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WHL Brandon Wheat Kings

Wheat Kings Select 14 at Bantam Draft

May 3, 2012 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Brandon Wheat Kings News Release


Calgary, Alberta - Another WHL Bantam draft has come and gone. After the dust settled the Wheat Kings ended up selecting 8 forwards, 5 defencemen and 1 goaltender. Of the 14 prospects selected Brandon chose 5 players from Saskatchewan, 4 from Manitoba, 4 from Alberta and 1 from British Columbia.

With their first selection, 12th overall the Wheat Kings turned to Calgary, AB to select offensive forward Braylon Shmyr (5'08 130lbs). Shmyr recorded 38 goals and 31 assists for 69 points in 33 games played for the Calgary Bisons (AMBHL) last season. General Manager Kelly McCrimmon had this to say about Shmyr "The things that he does with the puck, the skill level that he has, the plays that he can make, the different ways that he can score, we felt he was one of the premier players in this age group."

The Wheat Kings were without a second round pick entering the draft until they traded veteran forward Brenden Walker to the Saskatoon Blades for Saskatoon's 2nd round pick (35th overall) in this years draft, 2nd round pick in 2013 and a 3rd round pick in 2014. With the newly acquired second round pick the Wheat Kings selected Defenceman Tanner Browne (5'11 200lbs) from Kelowna, BC. Browne recorded 17 goals, 27 assists for 44 points in 44 games played for the Kelowa POE Bantams last season. Browne is a former teammate of current Wheat King Defenceman Ayrton Nikkel. Walker was drafted by the Wheat Kings in the 12th round (259th overall) of the 2007 WHL Bantam Draft. The St. Anne, Manitoba veteran recorded 26 goals and 55 assists for 81 points last season, good for 20th overall in league scoring. Over the past three season's Walker has compiled 152 points in 197 games played for Brandon. Walker will be a 20 year old overage player for the 2012-2013 season.

With their third round pick (acquired from the Lethrbidge Hurricanes in a trade that brought over G Brandon Anderson for G Liam Liston and D Spencer Galbraith) Brandon opted for forward Dakota Boutin (5'11 157lbs) from Moosomin, SK. In 19 games played with the Melville Millionaire Bantams, Boutin recorded 24 goals and 24 assist for 48 points.

Brandon had two picks in the 4th round. With the Wheat Kings own pick (78th overall) Brandon chose Forward Kirkland Lycar (5'10 166lbs) from Elma, Manitoba. Lycar recorded 14 goals and 4 assists for 18 points in 11 games played for the Eastman Bantams last season. Four picks later the Wheat Kings used the 81st overall pick (acquired from the Vancouver Giants in the Darren Bestland for Matt MacKay trade two years ago) to select Defenceman Mark Matsuba (5'11 156lbs) from Spruce Grove, AB. Matsuba played 33 games with St.Albert (AMBHL) last season, recording 11 goals and 9 assists for 20 points.

With the 100th overall selection in the 5th round the Wheat Kings chose forward Jesse Gabrielle (5'10 184lbs) from Moosomin, SK. Gabrielle played for Osseo Maple Grove Crimson High School in Minnesota this year.

Brandon was busy in the 6th round with three selections. With their first pick in the 6th round, 112th overall (acquired from Prince George for G Ty Rimmer) the Wheat Kings chose Winnipeg, MB Defenceman Matt Taraschuk (5'10 168lbs). Taraschuk had 6 goals and 5 assists for 11 points in 28 games played with the Winnipeg Bantam Warriors last season. Brandon then selected Forward Tristen Elder (6'1 159lbs) from Kinistino, SK with the 116th overall pick (acquired from the Lethbridge Hurricanes in a trade that brought over G Brandon Anderson for G Liam Liston and D Spencer Galbraith). Elder played with the Melfort Wolfpack last season scoring 17 goals and 19 assists for 36 points in 22 games played. With the Wheat Kings final pick in the 6th round Brandon selected a goalie, Logan Thompson (5'11 154 lbs) from Calgary, AB. Thompson had a 9-5 record with the Calgary Bisons Bantam AAA's last season.

The Wheat Kings chose another Manitoban in the 7th round with the 144th overall pick, selecting forward Wade Allison (5'10 147lbs) from Roland, MB. Allison scored 45 goals and had 50 assists for 95 points in 56 games played for the Pembina Valley Bantams last season.

In the 8th round the Wheat Kings selected forward Conner Lukan (5'9 157 lbs) from Slave Lake, AB with the 166th overall pick. Lukan scored 27 goals, 16 assists for 43 points in 32 games played with the Spruce Grove Bantams last year.

The Wheat Kings chose another Pembina Valley Hawk, this time in the 9th round, selecting forward Liam Macleod (5'10 170lbs) from LaSalle, MB. Mcleod had 7 goals and 9 assists for 16 points in 12 games played for Pembina last year.

With the 210th pick overall in the 10th round Brandon selected Defenceman Aaron Kellogg (5'11 195lbs) from Fort Saskatchewan, SK. Kellogg played for the Fort Saskatchewan Bantam's last season scoring 13 goals, 7 assists for 20 points in 30 games played.

Brandon used their 11th round draft pick, 232nd Overall on Defenceman Evan Werle (5'7 147lbs) from Langenburg, SK. Werle scored 11 goals, 15 assists for 26 points in 36 games played for the Notre Dame Bantams last season.

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