WHL Vancouver Giants

Giants Make 2013 Bantam Draft Selections through Round Three

Published on May 2, 2013 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Vancouver Giants News Release


ROUND 1 - 1st & 20th

The Vancouver Giants Hockey Club has selected Tyler Benson with their first overall pick in the 2013 Western Hockey League Bantam Draft.

Benson played last season with the South Side Athletic Club Southgate Lions of the Alberta Major Bantam Hockey League (AMBHL) that captured the Alberta and Western Canadian AAA Championships.

The Edmonton native broke the AMBHL record for the most points in a season tallying 146 points (57 goals, 89 assists) in 33 games played.

"We are very excited to have selected Tyler with the first overall pick. He has proven to be a mature player who doesn't only produce but also makes everyone around him better," says Giants' Executive VP and General Manager, Scott Bonner.

"He will be a great addition to the organization," added Giants' majority owner Ron Toigo. "Tyler has the potential of being a player we can build our franchise around."

Tyler Benson

Position: Left Wing

Born: March 15, 1998

Hometown: Edmonton, AB

Previous Club: South Side Athletic Club Southgate Lions

Height: 5"11"

Weight: 180lbs

2012/13 Stats: 33 GP / 57 G / 89A / 146PTS

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The Giants also selected 20th overall in the first round, a pick that was acquired from Edmonton in the David Musil deal (2012/13).

With the 20th pick, the Giants selected Surrey native Matt Barberis. The 5'10" 178 lbs defenceman played for the Burnaby Winter Club this past season. In 58 games with the BWC, Barberis had 18 goals and 30 assists for 48 points on the season.

ROUND 2 - 23rd & 39th

The Giants selected at 23rd and 39th overall in the second round.

The 23rd pick was their own, and the Giants traded their 41st for Saskatoon's 39th pick and the 44th pick also to Saskatoon for the Blades' second-round pick in the 2014 Bantam Draft.

With the 23rd pick, the Giants selected Ryely McKinstry from Calgary, AB. The defenceman played last season for the Calgary Bisons Bantam AAA of the Alberta Major Bantam Hockey League. McKinstry played 29 games and tallied 9 goals and 27 assists for a total of 36 points.

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With the 39th pick, the Giants selected goaltender Ryan Kubic from Winnipeg, MB. The 5'11" 153 lbs goalie played for the Hawks Bantam 1 and finished the season with a 1.31 GAA and a .941 Save Percentage in 24 games.

ROUND 3 - 50th, 57th & 61st

The Giants had three selections in the third round, selecting 50th, 57th, and 61st overall. The 50th pick came from the James Henry deal (2011/2012) with the Moose Jaw Warriors, the 57th pick came from the Regina Pats in the Luke Fenske deal (2011/2012), and the 61st pick came from the Nathan Burns deal (2012/2013) with the Saskatoon Blades.

With the 50th pick, the Giants selected Saskatoon native Gage Ramsay. The 5'7" 152 lbs left winger played his 2012/13 season with Notre Dame Bantam and racked up 21 goals and 21 assists (42 points) in 29 games played.

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With the 57th pick, the Giants selected Scott Mickoski of Winnipeg, MB. The 6'2" 193 lbs right winger played for the Winnipeg Sharks Bantam AAA Div 1 and tallied 10 goals and 8 assists (18 points) in 27 games.

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For the final pick of the 3rd round for the Giants, they picked Colorado native Zach Walker 61st overall. The 5'11", 175 lbs forward played his 2012/13 season with the Colorado Thunderbirds. (stats unavailable)

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