BLAZERS SELECT 10 PLAYERS IN WHL BANTAM DRAFT

BLAZERS SELECT 10 PLAYERS IN 2013 WHL BANTAM DRAFT

Calgary, AB – The 2013 WHL Bantam Draft has concluded, and the Blazers have added 10 1998-born players to the hockey club’s protected player list. 

In the first round, 19^th overall, the Blazers selected forward Quinn Benjafield from North Vancouver, BC. Benjafield played this past season for the North Shore Winter Club Bantam AAA hockey club. The 6’0” 155lb right shot forward recorded 63 goals, 69 assists and 132 points in 70 games. Benjafield helped lead his team to the B.C. Provincial Bantam AAA Championship and to the Western Canadian Bantam Championship final.   

The Blazers did not have a second round pick this year, but held two picks in the third round. At 48^th overall, the Blazers went to Arborg, Manitoba to select Jermaine Loewen. Loewen is a big forward standing at 6’2” and 175lbs who had 31 goals and 55 points in 31 games with the Interlake Bantam AAA team.

At 58^th overall, the Blazers selected defenseman Dawson Davidson from Moosomin, Saskatchewan. Davidson led all defensemen in scoring in the Saskatchewan Bantam AA league with 49 points in 25 games.

In the fourth round, the Blazers selected forward Phillip Knies from Phoenix, Arizona. Knies played for the Arizona Bobcats Bantam AAA team and is regarded as one of the top American born prospects available in the WHL Bantam Draft.

In rounds six through eight, the Blazers chose four players. At 129^th overall, defenseman James Miller was selected from Sherwood Park, Alberta. In the seventh round, the Blazers selected forward Garrett Pilon, the son of former NHL defenseman Rich Pilon, and defenseman Clint Colebourn. Colebourn is from North Vancouver and played this past season with the Blazers’ first round pick, Quinn Benjafield.

Goaltender Dylan Ferguson was selected by the Blazers in the eighth round. He was the lone goaltender taken by the Blazers in the 2013 WHL Bantam Draft. Also in the eighth round, the Blazers selected Keenan Roszko, a forward from Sherwood Park, Alberta. With the Blazers’ final pick in the 10^th round, the hockey club selected Jordan Deyrmenjian from Vancouver, BC.

A breakdown by position of the ten players selected by the players includes six forwards, three defensemen and one goaltender. A breakdown of the selections by region includes four players from B.C., two from Saskatchewan, two from Alberta, one from Manitoba, and one player from Arizona.

A brief synopsis on each player chosen:

Player Stats – GP  G  A  PTS  PIM

Goalie Stats – GP  Record  GAA  SV%

1^st Round – 19^th Overall
RW – Quinn Benjafield
6’0” 155lbs
Born – February 2/98
Hometown – North Vancouver, BC
Team: North Shore Winter Club Bantam AAA   70   63   69   132   18

3^rd Round – 48^th Overall
LW – Jermaine Loewen
6’2″ 175lbs
Born – January 18/98
Hometown – Arborg, MB
Team: Interlake Bantam AAA   31   31   24   55   26

3^rd Round – 58^th Overall
D – Dawson Davidson
5’9″ 145lbs
Born – April 7/98
Hometown – Moosomin, SK
Team: Melville Millionaires Bantam AA   25   20   29   49   62  

4^th Round – 85^th Overall
C/LW – Phillip Knies
5’8″ 166lbs
Born – January 1/98
Hometown – Phoenix, AZ
Team: Arizona Bobcats Bantam   Stats Not Available

6^th Round – 129^th Overall
D – James Miller
6’1″ 160lbs
Born – February 20/98
Hometown – Spruce Grove, AB
Team: Spruce Grove Bantam AAA   25   2   20   22   85

7^th Round – 133^rd Overall
C – Garrett Pilon
5’5″ 140lbs
Born – April 13/98
Hometown – Kindersley, SK
Team: West Central Kings Bantam AA   27   24   28   52   16
*Son of former NHL player Rich Pilon*

7^th Round – 151^st Overall
D – Clint Colebourn
5’11” 155lbs
Born – November 25/98
Hometown – North Vancouver, BC
Team: North Shore Winter Club Bantam AAA   67   10   21   31   50

8^th Round – 166^th Overall
G – Dylan Ferguson
6’0″ 165lbs
Born – September 20/98
Hometown – Lantzville, BC
Team: Notre Dame Bantam AAA   16   12-1-2   2.81   NA

8^th Round – 173^rd Overall
RW – Keenan Roszko
5’11” 165lbs
Born – February 11/98
Hometown – Sherwood Park, AB
Team: Sherwood Park Bantam AAA   26   13   10   23   60

10th Round – 217^th Overall
LW – Jordan Deyrmenjian
5’11” 170lbs
Born – February 5/98
Hometown – Vancouver, BC
Team: Vancouver Thunderbirds Bantam A1   Stats Not Available

For a complete rundown on the 2013 WHL Bantam Draft, please visit http://www.whl.ca.