Hurricanes Select 12 Players in Bantam Draft
May 5, 2016 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Lethbridge Hurricanes News Release
CALGARY, AB - The Lethbridge Hurricanes Hockey Club completed the 2016 Western Hockey League Bantam Draft by selecting a total of 12 players including six forwards, four defenseman and two goaltenders.
With their first round draft pick, 19th overall, the Hurricanes selected forward Dylan Cozens from the Delta Hockey Academy. The 6'2, 159-pound centreman is originally from Whitehorse, Yukon. In 25 games with Delta this season, Cozens recorded 31 points (19g-12a) along with 18 penalty minutes while adding six points (5g-1a) in three post-season games.
"Cozens is a big kid that has some skill. He's a centreman that we look forward to adding to our club one day," said Hurricanes General Manager Peter Anholt. "We were happy to get him where we did [at 19]. We had him earmarked."
With their second round pick, 41st overall, the Hurricanes selected defenseman Nolan Jones from the Moose Jaw Warriors Bantam AAA. In 28 games, the Moose Jaw product recorded 44 points (24g-20a) along with 100 penalty minutes. He also added six points (1g- 5a) in 11 games with the Moose Jaw Warriors Midget AA squad.
Prior to the third round, the Hurricanes traded goaltender Jayden Sittler along with the 107th overall pick to the Spokane Chiefs for the 52nd and the 140th overall picks. The team then selected defenseman Kirby Proctor 52nd overall from the Pursuit of Excellence. In 25 games, Proctor recorded 17 points (4g-13a).
In the fourth round, 85th overall, the Hurricanes took goaltender Josh Langford from the Dallas Stars Bantam AAA who had a 2.61 goals against average and a .905 save percentage this season. With 99th overall pick, the team selected another defenseman taking rearguard Alex Cotton from the Yale Hockey Academy.
"It was important for us to add a goalie. I would've liked to pick one earlier, but some goalies went too soon for us to make a move," said Anholt. "Brent and Rob have seen [Langford] play and we feel he has some upside."
In the sixth round, 129th overall, the 'Canes selected forward Evan Ladouceur. They followed it up by selecting twin brothers Justin and Adam Hall with the 140th and the 158th overall selections. In the eighth round, the Hurricanes elected to take another goaltender selecting Carter Wickson with the 173rd overall pick.
With two picks in the ninth round, the Hurricanes took forward Max Neill 184th and defenseman Conrad Solypa at 195th overall. In round ten, the Hurricanes picked forward Skylar Gutierrez with the 217th overall pick; he is the younger brother of former Hurricanes forward Justin Gutierrez.
The Hurricanes concluded the 2016 WHL Bantam Draft by passing in rounds 11 and 12.
Western Hockey League Stories from May 5, 2016
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- Spokane Acquires Sittler from Lethbridge - Spokane Chiefs
- Raiders Make Deal with Americans - Prince Albert Raiders
- Hurricanes Trade Sittler to Spokane - Lethbridge Hurricanes
- Giants Take Blaisdell and Svejkovsky - Vancouver Giants
- Rockets Select Yorkton D with 1st Round WHL Bantam Pick - Kelowna Rockets
- Warriors Select Brayden Tracey - Moose Jaw Warriors
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- Chiefs Keep It in the Family, Take Toporowski in Bantam Draft - Spokane Chiefs
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- Wheat Kings Opt for Schneider - Brandon Wheat Kings
- Giants Draft Bowen Byram at Third Overall - Vancouver Giants
- Ice Select Krebs with First Overall Pick - Kootenay Ice
- Giants Make Trade with Saskatoon - Vancouver Giants
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