Broncos to select 13th overall in 2025 WHL U.S. Priority Draft
Calgary, Alta. – The Western Hockey League announced today the Brandon Wheat Kings will select first overall in the 2025 WHL U.S. Priority Draft, following the completion of the 2025 WHL U.S. Priority Draft Lottery.
This is the first time the Brandon Wheat Kings will select first overall in the WHL U.S. Priority Draft. Previously, the Wheat Kings made their highest pick in 2022, calling forward Jake Stuart from Manhattan Beach, Calif., with the second-overall selection.
2025 WHL U.S. Priority Draft – Order of Selection
| FIRST ROUND | SECOND ROUND |
| 1. Brandon Wheat Kings | 24. Lethbridge Hurricanes |
| 2. Moose Jaw Warriors | 25. Prince Albert Raiders |
| 3. Edmonton Oil Kings | 26. Calgary Hitmen |
| 4. Penticton Vees | 27. Penticton Vees |
| 5. Vancouver Giants | 28. Victoria Royals |
| 6. Red Deer Rebels | 29. Everett Silvertips |
| 7. Saskatoon Blades | 30. Portland Winterhawks |
| 8. Prince George Cougars | 31. Spokane Chiefs |
| 9. Kelowna Rockets | 32. Medicine Hat Tigers |
| 10. Wenatchee Wild | 33. Kamloops Blazers |
| 11. Tri-City Americans | 34. Seattle Thunderbirds |
| 12. Regina Pats | 35. Swift Current Broncos |
| 13. Swift Current Broncos | 36. Regina Pats |
| 14. Seattle Thunderbirds | 37. Tri-City Americans |
| 15. Kamloops Blazers | 38. Wenatchee Wild |
| 16. Medicine Hat Tigers | 39. Kelowna Rockets |
| 17. Spokane Chiefs | 40. Prince George Cougars |
| 18. Portland Winterhawks | 41. Saskatoon Blades |
| 19. Everett Silvertips | 42. Red Deer Rebels |
| 20. Victoria Royals | 43. Vancouver Giants |
| 21. Calgary Hitmen | 44. Edmonton Oil Kings |
| 22. Prince Albert Raiders | 45. Moose Jaw Warriors |
| 23. Lethbridge Hurricanes | 46. Brandon Wheat Kings |
The 2025 WHL U.S. Priority Draft is scheduled for Thursday, May 8, 2025, and will be conducted online at WHL.ca. The 2025 WHL U.S. Priority Draft will consist of two rounds and 46 selections, with each WHL Club presented with the opportunity to make two draft choices.
The 2025 WHL U.S. Priority Draft Lottery was executed in two stages.
The first stage of the 2025 WHL U.S. Priority Draft Lottery determined the order of selection of the six non-playoff Clubs – Moose Jaw, Regina, Kelowna, Kamloops, Wenatchee, and Red Deer – and the eight teams that were eliminated during the first round of the 2025 WHL Playoffs presented by Nutrien. The six non-playoff teams and eight teams that lost in the first round of the playoffs each received one ball in the lottery. The first ball drawn determined the 15th-overall pick and the final ball drawn represented the first-overall pick in the first round of the 2025 WHL U.S. Priority Draft.
The Penticton Vees were awarded the fourth pick in both the first and second rounds of the 2025 WHL U.S. Priority Draft.
The second stage of the 2025 WHL U.S. Priority Draft Lottery determined the order of selection of the eight teams that won their first-round series of the 2025 WHL Playoffs. Each of the advancing eight Clubs received one ball in the lottery. The first ball drawn determined the 23rd-overall pick and the final ball drawn represented the 16th-overall pick in the first round.
The process for the 2025 WHL U.S. Priority Draft Lottery was administered by Karen Tolentino of KPMG.
The WHL U.S. Priority Draft began in 2020, with Florida Panthers prospect Gracyn Sawchyn selected first overall by the Red Deer Rebels. Since then, a number of impactful players have heard their names called in the WHL U.S. Priority Draft, including Alex Weiermair (Portland Winterhawks, 2020), Blake Fiddler (Edmonton Oil Kings, 2022), Lukas Sawchyn (Seattle Thunderbirds, 2022), Brandon Gorzynski (Calgary Hitmen, 2022), Jackson Gillespie (Kelowna Rockets, 2022), Brody Gillespie (Spokane Chiefs, 2023), Kalder Varga (Kelowna Rockets, 2023), and Shaeffer Gordon-Carroll (Medicine Hat Tigers, 2023).
Players eligible for the 2025 WHL U.S. Priority Draft are 2010-born players who have resided in the United States for two or more consecutive hockey seasons immediately preceding the WHL U.S. Priority Draft. Should a player’s family have moved from WHL territory in Canada to the U.S. for at least one complete season, the player will be eligible for the WHL U.S. Priority Draft. To be eligible for the 2025 WHL U.S. Priority Draft, a player must reside in Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, or Wyoming.
Players not selected in the 2025 WHL U.S. Priority Draft will remain eligible to be selected in the 2025 WHL Prospects Draft, beginning in the second round.
For complete coverage of the 2025 WHL Playoffs presented by Nutrien and the 2025 WHL Drafts, please visit WHL.ca.
About the Western Hockey League
Regarded as the world’s finest development league for junior hockey players, the Western Hockey League (WHL) head office is based in Calgary, Alta. The WHL offers a world-class player experience featuring three key cornerstones: hockey development, education, and a safe and positive environment for all participants. A diverse and inclusive organization, the WHL consists of 22 member Clubs with 16 located in Western Canada and six in the U.S. Pacific Northwest. A member of the Canadian Hockey League, the WHL has been a leading supplier of talent for the National Hockey League for close to 60 years. The WHL is also a leading provider of hockey scholarships with over 375 graduates each year receiving WHL Scholarships to pursue a post-secondary education of their choice. Each season, WHL players also form the nucleus of Canada’s National Junior Hockey Team.
