In 1990, the Western Hockey League established the bantam draft to better distribute the talent within its boundaries to its member teams.  The Bantam Draft is held annually by the WHL to provide an orderly transfer of players to WHL Club Protected Player Lists (PPL).  Once a player is selected by a WHL Club, he can only participate in tryout camps and other team activities for that Club.  To attend the camp of another Club, the player must be dropped from his current Club’s PPL.

The WHL Bantam Draft is typically held on the first Thursday in May, at which time WHL Clubs select players who have graduated from the Bantam age category.  All players in the proper age group and WHL territory are automatically eligible for the Draft, and do not need to file any sort of paperwork with the WHL Office. WHL territory includes:

•     The four western provinces of Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, and British Columbia.

•     The U.S. states of Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington and Wyoming.

The Draft order of selection is determined by where a WHL Club finishes in the WHL Regular Season standings. The Clubs that miss the playoffs are placed into a lottery to determine the selection order for the first round only. After the first round, the Clubs select in order from the fewest to most regular season points.  Teams must have an open slot on their 50-player PPL in order to make a selection in the bantam draft and can continue to draft players as long as they continue to open up slots.

While the WHL Bantam Draft is the first opportunity for teams to select graduating Bantam players, it is not the last chance for a player to be listed or recruited by a WHL Club. After the Draft is completed, all remaining Bantam players become eligible to be listed by WHL Clubs, and many will be added as spots become available on a WHL Club PPL, or as player development improves at a higher level of hockey.

 

