Brandon Wheat Kings to Select First Overall in 2025 WHL U.S. Priority Draft

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Brandon Wheat Kings to Select First Overall in 2025 WHL U.S. Priority Draft

April 10, 2025 - Western Hockey League (WHL) News Release


Calgary, Alta. - The Western Hockey League announced today the Brandon Wheat Kings will select first overall in the 2025 WHL U.S. Priority Draft, following the completion of the 2025 WHL U.S. Priority Draft Lottery.

This is the first time the Brandon Wheat Kings will select first overall in the WHL U.S. Priority Draft. Previously, the Wheat Kings made their highest pick in 2022, calling forward Jake Stuart from Manhattan Beach, Calif., with the second-overall selection.

2025 WHL U.S. Priority Draft - Order of Selection

FIRST ROUND SECOND ROUND

1. Brandon Wheat Kings 24. Lethbridge Hurricanes

2. Moose Jaw Warriors 25. Prince Albert Raiders

3. Edmonton Oil Kings 26. Calgary Hitmen

4. Penticton Vees 27. Penticton Vees

5. Vancouver Giants 28. Victoria Royals

6. Red Deer Rebels 29. Everett Silvertips

7. Saskatoon Blades 30. Portland Winterhawks

8. Prince George Cougars 31. Spokane Chiefs

9. Kelowna Rockets 32. Medicine Hat Tigers

10. Wenatchee Wild 33. Kamloops Blazers

11. Tri-City Americans 34. Seattle Thunderbirds

12. Regina Pats 35. Swift Current Broncos

13. Swift Current Broncos 36. Regina Pats

14. Seattle Thunderbirds 37. Tri-City Americans

15. Kamloops Blazers 38. Wenatchee Wild

16. Medicine Hat Tigers 39. Kelowna Rockets

17. Spokane Chiefs 40. Prince George Cougars

18. Portland Winterhawks 41. Saskatoon Blades

19. Everett Silvertips 42. Red Deer Rebels

20. Victoria Royals 43. Vancouver Giants

21. Calgary Hitmen 44. Edmonton Oil Kings

22. Prince Albert Raiders 45. Moose Jaw Warriors

23. Lethbridge Hurricanes 46. Brandon Wheat Kings

The 2025 WHL U.S. Priority Draft is scheduled for Thursday, May 8, 2025, and will be conducted online at WHL.ca. The 2025 WHL U.S. Priority Draft will consist of two rounds and 46 selections, with each WHL Club presented with the opportunity to make two draft choices.

The 2025 WHL U.S. Priority Draft Lottery was executed in two stages.

The first stage of the 2025 WHL U.S. Priority Draft Lottery determined the order of selection of the six non-playoff Clubs - Moose Jaw, Regina, Kelowna, Kamloops, Wenatchee, and Red Deer - and the eight teams that were eliminated during the first round of the 2025 WHL Playoffs presented by Nutrien. The six non-playoff teams and eight teams that lost in the first round of the playoffs each received one ball in the lottery. The first ball drawn determined the 15th-overall pick and the final ball drawn represented the first-overall pick in the first round of the 2025 WHL U.S. Priority Draft.

The Penticton Vees were awarded the fourth pick in both the first and second rounds of the 2025 WHL U.S. Priority Draft.

The second stage of the 2025 WHL U.S. Priority Draft Lottery determined the order of selection of the eight teams that won their first-round series of the 2025 WHL Playoffs. Each of the advancing eight Clubs received one ball in the lottery. The first ball drawn determined the 23rd-overall pick and the final ball drawn represented the 16th-overall pick in the first round.

The process for the 2025 WHL U.S. Priority Draft Lottery was administered by Karen Tolentino of KPMG.

The WHL U.S. Priority Draft began in 2020, with Florida Panthers prospect Gracyn Sawchyn selected first overall by the Red Deer Rebels. Since then, a number of impactful players have heard their names called in the WHL U.S. Priority Draft, including Alex Weiermair (Portland Winterhawks, 2020), Blake Fiddler (Edmonton Oil Kings, 2022), Lukas Sawchyn (Seattle Thunderbirds, 2022), Brandon Gorzynski (Calgary Hitmen, 2022), Jackson Gillespie (Kelowna Rockets, 2022), Brody Gillespie (Spokane Chiefs, 2023), Kalder Varga (Kelowna Rockets, 2023), and Shaeffer Gordon-Carroll (Medicine Hat Tigers, 2023).

Players eligible for the 2025 WHL U.S. Priority Draft are 2010-born players who have resided in the United States for two or more consecutive hockey seasons immediately preceding the WHL U.S. Priority Draft. Should a player's family have moved from WHL territory in Canada to the U.S. for at least one complete season, the player will be eligible for the WHL U.S. Priority Draft. To be eligible for the 2025 WHL U.S. Priority Draft, a player must reside in Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, or Wyoming.

Players not selected in the 2025 WHL U.S. Priority Draft will remain eligible to be selected in the 2025 WHL Prospects Draft, beginning in the second round.

For complete coverage of the 2025 WHL Playoffs presented by Nutrien and the 2025 WHL Drafts, please visit WHL.ca.

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