Road to the WHL Draft: 2020

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WHL Swift Current Broncos

Road to the WHL Draft: 2020

April 30, 2025 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Swift Current Broncos News Release


Swift Current, SK - We are less than a week away from the 2025 WHL Prospects Draft and over the next few days we will look back at recent drafts that have helped mould and put in the pillars of what the Swift Current Broncos stand for on and off the ice. This year's draft will consist of the top prospects from the 2010 birth year from Western Canada and the United States. We start our draft journey in 2020. The Top 3 picks belonged to the Regina Pats, Prince George Cougars and Moose Jaw Warriors. The Pats would have the #1 pick and would take future NHL 1st Overall Pick Connor Bedard, the Cougars would land F Riley Heidt and the Warriors picked up now Lethbridge Hurricane Brayden Yager.

The 2020 Draft was a late draft time during the Covid-19 Pandemic but the class of 2005 born players made their mark in a big way on the organization as plenty have gone on to some great tenures in a Broncos jersey.

The Broncos would select 11 players in the draft.

With their first pick, 21st overall, the Broncos added forward Brady Birnie from Regina. Birnie was a top forward in the province's U15 ranks scoring 56 goals while adding a league-record 72 assists in just 31 games with the Regina Monarchs. Birnie was the first ever Bronco to commit to an NCAA Division I School as he will attend Bemidji State in Minnesota. In his Broncos career, Birnie has played in 267 games all in Swift Current with 72 goals and 97 assists for 169 points.

Off to the 2nd Round, two fan favourites would draw the eyes of the Broncos scouting staff as the Broncos would first select With their first of two picks the Broncos selected forward Rylan Gould (Headingly, MB), 42nd overall. Gould was the captain of his Winnipeg Monarchs team that year, and finished fifth in Manitoba Bantam scoring with 32 and 54 assists in 36 games. In his career, Gould has played in 258 games as a Bronco, scoring 57 goals & 94 assists for 151 points and was recently the Broncos Humanitarian of the Year for the 2024-25 Season.

At 44th overall Swift Current added a teammate of Gould's, drafting defenceman Grayson Burzynski (Winnipeg, MB). The 6'3'' defenceman scored 19 times and added 39 assists with the Winnipeg Monarchs, finishing second in league scoring amongst defencemen. Burzynski was named the Broncos Top Defenceman for 2024-25 having a career year of 47 points in 62 games player (11g, 36a). Burzynski's career with Swift Current has him at 233 games played with 21 goals and 57 assists for 78 points.

In the third round the Broncos picked another Manitoba-born defenceman, drafting Liam Saxberg 60th overall. Saxberg scored 19 times from the blueline while adding 28 assists for the Winnipeg Warriors in his draft year.

With the first of back-to-back picks in the fourth round, Swift Current went local and drafted defenceman Nolan Stevenson from the Notre Dame Hounds. Stevenson, who hails from Shaunavon, scored six goals and 15 assists in 30 games this year.

With the very next pick, the Broncos picked up forward Tyson Yaremko from the Saskatoon Stallions at 68th overall. Yaremko was a top scorer on his team with 39 goals and 37 assists in 31 games with the Stallions.

The Broncos once again had back-to-back picks at 88 and 89, first drafting forward Van Eger (Willow Bunch, SK) from the Notre Dame Hounds U15 Prep program. Eger scored 18 goals and 18 assists in 30 games. Eger played 77 games with the Broncos until he was traded to the Prince George Cougars in the Carlin Dezainde trade in October.

With the 89th overall selection, the Broncos added another Saskatchewan-born prospect by drafting Connor Gabriel (Saskatoon, SK). Gabriel played for the Saskatoon Bandits in 2019-20, scoring 25 goals and 36 assists in 30 games. Gabriel scored thye Teddy Bear Toss goal against Red Deer on December 7, 2024. Gabriel is a three year Bronco, playing in 183 games, with 19 goals and 54 assists.

Into the fifth round, the Broncos added a goaltender to their prospect cupboard with the selection of Joey Rocha (Nanaimo, BC) at 109th overall. Rocha suited up for the North Island Silvertips program in 2019-20, posting a 3.35 GAA in 15 games. While being the Broncos Most Improved Player in the 2024-25 Season and Unsung Hero. Rocha put up career number this past season as he sported a 13-9-0-1 with a .888 save percentage and 3.51 GAA.

Swift Current would have a round off before heading back to the draft table in Round 7. The Broncos selected forward Joey Lies (Flin Flon, MB) with the first pick in the seventh round, 133rd overall. Lies scored 25 goals and added 17 assists for the Norman Wolves of the Manitoba Bantam AAA league.

In the 10th round, and their final pick of the draft, the Broncos once again went to Manitoba by selecting forward Brandon Funk from the Winnipeg Sharks. Funk finished second on his team in scoring in 2019-20, recording 18 goals and 20 assists in 36 games.

The 2025 Prospects Draft is scheduled from May 7-8, starting with the Expansion Draft for the Penticton Vees, followed by Round 1 of the Prospects Draft is at 5 PM. May 8 will start with the US Priority Draft at 9 AM followed by the remaining rounds of the Prospects Draft after, stay tuned on the Broncos website & social media for the latest updates throughout draft day.

RD Pick Name Hometown Position 2023-24 Team Ht Wt

1 21 Brady Birnie Regina, SK F Regina Monarchs U15AAA 5'6 120

2 42 Rylan Gould Headingly, MB F Winnipeg Monarchs U15AAA 5'7 152

2 44 Grayson Burzynski Winnipeg, MB D Winnipeg Monarchs U15AAA 6'1 203

3 60 Liam Saxberg Winnipeg, MB F Winnipeg Warriors U15AAA 5'10 160

4 67 Nolan Stevenson Shaunavon, SK D Swift Current Broncos U15AA 6'0 130

4 68 Tyson Yaremko Saskatoon, SK F Saskatoon Stallions U15AA 5'8 135

4 88 Van Eger Willow Bunch, SK F Notre Dame Hounds U15 Prep 5'11 160

5 89 Connor Gabriel Saskatoon, SK F Saskatoon Bandits U15 AA 5'9 145

5 109 Joey Rocha Nanaimo, BC G North Island Silvertips U15AAA 6'0 157

7 133 Joey Lies Flin Flon, MB F Norman Wolves U15AAA 5'11 164

10 199 Brandon Funk Winnipeg, MB F Winnipeg Sharks U15AAA 5'6 130

Check out the Swift Current Broncos Statistics

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