WHL Bantam Draft is May Day

May 1, 2008 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Brandon Wheat Kings News Release

Calgary, Alberta -- The Brandon Wheat Kings will pick 13th overall when the Western Hockey League holds its annual Bantam Draft on Thursday, May 1st at the Round Up Centre in Calgary.

Eligible players for the draft will be 1993 born players who reside in Alberta, BC, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, NWT, the Yukon as well as the western United States.

The draft allows for the orderly transfer of players to WHL protected Player lists from the bantam ranks (14-15 year olds).

Among the highly touted players expected to be chosen include Edmonton right-winger Mark McNeill, center Ryan Nugent-Hopkins from Burnaby and Winnipeg product Michael St. Croix, who starred last season with the Winnipeg bantam Monarchs. Others that could be among those to hear their names called today include Brandon defenceman Josh Elmes and forward Kole Harvey of the Virden bantam Oil Kings.

Like many clubs, the Wheat Kings put a great deal of stock in the bantam draft. This past season, sixteen players on Brandon's roster were acquired through the draft.

"That's what we're endeavoring to do is build our team out of the bantam draft," Wheat Kings' director of player personel Al Macpherson told Rob Henderson of the Brandon Sun earlier this week. "I think this year we had as many drafted guys in our lineup as any team in the league and our guys are proud of that accomplishment."

Recent first round selections of the Wheat Kings have included the likes of Brandon Regier (2007), Brayden Schenn (2006), Sanfred King (2005) and Keith Aulie (2004). Previous number one selections have included Spokane's Jared Cowan, Colten Teubert of Regina, Vancouver's Gilbert Brule and Braydon Cobrun of the Portland Winter Hawks.

Thanks to their recent win in the draft lottery, the Red Deer Rebels will have the first overall selection, with Portland set to take the second pick overall.

For a complete history of Brandon's bantam drafts from over the years, visit www.wheatkings.com and click on History.

The 19th Annual WHL draft will be posted live on www.whl.ca. Click on the WHL Bantam Draft icon on the homepage to get the results live in real-time.

Western Hockey League Stories from May 1, 2008

• Blazers Make 11 Selections In 2008 Bantam Draft - Kamloops Blazers
• Blades Complete Draft Day - Saskatoon Blades
• 36 Manitobans Chosen At Bantam Draft - Brandon Wheat Kings
• Edmonton Oil Kings Pick Up Some Prospects At The Draft - Edmonton Oil Kings
• Chiefs Select Twelve Players in Bantam Draft - Spokane Chiefs
• WHL Championship Finals on Comcast - Spokane Chiefs
• Chiefs Take 12 Players in Bantam Draft - Spokane Chiefs
• Character, Speed, and Vision Highlight Bruins Draft Selections - Chilliwack Bruins
• Americans Go Big in 2008 WHL Bantam Draft - Tri-City Americans
• Calgary Bison Peter Kosterman taken in the first round - Calgary Hitmen
• Giants Select Nine Players In Bantam Draft - Vancouver Giants
• Americans Go Big In 2008 WHL Bantam Draft - Tri-City Americans
• Wheat Kings Choose 11 At WHL Draft - Brandon Wheat Kings
• 2008 WHL Bantam Draft Recap - Regina Pats
• Broncos Complete Draft Day - Swift Current Broncos
• Ice Select 11 Players In The WHL Bantam Draft - Kootenay Ice
• Raiders Draft 11, Add A 2009 Draft Pick And Veteran Goaltender At 2008 WHL Bantam Draft - Prince Albert Raiders
• Red Deer Rebels Make Nine Picks In WHL Bantam Draft - Red Deer Rebels
• Juha Metsola Of The Lethbridge Hurricanes Named ADT CHL Goaltender Of The Week - WHL
• Pats Select Reinboldt In 10th Round - Regina Pats
• Blades Choose Robinson In Eleventh Round - Saskatoon Blades
• T-Birds Take Center With First Pick In Bantam Draft - Seattle Thunderbirds
• Blades Choose Iwan In Tenth Round - Saskatoon Blades
• Pats Select Pavkovich In 9th Round - Regina Pats
• Rockets' Bantam Draft Selections - Kelowna Rockets
• Pats Select Crowther In 9th Round - Regina Pats
• Blades Choose Trask In Ninth Round - Saskatoon Blades
• Pats Select Sagen With Second 8th Round Pick - Regina Pats
• WHL Bantam Draft continues - WHL
• Juha Metsola named ADT CHL Goaltender of the Week - WHL
• Pats Select Baskerville With First 8th Round Pick - Regina Pats
• Blades Choose Laurent In The Eighth Round - Saskatoon Blades
• Pats Select Hildebrandt With 7th Round Pick - Regina Pats
• Blades Choose Kingston In Seventh Round - Saskatoon Blades
• Pats Select Goaltender With 6th Round Pick - Regina Pats
• Pats Select Stevenson In 5th Round - Regina Pats
• Blades Choose Oswalt In Fifth Round - Saskatoon Blades
• Blades Choose McBain In Fourth Round - Saskatoon Blades
• Chilliwack Bruins Recognized As Scholastic Team Of The Year - Chilliwack Bruins
• WHL Bantam Draft Continues For Wheat Kings - Brandon Wheat Kings
• Raiders Swap Picks With Everett, Pick Two Saskatchewan Products In 2nd Round - Prince Albert Raiders
• Blades Select Thrower And Sutter In Second Round - Saskatoon Blades
• Red Deer Rebels Take Ryan Nugent-Hopkins In First Round - Red Deer Rebels
• Borstmayer Pats 2nd Round Selection - Regina Pats
• Tri-City Takes Defenseman with Top Pick in 2008 Bantam Draft - Tri-City Americans
• Calgary Hitmen Select Peter Kosterman 19th Overall in 2008 WHL Bantam Draft - Calgary Hitmen
• Kelowna Rockets Draft Shayne McColgan - Kelowna Rockets
• Tri-City Takes Defenseman with Top Pick in 2008 Bantam Draft - Tri-City Americans
• Broncos Select Scarlett in 1st Round - Swift Current Broncos
• Myles Bell Pats 1st Selection in 2008 WHL Bantam Draft - Regina Pats
• Giants Select Lower Mainland Defenceman - Vancouver Giants
• Edmonton Oil Kings Add Some Young Talent To The Roster - Edmonton Oil Kings
• Bruins Select Topping in WHL Bantam Draft - Chilliwack Bruins
• Ice Select Forward in First Round - Kootenay Ice
• Blazers Select Colin Smith 7th Overall - Kamloops Blazers
• Wheat Kings Move Up, Take Albertan - Brandon Wheat Kings
• Centre Mark McNeill is Raiders First Round Pick - Prince Albert Raiders
• Blades Draft Siemens - Saskatoon Blades
• WHL Bantam Draft is May Day - Brandon Wheat Kings

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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