T-Birds take defenseman in first round of WHL Bantam Draft
Published on May 3, 2007 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Seattle Thunderbirds News Release
Seattle, May 3, 2007 - The Seattle Thunderbirds selected defenseman Erik Fleming from Calgary, Alberta, with their first pick, 16th overall, in the 2007 WHL Bantam Draft today in Calgary.
"Erik is a solid two-way defenseman who will help in all zones. He plays with a lot of determination and urgency," said T-Birds Director of Player Personnel Colin Alexander.
Fleming is 6'0 and 166 pounds. He was born on February 11, 1992 and currently plays for the Airdrie Extreme Bantam AAA team. He had 42 points on 12 goals and 30 assists in 33 games with the Extreme. He also had 52 penalty minutes. The T-Birds first pick in the 2006 Bantams draft was also a defenseman from Calgary, Steve Chaffin, selected with the 11th overall pick.
In the second round, with the 38th overall pick, the T- Birds selected goalie Calvin Pickard from Winnipeg, Manitoba.
"Calvin backstopped his team to the bantam provincial championship," said Alexander. "He's very technically strong, cool under pressure, confident and very businesslike."
Pickard, born April 15, 1992, is 5'11 and 185 pounds and played with the Winnipeg Monarchs Bantam AAA team this past season. He played in 15 games and had an 11-2-0-1 record with a 2.50 goals against average.
Calvin's older brother Chet is also a goalie and has played the last two seasons with the Tri-City Americans.
The T-Birds selected defenseman Brandon Carlson from Ladera Ranch, California, with their third round pick, 60th overall.
"Brandon is a steady, reliable defenseman that is not afraid to use his size," said Alexander. "He is very competitive. We think Brandon and Erik Fleming will be a tremendous defensive pairing."
Carlson, born June 15, 1992, is a left-handed shot who played with the Chicago Mission U-14 AAA this year. He had three goals and nine assists for 12 points in 31 games. Carlson, at 6'0 and 160 pounds, also had 40 penalty minutes.
The T-Birds had two picks in the fourth round with the 82nd and 84th overall picks.
With their first pick in the fourth round the T-Birds selected left wing Chance Lund from Fairview, Alberta.
"He plays hard and is very strong on the wall," said Alexander. "Chance can be a very good power forward in our league.""
Lund is left-handed shot who was born May 2, 1992, and is 6'1 and 170 pounds. He played for the Fairview Bantam team this past season.
With their second selection in the fourth round Seattle took center Jason Zucker from Las Vegas, Nevada.
"Jason is a high energy, high skilled and high tempo player," said Alexander.
Zucker played on the Las Vegas U-16 Midget AAA team this past season. The 5'10, 150-pound left- handed center had 30 points on 18 goals and 12 assists in 30 games last season. He was born January 16, 1992.
The T-Birds did not have a pick in either the fifth or sixth rounds of the draft but did have two picks in the seventh round.
With the 146th overall selection the T-Birds took right wing Luke Lockhart from Burnaby, British Columbia.
"Luke plays hard and is tenacious on the puck. He moves well and plays with an edge. We like his enthusiastic high energy," said Alexander.
Lockhart, at 5'9 and 145 pounds, was born November 11, 1992. He played for the Burnaby Bantam AAA team last season.
The T-Birds selected right wing Justin Lachance, from Coquitlam, British Columbia, with the 149th overall pick.
"Justin is a powerful skater with a strong stride. We project him to be a solid two-way forward," said Alexander.
Lachance was born April 30, 1992 and is 5'10 and 140 pounds. He played with the Coquitlam Bantam AAA team this past season.
In the eighth round the T-Birds selected defenseman Dan Gibb from Prince George, British Columbia with the 171st overall pick.
"Dan is a big, mobile defenseman that has shown a willingness to play physical. He competes hard and has grown a lot this winter."
Gibb, born July 27, 1992, played for the Prince George Bantam AAA team last season. He is a defenseman with a left-handed shot that had seven goals and 15 assists for 22 points in 38 games. Dan, at 6'0 and 155 pounds, also had 44 penalty minutes.
In the ninth round, with the 192nd overall selection, the T-Birds selected left wing Connor Cleverley from Winnipeg.
"Connor played on the team with Calvin Pickard that won the provincial championship in bantam hockey," said Alexander. "He is a highly skilled offensive player with good upside. He makes plays and he is smart player that knows the games."
Cleverly was born January 30, 1992 and is 5'9 and 145 pounds. He had eight goals and 15 assists for 23 points in 23 games with the Winnipeg Monarchs Bantam AAA team.
