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WHL Brandon Wheat Kings

Wheat Kings Choose 11 in Bantam Draft

May 5, 2016 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Brandon Wheat Kings News Release


Calgary, AB. - The 2016 Western Hockey League Bantam Draft is in the books and the Brandon Wheat Kings selected a total of eleven players Thursday in Calgary.

Following a trade with the Moose Jaw Warriors that saw the two teams swap first round selections, the Wheat Kings opted for Prince Albert defenceman Braden Schneider with their top pick.

A 6'1" 185 lb blueliner, Schneider had seven goals and 20 points with the AAA Bantam Raiders in 2015-16.

The Wheat Kings, who captured their second straight Eastern Conference Title last weekend and are set to kick off the Championship Series against Seattle on Friday, also surrendered their third and sixth round picks to Moose Jaw in order to move up from 21st to 12th overall.

"What a great feeling...I'm speechless," says Schneider, who served as captain of the Venice House Raiders in 2015-16. "It was hard getting a good ight sleep last night but I'm so excited."

"He was our favorite defenceman in the draft," says Wheat Kings' director of scouting Wade Klippenstein. "He's a big right hand shot that can play any style...powerplay, physical. We just couldn't get him go by. We're excited to Braden a part of our organization."

"I'm a puck moving defenceman but my favorite part of the game is being physical," says Schneider, who watched the first round of the draft at home with his parents on Thursday.

Schenider becomes the first Saskatchewan born prospect to be chosen by the Wheat Kings in the opening round since Eric Roy was taken 18th overall in 2009.

In the second round, Brandon chose 5'10" 155 lb left-winger Ben McCartney of MacDonald, Manitoba 43rd overall. A member of the Okanagan Hockey Academy, McCartney scored eighteen goals and 33 points this past season.

Although they didn't have a third or sixth round pick today because of the earlier deal with Moose Jaw, the Wheat kings did grab 5'11" 160 lb. right-winger Kyle Bettens in the fourth (87th overall) and 6' 168 lb. netminder Ethan Kruger in the fifth (109th overall).

Bettens - the younger brother of Wheat King prospect Rylan - scored seventeen goals and 55 points in 32 games with the Winnipeg Bantam Warriors while Kruger compiled a sparkling 1.63 goals against average and a .931 save percentage with the Sherwood Park AAA Flyers in 2015-16.

In the seventh round (153rd overall), Brandon took 5'11" 178 lb defenceman Neithan Salame and then opted for 5'10" 165 lb left-winger Jonny Hooker from Winnipeg in the eighth.

Salame had six goals and 30 points for the Edmonton KC Squires while Hooker scored 22 goal and 39 points in 34 games for the Winnipeg Bantam Monarchs.

The Wheat Kings rounded out the draft by choosing five players - left-winger Carter Cockburn, defencemen Timber Lewis and Justin MacDonald as well as forwards Dylan Halliday and Kolton Shindle - during the final five rounds.

A 5'10" 151 lb forward from Swan River, Cockburn scored 37 goals and 61 points for the Parkland Junior Rangers this past season.

A teammate of McCartney at Okanagan, Lewis is a 5'9" 141 lb defenceman from Terrace, B.C., who scored a goal and ten points this year.

MacDonald, who is a 5'10" 160-pounder from St. Albert, is coming off a s season that saw him score four goals and 18 points in 31 games.

A local product, the 6' 197 lb Halladay scored 89 points, including 43 goals for the AAA Bantam Wheat Kings.

Shindle - a 5'9" 170 lb Carman product meanwhile scored 46 goals and 75 points for Pembina Valley in 2015-16.

Six of Brandon's selections were from Manitoba, there were three from Alberta and one each from B.C. and Saskatchewan. Of the 11 players chosen, six were forwards, four were defencemen and there was one goalkeeper selected.

The Kootenay Ice, who finished last in the WHL this past season, had the first overall selection Thursday and used it to take forward Peyton Krebs of the Rocky Mountain AAA Bantam Raiders.

The WHL bantam draft is the first opportunity for WHL clubs to replenish their systems with graduating bantam-aged players.

Players eligible for the draft were 2001 born players, who reside in Manitoba, Alberta, Saskatchewan, British Columbia, the Yukon, Northwest Territories, Alaska and the western United States.

On the ice, the Wheat Kings host the Seattle Thunderbirds in game one of the WHL Championship Series, presented by ROGERS, on Friday night.

Only "General Standing Room Only" tickets remain for both weekend games (limit of four per customer) at the Keystone Centre box office. Western Manitoba hockey fans can also call (204) 726-3555.

Brandon is making it second straight appearance in the League Finals.

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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.

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