Hitmen Select 11 in WHL Prospects Draft - Calgary Hitmen
- Broncos Acquire 2026 1st Round Pick for Rylan Gould - Swift Current Broncos
- 2025 Draft Recap - Seattle Thunderbirds
- Silvertips Acquire Rylan Gould from Swift Current - Everett Silvertips
- Wenatchee Wild Select Eight in 2025 WHL Prospects Draft - Wenatchee Wild
- Broadcast Schedule of 2025 WHL, OHL, & QMJHL Championship Series - WHL
- Blades Welcome 11 Players in 2025 WHL Prospects Draft - Saskatoon Blades
- Western Hockey League Completes 2025 WHL Prospects Draft - WHL
- 2025 U.S. Priority Draft, WHL Prospects Draft Recap - Spokane Chiefs
- Warriors Select Nine Additional Prospects at the 2025 WHL Prospects Draft - Moose Jaw Warriors
- Broncos Make 13 Picks at 2025 WHL Draft - Swift Current Broncos
- Cougars Select Nine Players Between WHL Prospects and US Priority Draft - Prince George Cougars
- Americans Make 12 Selections in 2025 WHL Drafts - Tri-City Americans
- Hurricanes Select Nine Players in 2025 WHL Prospects Draft - Lethbridge Hurricanes
- Rockets Make Eight Selections on Second Day of 2025 WHL Prospects Draft - Kelowna Rockets
- Rebels Select 11 Players at 2025 WHL Prospects Draft - Red Deer Rebels
- Oil Kings Add Six More Prospects on Day Two of WHL Prospects Draft - Edmonton Oil Kings
- Blades Acqurie 20-Year-Old Scorer Dominik Petr from Wheat Kings - Saskatoon Blades
- Everett Silvertips 2025 WHL Draft Recap - Everett Silvertips
- Blades, Hitmen Swap Picks Ahead of 2025 WHL Prospects Draft Day 2 - Saskatoon Blades
- Winterhawks Select McKinnon and Godbout in 2025 WHL U.S. Priority Draft - Portland Winterhawks
- Warriors Select Thompson, Langkow at US Priority Draft - Moose Jaw Warriors
- Wenatchee Wild Select Colorado, Minnesota Forwards Thursday Morning in U.S. Priority Draft - Wenatchee Wild
- Rockets Select McDevitt and Lee in U.S. Priority Draft - Kelowna Rockets
- Oil Kings Select Kaebel and Nash in U.S. Priority Draft - Edmonton Oil Kings
- Blades Add Forward and Defenceman Through 2025 U.S. Priority Draft - Saskatoon Blades
- Wenatchee Wild Announce Acquisition of Mason Kraft from Victoria Royals - Wenatchee Wild
- Royals Acquire Conditional Third and Fourth Round Picks from Wenatchee for Mason Kraft - Victoria Royals
- Blades Select Forward Kain Martinuik with 15th Overall Pick in 2025 WHL Prospects Draft - Saskatoon Blades
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