Western Hockey League Completes 2023 U.S. Priority Draft

May 10, 2023 - Western Hockey League (WHL) News Release

Calgary, Alta. - The Western Hockey League completed the 2023 WHL U.S. Priority Draft today with WHL member Clubs selecting 44 players throughout the two-round draft.

With the first-overall pick, the Spokane Chiefs selected forward Brody Gillespie from RINK Hockey Academy Kelowna U15 Prep.

The product of Vancouver, Wash. collected 54 points (26G-28A) from his 28 CSSHL contests during the 2022-23 season.

"Brody is a very complete player who adds an element of skill, speed, size and energy to our lineup," Spokane Chiefs Director of U.S. Scouting George Ross said. "We couldn't be more excited to add him to our group."

A total of 28 forwards, 12 defencemen and four goaltenders were selected in the 2023 WHL U.S. Priority Draft.

In total, players from 12 different states were selected in the 2023 WHL U.S. Priority Draft, including California, which led the way with 10 players chosen.

2023 WHL U.S. Priority Draft - State-by-State Breakdown

California - 10

Minnesota - 9

Texas - 8

Colorado - 4

Arizona - 3

Washington - 3

Idaho - 2

Alaska - 1

Illinois - 1

New Mexico - 1

North Dakota - 1

Utah - 1

Complete results for the 2023 WHL U.S. Priority Draft are available at WHL.ca/draft.

2023 WHL U.S. Priority Draft Results

Round One

#1 - Spokane Chiefs

Name: Brody Gillespie Position: Forward Hometown: Vancouver, Wash.

Team: RINK Hockey Academy Kelowna U15 Prep Stats: 28GP - 26G-28A-54 points

#2 - Victoria Royals

Name: Cruz Waltze Position: Forward Hometown: Richland, Wash.

Team: RINK Hockey Academy Kelowna U15 Prep Stats: 28GP - 24G-22A-46 points

#3 - Edmonton Oil Kings

Name: Alofa Tunoa Ta'amu Position: Defence Hometown: San Diego, Calif.

Team: Los Angeles Jr. Kings 14U AAA Stats: 49GP - 15G-15A- 30 points

#4 - Swift Current Broncos

Name: Aiden Eskit Position: Goaltender Hometown: Dallas, Texas

Team: Yale Hockey Academy U15 Prep Stats: 17 GP - 11-5-1 - 2.43 GAA, .914 SV%

#5 - Prince Albert Raiders

Name: Liam Hamre Position: Forward Hometown: Victoria, Minn.

Team: Sioux Falls Power 14U AAA Stats: 51 GP - 28G-21A-49 points

#6 - Brandon Wheat Kings

Name: Reed Brown Position: Forward Hometown: Tempe, Ariz.

Team: Colorado Springs Tigers 14U AAA Stats: 7 GP - 4G-3A-7 points

#7 - Kelowna Rockets

Name: Kalder Varga Position: Forward Hometown: Geneva, Ill.

Team: Chicago Mission 14U AAA Stats: 15 GP - 11G-10A-21 points

#8 - Vancouver Giants

Name: Tyus Sparks Position: Forward Hometown: Boise, Id.

Team: Los Angeles Jr. Kings 14U AAA Stats: 45 GP - 49G-41A-90 points

#9 - Medicine Hat Tigers

Name: Shaeffer Gordon-Carroll Position: Forward Hometown: Salt Lake City, Utah

Team: Chicago Mission 14U AAA Stats: 15 GP - 8G-12A-20 points

#10 - Everett Silvertips

Name: Cameron Dillard Position: Defence Hometown: Arlington, Texas

Team: Dallas Stars Elite 14U AAA Stats: 4 GP - 1G-1A-2 points

#11 - Calgary Hitmen

Name: Masen McCosh Position: Defence Hometown: Glendale, Ariz.

Team: Phoenix Jr. Coyotes 14U AAA Stats: 4 GP - 1G-0A-1 point

#12 - Regina Pats

Name: Parker Trottier Position: Forward Hometown: Edina, Minn.

Team: Shattuck St. Mary's 14U AAA Stats: 56 GP - 43G-45A-88 points

#13 - Tri-City Americans

Name: Sean Burick Position: Defence Hometown: San Clemente, Calif.

Team: Los Angeles Jr. Kings 14U AAA Stats: 52 GP - 6G-17A-23 points

#14 - Lethbridge Hurricanes

Name: North McKee Position: Defence Hometown: Dallas, Texas

Team: Dallas Stars Elite 14U AAA Stats: 4 GP - 0G-1A-1 point

#15 - Prince George Cougars

Name: Phoenix Cahill Position: Defence Hometown: Cottage Grove, Minn.

