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WHL Portland Winterhawks

Winterhawks Select 11 Players at 2018 WHL Bantam Draft

May 3, 2018 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Portland Winterhawks News Release


The Portland Winterhawks selected 11 players during the 2018 WHL Bantam Draft in Red Deer, Alberta, on Thursday.

With their 19th overall selection in the first round, Portland drafted center Gabe Klassen from Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. Klassen, 5'7", played 31 games for the Prince Albert Pirates BAA last year, and recorded 52 goals, 37 assists and 89 points. Klassen led the entire Saskatchewan Bantam AA Hockey League in both goals and points.

"We think Gabe is one of the smartest players in the draft," said Winterhawks' Assistant General Manager Matt Bardsley. "When we watched him play, we loved the way he sees the ice, and he plays the game at a pace we want our team to play with. He's a center, whose slippery, distributes the puck well, and can make plays in traffic. We are extremely excited to select Gabe and think he's going to be a really good compliment to the '02 born players we selected in the last year's draft."

Portland made two selections in the third round. With the 57th pick, the Winterhawks took goaltender Lochlan Gordon from Edmonton, Alberta. In 18 games played with the Northern Alberta Xtreme Bantam Prep last season, the 6'0$B!m(B, 173-pound, goaltender was 12-5-0-0, with a 2.68 goals-against-average and four shutouts.

With the 63rd pick, Portland selected defenseman Ty Murchison from Corona, California. Murchison played for the L.A. Jr. Kings 14U last season and recorded nine goals, 22 points and 60 penalty minutes in 45 games played.

Portland took another two players in the fourth round. With the 70th overall selection, the Hawks took forward Chaz Lucius from Blaine, Minnesota. Lucius, 5'9", played 64 total games played this past year, including tournaments, Lucius had 206 goals and 111 assists.

With the 85th pick, Portland selected forward Dawson Pasternak from Winnipeg, Manitoba. Pasternak, 5'5", played in 31 games for the Winnipeg Hawks Bantam AAA last season, and recorded 15 goals, 30 assists and 45 points.

In the fifth round, Portland selected defenseman Ryan McCleary from Swift Current, Alberta. McCleary, 5'9$B!m(B, played 31 games with the Swift Current Broncos BAA last year, recording 11 goals and 41 points.

Also in the fifth round, Portland selected forward Jonah Bevington from Yellowknife, Northwest Territories. Bevington, 6'0$B!m(B, played in 29 games for the OHA Edmonton Elite 15's last season, recording 10 goals and 28 points. Bevington is the first player from the Northwest Territories ever selected by Portland.

The Winterhawks made four more selections over the remaining seven rounds.

Forward Aidan Litke from Winnipeg, Manitoba, was taken in the sixth round. Litke, 5'10", played in 30 games with the Rink Hockey Academy Bantam Prep this past season, and had nine goals and 20 points.

Defenseman Brody Tallman from Lethbridge, Alberta, was selected in the eighth round. Tallman, 5'9$B!m(B, played in 33 games with the Lethbridge Golden Hawks BAAA last season, and recorded four goals and 24 points. Tallman tied for the fifth most points in the Alberta Major Bantam Hockey League among defenseman.

Forward Parker Murray from Manhattan Beach, California, was taken in the 10th round. Murray played in 38 games with the Los Angeles Jr. Kings 14U last season, the 5'11" forward had 20 goals, 17 assists and 37 points.

With the 218th pick in the 2018 WHL Bantam Draft, the Winterhawks selected defenseman Max Burkholder from Chaska, Minnesota.

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Western Hockey League Stories from May 3, 2018


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