WHL Vancouver Giants

Giants WHL Bantam Draft Selections

Published on April 30, 2009 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Vancouver Giants News Release


BC - The Vancouver Giants have selected Centre Dalton Sward (94) from Abbotsford BC with their first selection (21st overall) in today's WHL Bantam Draft. Sward played last season with the Abbotsford Bantam Hawks and is listed as a 6' 160 pound right shooting centre. Sward played 61 games for the Hawks last season as their team captain and amassed 68 goals and 58 assists for 116 points as well as 98 penalty minutes. Sward also played for the BC Zone U-16 team at the Western Canadian Bantam Hockey Championships this past season. In that tourney, Sward scored seven goals and ten points in just four games and was named tournament MVP.

Sward joins a distinguished group of players to be selected by the Vancouver Giants in the first round, including current Giants Tyson Sexsmith, Evander Kane and James Wright. 'The Vancouver Giants are very excited to have drafted these young men today,' commented Giants General Manager Scott Bonner.

In addition to Sward, here is a list of the 2009 Bantam Draft Selections of the Vancouver Giants:

The Giants have selected Mathieu Bellerive from North Vancouver BC with their second selection (43rd overall). Bellerive is a right winger and is listed at 5'9" and 170 pounds. This past season, Bellerive played for the Pursuit of Excellence Team in Kelowna. In 25 playoff games this season, Bellerive scored twenty two goals and added thirty assists for 52 points.

With their third round selection, (65th overall), the Giants have selected right defenseman Blake Orban. Orban played last season with the Calgary Bisons and is listed at 6' and 185 pounds. In 32 games played, Orban scored 17 goals and added 20 assists for 37 points and also tallied 90 penalty minutes. Orban also participated in Alberta Cup as a member of the Calgary South Flames. In five games, Orban scored three goals, added four assists and tallied four penalty minutes. The Giants next selection comes in Round 5, 109th overall. The Giants have selected right wing Scott Cooke. Cooke played last season with Semiahmoo and is listed at 5'9" and 150 pounds. Vancouver has three selections in Round Seven. Their first selection in this round, 142nd overall, is Landon Robin, a centre from Saskatoon, SK. Robin is 5'11" and 155 pounds. Last season with the Saskatoon Bandits, Robin played in 45 games, scoring 46 goals and adding 44 assists for 90 points. Robin also had 42 penalty minutes. Taken 152nd overall by the Giants was left shooting defender Matias Cleland.

Cleland is 5'10" and 160 pounds from Longmont, Colorado. This past season, Cleland played for the Colorado Thunderbirds Bantam AAA club. One spot later in 153rd, the Giants selected left shooting centre Dennis Kravchenko. Kravchenko is 5'6" tall and weighs in at 140 pounds from San Clemente, CA. This past season, Kravchenko played for the LA Selects Bantam AAA club.

The Giants then waited until 197th for their next pick. Late in Round Nine, the G-Men selected left defender Brett Kulak from Stony Plain, AB. Kulak is listed as 5'8" and 140 pounds. This past season and playoffs, Kulak played a combined 40 games, scoring 2 goals and adding 23 assists for 25 points.

Kulak also had 38 minutes in penalties. In the 10th Round, 209th overall, the Giants selected Luke McColgan of Manhattan Beach, CA. Luke is listed as a 5'5", 120 pound left winger. this past season he was a teammate of fellow Giants draftee Dennis Kravchenko on the LA Selects Bantam AAA club. The Giants rounded out their selections late in round 10. With the 219th pick, the Giants selected left winger Carter Coben from Saskatoon, SK. Coben is 6'0" and 170 pounds. Coben played for the Saskatoon Stallions this past season.

Dalton Sward will be a guest on the final GIANT HOCKEY HOUR of the season.

Carter will chat with Dave Sheldon and Brook Ward on AM 650 at 7:50 pm Thursday night. You can catch the entire HOUR beginning at 7 pm. Dave and Brook will talk to Giants Head Coach and WHL Coach of the Year Don Hay as well as Steve Ewen from the PROVINCE.

Check out the Vancouver Giants Statistics

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Western Hockey League Stories from April 30, 2009


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