Team: Sioux Falls Power 14U AAA Stats: 14 GP - 3G-3A-6 points

#16 - Moose Jaw Warriors

Name: Zachary Schmidt Position: Defence Hometown: Highland Ranch, Colo.

Team: Colorado Thunderbirds 14U AAA Stats: 8 GP - 2G-3A-5 points

#17 - Portland Winterhawks

Name: Landon Amrhein Position: Forward Hometown: Dallas, Texas

Team: Dallas Stars Elite 14U AAA Stats: 4 GP - 2G-6A-8 points

#18 - Red Deer Rebels

Name: Cooper Soller Position: Forward Hometown: Los Angeles, Calif.

Team: Shattuck St. Mary's 14U AAA Stats: 55 GP - 31G-45A-76 points

#19 - Saskatoon Blades

Name: Daniel Peate Position: Forward Hometown: San Juan Capistrano, Calif.

Team: Anaheim Jr. Ducks 14U AAA Stats: 40 GP - 38G-20A-58 points

#20 - Kamloops Blazers

Name: JP Hurlbert Position: Forward Hometown: Dallas, Texas

Team: Dallas Stars Elite 14U AAA Stats: 75 GP - 112G-83A-195 points

#21 - Seattle Thunderbirds

Name: Drake Owens Position: Goaltender Hometown: Anchorage, Alaska

Team: Rocky Mountain Roughriders 14U AAA Stats: 35 GP - 2.09 GAA, .897 SV%

#22 - Winnipeg ICE

Name: Colemen Bumgarner Position: Forward Hometown: Shakopee, Minn.

Team: Benilde/St. Margaret's High School Stats: 27 GP - 6G-9A-15 points

Round Two

#23 - Edmonton Oil Kings

Name: Dylan Dean Position: Forward Hometown: Maple Grove, Minn.

Team: Mount St. Charles Academy 14U AAA Stats: 32 GP - 23G-32A-55 points

#24 - Spokane Chiefs

Name: Nathan Chorlton Position: Forward Hometown: Hastings, Minn.

Team: Cretin/Derham Hall High School Stats: 31 GP - 6G-10A-16 points

#25 - Victoria Royals

Name: Odin Vauhkonen Position: Defence Hometown: Costa Mesa, Calif.

Team: Shattuck St. Mary's 14U AAA Stats: 56 GP - 11G-36A-47 points

#26 - Kelowna Rockets

Name: Oliver Kanat Position: Goaltender Hometown: Newport Beach, Calif.

Team: Los Angeles Jr. Kings 14U AAA Stats: 14 GP - 1.53 GAA, .922 SV%

#27 - Prince Albert Raiders

Name: Caden Dionne Position: Forward Hometown: Denver, Colo.

Team: Sioux Falls Power 14U AAA Stats: 40 GP - 24G-17A-41 points

#28 - Brandon Wheat Kings

Name: Jimmy Egan Position: Defence Hometown: Mahtomedi, Minn.

Team: Mahtomedi High School Stats: 31 GP - 4G-17A-21 points

#29 - Vancouver Giants

Name: Gavin Karl Position: Forward Hometown: Excelsior, Minn.

Team: Minnesota Machine 14U Stats: 31 GP - 11G-11A-22 points

#30 - Swift Current Broncos

Name: Dominic Deibert Position: Defence Hometown: Fargo, N.D.

Team: North Dakota BEL Stats: 5 GP - 1G-0A-1 point

#31 - Medicine Hat Tigers

Name: Noah Davidson Position: Forward Hometown: Irvine, Calif.

Team: Los Angeles Jr. Kings 14U AAA Stats: 51 GP - 60G-47A-107 points

#32 - Everett Silvertips

Name: Booker Toninato Position: Forward Hometown: Dallas, Texas

Team: Dallas Stars Elite 14U AAA Stats: 4 GP - 0G-3A-3 points

#33 - Calgary Hitmen

Name: Joel Anderson Position: Goaltender Hometown: Albuquerque, N.M.

Team: Phoenix Jr. Coyotes 14U AAA Stats: 3 GP - 2.67 GAA, .849 SV%

#34 - Regina Pats

Name: Blake Riley-Kam Position: Forward Hometown: Phoenix, Ariz.

Team: Phoenix Jr. Coyotes 14U AAA Stats: 4 GP - 1G-2A-3 points

#35 - Tri-City Americans

Name: Rowan McCord Position: Forward Hometown: Spokane, Wash.

Team: Rocky Mountain RoughRiders 14U Stats: 61 GP - 39G-25A-64 points

#36 - Lethbridge Hurricanes

Name: Logan Stuart Position: Forward Hometown: Los Angeles, Calif.