"We are very happy with players we chose," said Alexander. "We think we have strength at all positions from this draft. We look forward to having all these players at training camp in September."
The T-Birds selected nine players overall in the 2007 WHL Bantam Draft with the breakdown being 1 goalie, 3 defensemen, 2 left wings, 1 center and 2 right wings.
Season tickets are currently on sale for 2007-08 at KeyArena. Fans purchasing 2007-08 season tickets will have the highest seating priority for the 2008-09 season as the Thunderbirds open the new Amiga Center at Kent. Priority can be established right now by calling 206-448-PUCK (7825) or for more information go to www.seattlethunderbirds.com
ABOUT THE BANTAM DRAFT
The Bantam Draft allows for the orderly transfer of players to WHL Protected Player Lists (PPL) from the bantam ranks (14-15 year old players).
Previously, WHL teams were allowed to list first-year bantam players at the beginning of the season on a set date in September. However, first-year bantams had been playing at the peewee level the previous year and the early draft required WHL teams to scout the peewee ranks. This had many drawbacks including the need for extensive scouting systems along with the related expense, as well the added pressure on peewee-aged players (12 to 13-year- olds).
In order to get away from scouting peewees, the WHL instituted a bantam draft at the end of each season. WHL teams send scouts to watch first-year bantams from the start of the minor hockey season. The WHL holds a draft specifically to allow teams to add bantam players to their protected lists. While this draft is the first opportunity for teams to select bantam players, it is not the last chance for a player to be listed. After the draft is completed, all the remaining bantams become eligible to be listed by teams. Undrafted bantam players may also be added as spots become available on team's PPL's or as a player's talents improve.
The WHL drafts bantam players from Canadian provinces of British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba and the states of Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington and Wyoming. Players born on or before September 15 in 1991 are eligible to be selected in the 2009 NHL Draft. Players born after September 15 in 1991 are eligible for the 2010 NHL Draft.
Players from non-North American countries are allowed to be added in the CHL Import Draft held in June.
Western Hockey League Stories from May 3, 2007
- Giants Take 13 Players In 2007 WHL Bantam Draft - Vancouver Giants
- Chiefs Select Betz In First Round - Spokane Chiefs
- Americans Raid Dog Pound in 2007 WHL Bantam Draft - Tri-City Americans
- Cougars Draft Day Final Outlook - Prince George Cougars
- Wheat Kings Busy At Bantam Draft - Brandon Wheat Kings
- Cougars finish off draft - Prince George Cougars
- Tips Select 12 Players in 2007 WHL Bantam Draft - Everett Silvertips
- T-Birds take defenseman in first round of WHL Bantam Draft - Seattle Thunderbirds
- Oil Kings Select 11 Players At 2007 WHL Bantam Draft - Edmonton Oil Kings
- Hitmen Select 11 Players In The 2007 Whl Bantam Draft - Calgary Hitmen
- 30 Manitobans Chosen In Bantam Draft - Brandon Wheat Kings
- Red Deer Rebels Make 10 Bantam Draft Selections - Red Deer Rebels
- Chilliwack Bruins Unveil 2007 Draft Selections - Chilliwack Bruins
- WHL Bantam Draft continues for Wheat Kings - Brandon Wheat Kings
- Cougars Make Round Six and Seven Selections - Prince George Cougars
- Edmonton Oil Kings Select Sherwood Park's Mark Pysyk As First Bantam Draft Pick - Edmonton Oil Kings
- WHL Bantam Draft continues - Brandon Wheat Kings
- Rockets Announce First Round Bantam Draft Selection - Kelowna Rockets
- Cougars make second and third round picks - Prince George Cougars
- Giants Select Local D-Man In Bantam Draft - Vancouver Giants
- Bruins select Sundher seventh overall - Chilliwack Bruins
- Hitmen Select Austin Madaisky 14th Overall In Bantam Draft - Calgary Hitmen
- Rockets Announce Top Pick in 2007 WHL Bantam Draft - Kelowna Rockets
- Cougars Select Local Product 10th Overall - Prince George Cougars
- Silvertips Select Kent Simpson in First Round of 2007 WHL Bantam Draft - Everett Silvertips
- Wheaties Choose Regier In Round One - Brandon Wheat Kings
- Red Deer Rebels Take Connor Redmond In First Round - Red Deer Rebels
- Warriors Move Up; Take Manitoban - Brandon Wheat Kings
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