	2024 Draft
	Rd.	No.	Player	Pos.	HT	WT	Hometown
	1	3	Aden Bouchard	D	6’0	162	Airdrie, AB
	2	24	Crew Martinson	F	6’0	159	Olds, AB
	3	47	Lukasz McIsaac	D	5’11	175	Vancouver, BC
	3	56	Trae Peterson	F	5’11	156	Yorkton, SK
	4	68	Carter Bylycia	D	6’1	163	Kamloops, BC
	4	69	Alexander Laing	F	6’1	182	Langley, BC
	6	127	Hudson Champagne	F	6’0	177	Brandon, MB
	7	135	Seth Garafalo	F	6’0	179	Calgary, AB
	7	144	Blake Mumford	G	6’1	142	Kamloops, BC
	7	147	Lucas McConnell	D	6’0	181	Edmonton, AB
	8	157	Owen Wiemer	F	5’9	140	Calgary, AB
	2023 Draft
	Rd.	No.	Player	Pos.	HT	WT	Hometown
	1	13	Cruz Pavao	RW	5’10	185	Calgary, AB
	2	35	Carter Kingerski	C	5’10	154	Headingley, MB
	3	55	Jesse McKinnon	LW	5’9	132	St. Albert, AB
	3	56	Mason Mykichuk	C	6’0	162	East St. Paul, MB
	5	101	Brock Heidecker	LD	6’1	177	Kelowna, BC
	5	107	Ryler Gates	G	6’1	152	Carman, MB
	6	123	Barret Berger	LD	6’0	178	Saskatoon, SK
	7	144	David Byrne	LD	6’1	160	Calgary, AB
	9	189	Kylen Martens	RD	6’0	155	Summerland, BC
	9	191	Hayden Laing	C	6’2	159	Kelowna, BC
	10	211	Ryan Gibbs	RW	5’9	150	Moose Jaw, SK
	11	233	Wyatt Kelman	RD	6’0	157	Headingley, MB
	2022 Draft
	Rd.	No.	Player	Pos.	HT	WT	Hometown
	1	2	Jackson Smith	D	6’3	174	Calgary, AB
	2	24	Cash Koch	F	5’11	147	Calgary, AB
	3	46	Savin Virk	F	5’10	146	Surrey, BC
	4	68	Leo Seitz	F	5’9	136	Saskatoon, SK
	4	73	Ryan Grout	G	5’10	157	Sturgeon County, AB
	4	87	Damian Kravcak	F	6’0	165	Delta, BC
	5	90	Jaxen Adam	D	6’1	174	Cochrane, AB
	6	112	Kainoah Brankovic	D	6’0	177	Port Coquitlam, BC
	8	156	Clayton Gillmore	F	6’02	208	West Kelowna, BC
	10	200	Chayse Johnson	G	5’10	143	Trail, BC
	11	222	Sean Shiels	F	5’7	138	Saskatoon, SK
	2021 Draft
	Rd.	No.	Player	Pos.	HT	WT	Hometown
	1	2	Jordan Gavin	F	5’11	143	Surrey, BC
	2	31	Gavin Garland	F	6’0	168	Tsawwassen. BC
	3	49	Merrek Arpin	D	6’2	153	East St. Paul, MB
	5	93	Eric Kahl	G	6’2	157	Saskatoon, SK
	7	137	Cole Bilous	D	6’2	157	Lockport, MB
	8	159	Zakhar Meshcheriakov	D	5’10	165	Phoenix, AZ
	9	181	Nicholas Anisimovicz	F	5’8	155	Calgary, AB
	10	203	Ben Polhill	G	6’0	175	Cochrane, AB
	2020 Draft
	Rd.	No.	Player	Pos.	HT	WT	Hometown
	1	4	Lukas Dragicevic	D	6’0	170	Richmond, BC
	2	25	Deagan McMillan	F	6’1	178	Vernon, BC
	3	47	Tanner Gould	F	5’10	164	Calgary, AB
	5	101	Benjamin Stokes	F	6’1	163	Calgary, AB
	6	113	Carter Savage	D	6’1	170	Surrey, BC
	6	120	Drew Freer	F	5’9	157	Calgary, AB
	8	157	Max Lightwood	D	6’0	185	Anchorage, AK
	9	179	Slava Tugolukov	F	6’0	170	Coppell, TX
	10	201	Payton Nelson	F	5’10	160	Centennial, CO
	11	223	Luke Anderson	F	5’8	128	Anchorage, AK
	2019 Draft
	Rd.	No.	Player	Pos.	HT	WT	Hometown
	2	33	Rhett Melnyk	F	5’9	155	Edmonton, AB
	3	55	Jake Sloan	F	6’3	190	Leduc, AB
	4	81	Max Borovinskiy	F	5’11	160	West Vancouver, BC
	5	97	Mateo Sjoberg	F	5’11	155	Cloverdale, BC
	6	121	Ben Feenan	D	6’0	160	White Rock, BC
	7	143	Tyson Dyck	F	5’10	145	Abbotsford, BC
	8	165	Markus Johansen	D	6’0	165	New Westminster, BC
	9	187	Easton Sandberg	D	5’10	170	Nanaimo, BC
	10	205	Shawn Paul St. Arnaud	F	6’3	200	Westlock, AB
	11	131	Elouann Lemonnier	F	5’11	170	Dallas, TX
	2018 Draft
	Rd.	No.	Player	Pos.	HT	WT	Hometown
	1	14	Marc Lajoie	D	6’3	205	St. Albert, AB
	3	58	Carson Haynes	D	6’1	157	Taber, AB
	4	80	Tyson Greenway	F	6’1	160	St. Albert, AB
	5	102	Parker Bell	F	6’2	165	Campbell River, B.C.
	6	118	Mason Dunsford	G	6’0	150	New Westminister, B.C.
	6	124	Ben Coghlan	F	5’9	161	Nanaimo, B.C.
	7	146	Paul Minnehan	F	6’1	150	Cypress, CA
	9	190	Bryson Andregg	D	5’11	146	Dallas, TX
	10	199	Calvin Osterberger	F			Boise, ID
	10	212	Cole Larocque	F	5’8	170	Lethbridge, AB
	10	217	Alexander Bonrouhi	G	5’8	154	Marina del Ray, CA
	11	234	Matt Dorsey	F	6’2	190	Wenatchee, WA
	2017 Draft
	Rd.	No.	Player	Pos.	HT	WT	Hometown
	1	12	Kaden Kohle	F	6’2	185	Cudsworth, SK
	2	34	Tom Cadieux	D	6’1	148	Saskatoon, SK
	3	53	Talyn Boyko	G	6’5	161	Drumheller, AB
	4	82	Jarod Newell	D	6’3	174	Wainright, AB
	5	104	Riley Stewart	F	6’2	165	Phoenix, AZ
	6	114	Sequoia Swan	C	5’10	181	Winnipeg, MN
	6	122	True Crowe	D	6’0	161	Greeley, CO