Team: Los Angeles Jr. Kings 14U AAA Stats: 27 GP - 36G-32A-68 points

#37 - Prince George Cougars

Name: Broden Scissors Position: Forward Hometown: Los Angeles, Calif.

Team: Los Angeles Jr. Kings 14U AAA Stats: 52 GP - 16G-10A-26 points

#38 - Moose Jaw Warriors

Name: Trevor Hill Position: Forward Hometown: Dallas, Texas

Team: San Antonio Jr. Rampage 14U Stats: 21 GP - 30G-21A-51 points

#39 - Portland Winterhawks

Name: Luke Wilfley Position: Forward Hometown: Englewood, Colo.

Team: Colorado Springs Tigers 14U Stats: 7 GP - 3G-5A-8 points

#40 - Red Deer Rebels

Name: Ethan Park Position: Forward Hometown: Meridian, Idaho

Team: Los Angeles Jr. Kings 14U AAA Stats: 43 GP - 19G-26A-45 points

#41 - Saskatoon Blades

Name: Luke Host Position: Defence Hometown: Columbine, Colo.

Team: Colorado Springs Tigers 14U Stats: 7 GP - 0G-2A-2 points

#42 - Kamloops Blazers

Name: Dennis Emesibe Position: Forward Hometown: Allen, Texas

Team: Dallas Stars Elite 14U AAA Stats: 5 GP - 4G-2A-6 points

#43 - Seattle Thunderbirds

Name: Zane Torre Position: Forward Hometown: Ladera Ranch, Calif.

Team: Shattuck St. Mary's 14U AAA Stats: 3 GP - 0G-0A-0 points

#44 - Winnipeg ICE

Name: Logan Lutner Position: Defence Hometown: Maple Grove, Minn.

Team: Osseo/Maple Grove AA 14U statistics unavailable

Check out the Western Hockey League Statistics

Western Hockey League Stories from May 10, 2023

Winterhawks Select Two Americans at 2023 U.S. Priority Draft - Portland Winterhawks
Bedard Winner of Four Broncos Memorial Trophy as WHL Player of the Year - Regina Pats
Bedard Wins Four Broncos Memorial Trophy as WHL Player of the Year Presented by Kia - WHL
Hitmen Select Two in U.S. Priority Draft - Calgary Hitmen
Oil Kings Sign 2023 U.S. Priority Draft Third-Overall Pick Alofa Tunoa Ta'amu - Edmonton Oil Kings
Pats Captain Bedard Wins Bob Clarke Trophy as 2022-23 WHL Top Scorer Presented by Kubota Canada - Regina Pats
Royals Sign U.S. Priority Draft Selection Cruz Waltze to WHL Scholarship and Development Agreement - Victoria Royals
Blades Draft Forward and Defenceman in U.S. Priority Draft - Saskatoon Blades
Western Hockey League Completes 2023 U.S. Priority Draft - WHL
Bedard Wins Bob Clarke Trophy as 2022-23 WHL Top Scorer Presented by Kubota Canada - WHL
Warriors Add Two Players in Wednesday's U.S. Priority Draft - Moose Jaw Warriors
Kamloops Blazers Select Two Players in U.S. Priority Draft - Kamloops Blazers
Americans Select Burick, McCord in 2023 WHL U.S. Priority Draft - Tri-City Americans
Tigers Select Gordon-Carroll & Davidson in US Prospects Draft - Medicine Hat Tigers
Chiefs Select F Brody Gillespie First Overall in WHL U.S. Priority Draft, F Nathan Chorlton in Second Round - Spokane Chiefs
Royals Select Cruz Waltze and Odin Vauhkonen in 2023 U.S. Priority Draft - Victoria Royals
Tips Select Two Players from Dallas Stars Elite 14U in U.S. Priority Draft - Everett Silvertips
Pats Make Pair of Selections in 2023 U.S. Priority Draft - Regina Pats
Giants Select Tyus Sparks and Gavin Karl in 2023 U.S. Priority Draft - Vancouver Giants
Rebels Select Two at WHL U.S. Priority Draft - Red Deer Rebels
Rockets Make Pair of Picks in US Priority Draft - Kelowna Rockets
Wheat Kings Select Reed Brown & Jimmy Egan in US Priority Draft - Brandon Wheat Kings
Hurricanes Select Pair in 2023 US Priority Draft - Lethbridge Hurricanes
Broncos Add Goaltender, Defenceman in 2023 WHL U.S. Priority Draft - Swift Current Broncos
Oil Kings Make Two Selections at 2023 WHL U.S. Priority Draft - Edmonton Oil Kings

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