Road to the WHL Draft: 2021
May 1, 2025 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Swift Current Broncos News Release
Swift Current, SK - As the 2025 WHL Prospects Draft gets closer, the Swift Current Broncos will be taking look back at the most recent drafts in team history and we turn the calendar to the 2021 Draft, where a future NHL Draft pick would make his appearance in the early first round and eventually be the 2024-25 Broncos captain. The Broncos would play the Brandon Wheat Kings, Regina Pats, Prince Albert Raiders, Saskatoon Blades, Moose Jaw Warriors & Winnipeg ICE in Regina in a bubble system post COVID-19 pandemic. Swift Current would finish 6-16-2-0 selecting 6th & 7th overall. The Top 3 picks belonged to the Spokane Chiefs, Tri-City Americans & Brandon Wheat Kings where centre Berkley Catton would be selected first overall, followed by forward Jordan Gavin & defenceman Charlie Elick would go to Brandon (During the 2024-25 trade deadline, Elick & Gavin would be traded for one another).
Kicking off the Broncos 2021 Draft, General Manager Chad Leslie would pick Clarke Caswell (Brandon, MB) with the sixth pick after playing 20 games with the Brandon U18AAA Wheat Kings, Caswell had 23 goals and 28 assists in 20 games played as the highest scoring forward in Manitoba for his draft year. Caswell would become a full-time Bronco in the 2022-23 season where he would play for Team Canada at the U17's scoring five points in seven games. While finishing his rookie season with the Broncos scoring 29 points (3g, 26a) in 63 games. During the 2023-24 season helping the Broncos to a Central Division crown, Caswell was a point per game player with the Broncos adding 77 points in all 68 games that season and then would receive a call at the NHL Draft in Las Vegas being drafted by the Seattle Kraken in the 5th Round #141 overall. During the 2024-25 season, Clarke was named captain of the Broncos and lead the team in assists with 62 for a 84 point season playing in 65 regular season games.
With the very next pick the Broncos stayed in Manitoba by selecting defenceman Josh Fluker (Boissevain, MB) seventh overall. Fluker, played for the U18 Southwest Cougars this season and had five goals with 11 assists in 19 games. Fluker played 101 games with the Broncos scoring three goals and 19 assists before he would be traded to the Wenatchee Wild as part of the Conor Geekie trade in 23-24.
Swift Current would make two selections in Round 2 of the 2021 Draft
With their first of two picks in the second round the Broncos selected Maddix McCagherty (Kelowna, BC) 25th overall. McCagherty played for the Rink Hockey Academy U18 program in Kelowna, scoring four goals with 12 assists in 13 games. McCagherty would play 37 games (5g, 6a) with Swift Current and was also a piece in the Conor Geekie trade in 23-24.
With the final pick in the second round at 45th overall, the Broncos drafted forward Otto Hanson (Calgary, AB) from the Edge School Prep U18 in Calgary.
Hanson started his junior career in Junior A hockey in the BCHL before being signed by the Broncos prior to the 2025 roster cut-off on January 9. In his first major junior season, Hanson would play in 24 games with the Broncos, scoring two goals and two assists.
With their lone pick in the third round, 48th overall, the Broncos drafted forward Dawson Gerwing (Meadow Lake, SK) from the U18 Battlefords Stars. Gerwing had seven goals and 11 assists in 22 games with the Stars. Dawson played n 69 career games before he was traded to the Kelowna Rockets for Marek Ročák at the 2025 trade deadline.
The Broncos had one pick in the fourth round, 70th overall, and used it to select goaltender Ethan Simcoe (Lac du Bonnet, MB) from the Rink Hockey Academy U16 program in Winnipeg.
The Broncos also had one pick in the fifth round, 94th overall, which was acquired at the trade deadline in 2019 from Moose Jaw in exchange for Alec Zawatsky. The pick was used to draft defenceman Ronan Buckberger (Saskatoon, SK) from the Saskatoon Contacts.
Buckberger had four assists in 18 games with the Contacts this season. He is the son of former Swift Current Broncos forward Ashley Buckberger who played for the Broncos from 1990-1995.
With their final pick of the day, the Broncos selected defenceman Luc Bourdon (Prince Albert, SK) from the Tisdale Trojans with the 180th overall pick.
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 6 Clarke Caswell Brandon, MB F Brandon Wheat Kings U18 AAA 5'10 150
2 7 Josh Fluker Boissevain, MB F Southwest Cougars U18AAA 5'10 130
2 44 Maddix McCagherty Kelowna, BC D Rink Kelowna U18 Prep 5'11 160
3 60 Otto Hanson Calgary, AB F Edge School U15 Prep 6'1 158
4 67 Dawson Gerwing Meadow Lake, SK F Battlefords Stars U18 AAA 6'2 201
4 68 Ethan Simcoe Lac du Bonnet, MB G Rink Manitoba U16 Prep 6'0 150
4 88 Ronan Buckberger Saskatoon, SK D Saskatoon Contacts U18AAA 5'9 145
5 89 Luc Bourdon Prince Albert, SK D Tisdale Trojans U18 AAA 5'8 155
Western Hockey League Stories from May 1, 2025
- 2025 WHL Prospects Draft Preview, 2024 Draft Review - Tri-City Americans
- Harrison Meneghin Named WHL Goaltender of the Month Tor April - Medicine Hat Tigers
- Capitals Prospect Cristall Named WHL Player of the Month for April - Spokane Chiefs
- DuPont Named WHL Rookie of the Month for April - Everett Silvertips
- Capitals Prospect Cristall, Rookie of the Year DuPont Among WHL Monthly Award Winners - WHL
- Chiefs Take on 'Hawks in Game 4 of Western Conference Championship Thursday Night - Spokane Chiefs
- Road to the WHL Draft: 2021 - Swift Current Broncos
- Game Day Hub: Round 3, Game 4 vs Spokane Chiefs - Portland Winterhawks
- Game 3 Goes to the Chiefs 8-5 over Winterhawks - Portland Winterhawks
- McIsaac, Preston Log Four-Point Nights as Chiefs Improve to 3-0 in Conference Finals - Spokane Chiefs
- Tigers Win 5-3 to Become Eastern Conference Champions - Medicine Hat Tigers
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