	6	129	Landon Roberts	F	6’0	170	Souris, MB
	7	144	Kyle Crewe	D	6’3	170	Courtenay, B.C.
	8	166	Tristan Rand	F	5’11	161	Valencia, CA
	9	188	Braeden McAmmond	LW	6’2	179	Vernon, B.C.
	2016 Draft
	Rd.	No.	Player	Pos.	HT	WT	Hometown
	1	6	Sasha Mutala	F	6’0	190	Vancouver, B.C.
	2	29	Mitchell Brown	D	6’2	203	Salmon Arm, B.C.
	4	68	Blake Stevenson	F	6’0	170	Calgary, AB
	5	95	Kash Rasmussen	F	6’0	181	Cochrane, AB
	5	105	Bryan McAndrews	D	6’5	209	Edmonton, AB
	6	161	Connor Bouchard	F	5’6	152	Cochrane, AB
	9	183	Zachary Okabe	F	5’9	161	Okotoks, AB
	9	194	Xavier Cannon	G	6’3	216	Kamloops, B.C.
	10	202	Rajvir Sangha	F	5’10	170	Calgary, AB
	2015 Draft
	Rd.	No.	Player	Pos.	HT	WT	Hometown
	1	7	Carson Focht	F	6’0	158	Regina, SK
	2	25	Paycen Bjorklund	F	5’9	159	Grand Prairie, AB
	3	49	Seth Bafaro	D	5’9	160	Revelstoke, B.C.
	4	71	Liam Belcourt	D	6’2	188	Sherwood Park, AB
	4	73	Brendan Saether	D	6’3	186	Abbotsford, B.C.
	5	93	Keltie Jeri-Leon	F	5’11	175	West Kelowna, B.C.
	5	104	Jack Barnes	F	5’9	161	Plano, TX
	5	109	Ryan O’Reilly	F	6’0	175	Southlake, TX
	7	137	Jaxon Nelson	F	6’1	160	Magnolia, MN
	8	159	Keagan Rowland	F	6’3	165	Lloydminster, AB
2014 Draft
	Rd.	No.	Player	Pos.	HT	WT	Hometown
	1	7	Michael Rasmussen	C	6’2	180	Surrey, B.C.
	3	45	Kyle Olson	C	5’7	135	Calgary, AB
	3	50	Brett Leason	C	6’0	152	Calgary, AB
	4	70	Conor Timlick	D	6’3	166	Winnipeg, MB
	5	90	Landon Fuller	D	6’3	190	100 Mile House, B.C.
	5	94	Erik Dahl	D	6’1	173	Lakeville, MN
	6	116	Riley Sawchuk	C	5’5	139	Prince Albert, SK
	8	160	Dominik Vlaha	G	6’2	159	North Bend, WA
	9	182	Korbyn Chabot	C	5’9	180	Cranbrook, B.C.
	10	204	Bryce DeFazio	D	6’2	174	Colorado Springs, CO
2013 Draft
	Rd.	No.	Player	Pos.	HT	WT	Hometown
	1	15	Parker AuCoin	C	6’0	176	Calgary, AB
	2	29	Nolan Yaremko	LW	5’11	178	Edmonton, AB
	3	59	Mark Drohan	D	5’11	143	Calgary, AB
	3	63	Dylan Coghlan	D	6’1	174	Nanaimo, B.C.
	5	90	Morgan Geekie	C	5’11	153	Strathclair, MB
	5	95	Jordan Roy	C	5’11	154	Lethbridge, AB
	6	125	Nicholas Sanders	G	5’11	185	Calgary, AB
	7	146	Anea Ferrario	D	6’0	180	Ogden, UT
	8	163	Parker McCormick	RW	6’1	178	Regina, SK
	8	169	Cory Thomas	D	6’1	163	St. Brieux, SK
2012 Draft
	Rd.	No.	Player	Pos.	HT	WT	Hometown
	1	21	Parker Wotherspoon	D	5’10	142	Surrey, B.C.
	3	46	Braden Purtill	C	5’10	176	Winnipeg, MB
	3	55	Tyler Fraser	D	6’1	160	Surrey, B.C.
	3	61	Ty Comrie	C	5’10	140	Newport Coast, CA
	3	65	Evan Sarthou	G	5’11	145	Kent, WA
	6	131	Maxwell James	LW	6’1	180	Kamloops, B.C.
	7	153	Robby Jackson	C	5’8	160	Alameda, CA
	8	163	Kurtis Rutledge	D	6’1	161	Calgary, AB
	8	175	Jordan Topping	LW	5’11	170	Nanaimo, B.C.
	9	197	Cole Gammer	RW	6’0	155	Edmonton, AB
	10	219	Bryce Fiske	D	5’9	157	Air Ronge, SK
2011 Draft
	Rd.	No.	Player	Pos.	HT	WT	Hometown
	4	75	Brian Williams	C	5’10	167	San Diego, CA
	4	81	Brandon Hickey	D	6’0	155	Leduc, AB
	4	82	Tyler Mrkonjic	F	6’1	160	St. Albert, AB
	6	126	Kaleb Denham	D	6’1	155	Innisfail, AB
	8	170	Jeremy Briscoe	D	6’4	190	Phoenix, AZ
	9	192	Ryan Tait	RW	5’8	150	Santa Clarita, CA
	10	214	Brandon Carlo	D	6’0	156	Colorado Springs, CO
	11	236	Matthew Forchuk	C	5’4	130	Okotoks, AB
	12	258	Shane McMahan	F	5’10	170	Irvine, CA
	13	280	Kody Ichinaga	LW	5’3	125	Torrance, CA
	14	302	Austin Mayton	RW	6’0	160	Richland, WA
2010 Draft
	Rd.	No.	Player	Pos.	HT	WT	Hometown
	1	13	Eric Comrie	G	5’11	175	Newport Coast, CA
	3	63	Justin Spagrud	LW	6’0	145	Gull Lake, SK
	4	85	Josh Wik	D	6’3	184	Swift Current, SK
	7	148	Austin Seaman	D	5’11	155	Calgary, AB
	7	151	Taeron Lewis	RW	5’10	160	Winnipeg, MB
	8	173	Brian Williams	C	5’8	141	Claremont, CA
	9	195	Ryer Sawchuk	D	6’0	160	Taber, AB
	10	217	Clint Filbrandt	D	5’6	120	Calgary, AB
	11	239	Andrew Oglevie	RW	5’10	150	Fullerton, CA
	12	261	Taylor Marr	F	5’4	131	Twin Butte, AB

2009 Draft   2008 Draft    2007 Draft    2006 Draft

2005 Draft    2004 Draft    2003 Draft    2002 Draft

2001 Draft   2000 Draft    1999 Draft    1998 Draft

1997 Draft   1996 Draft    1995 Draft    1994 Draft

1993 Draft   1992 Draft    1991 Draft    1990 Draft