2025 Vancouver Giants WHL Draft Recap
Ladner, B.C. – The Vancouver Giants made a total of 10 selections in the 2025 WHL Prospects Draft this week, plus two selections in the U.S. Priority Draft, highlighted by standout first-round picks Louis-Oscar Holowaychuk and Crosby Mateychuk.
Even though the club did not hold a second, third or fourth-round pick, Vancouver got some real value in the late rounds. The Giants made one trade on Thursday with Seattle to acquire an additional seventh, eighth and ninth-round pick, allowing them to select three more players.
“Really optimistic about the players we were able to select,” Giants Director of Player Personnel Greg Batters said. “Feel honoured to be able to select all these kids and very hopeful that we’re going to have a really good opportunity to have a bunch of these players in a Giants uniform in the near future.”
In total, the organization added six forwards, five defencemen and one goaltender.
WHL PROSPECTS DRAFT
| ROUND | OVR | PLAYER | POS | HT | WT | HOMETOWN | 2024-25 TEAM |
| 1 | 6 | Louis-Oscar Holowaychuk | C | 5’5 | 130 | Vancouver, B.C. | St. George’s School U15 Prep |
| 1 | 13 | Crosby Mateychuk | D | 6’0 | 185 | Dominion City, Man. | Eastman Selects U15 AAA |
| 5 | 101 | Tony Cabelka | LW | 5’10 | 175 | Port Coquitlam, B.C. | Yale Hockey Academy U15 Prep |
| 5 | 103 | Jakob Schmidt | D | 6’0 | 165 | Prince Albert, Sask. | Prince Albert Pirates U15 AA |
| 7 | 157 | Leonardo Domenichelli | C | 5’9 | 168 | Lugano, SUI | HC Lugano U20 |
| 8 | 169 | Adrian Ferro | G | 5’11 | 154 | Drumheller, Alta. | Sherwood Park Flyers U15 AAA |
| 8 | 172 | Ethan Mah | D | 6’3 | 183 | North Vancouver, B.C. | North Shore Warriors U15 Prep |
| 9 | 192 | Nathaniel Moore | RW | 5’11 | 165 | Delta, B.C. | St. George’s U15 Prep |
| 9 | 195 | William Mateychuk | D | 5’11 | 175 | Zhoda, MB | Eastman Selects U15 AAA |
| 10 | 218 | Tommy Ogee | D | 5’9 | 157 | Vancouver, WA | STAR Hockey Academy U15 Prep |
U.S. PRIORITY DRAFT
| ROUND | OVR | PLAYER | POS | HT | WT | HOMETOWN | 2024-25 TEAM |
| 1 | 5 | Drew Wilkinson | F | 6’1 | 184 | Bozeman, MT | Edge School U15 Prep |
| 2 | 43 | Daniel Makovetskiy | C | 5’5 | 196 | Renton, WA | STAR Hockey Academy U15 Prep |
Round 1, Pick 6: Louis-Oscar Holowaychuk, F, St. George’s School U15 Prep
Holowaychuk was the CSSHL U15 Prep MVP, after scoring 50 goals in 34 games, which was 15 more goals than any other skater in the division. The right-shot forward had 83 points, which also led all skaters in scoring.
“His compete level is second to none. He wants the puck. He’s a player that’s willing to go to the dirty areas to get the puck,” Giants Head Scout Terry Bonner said. “He knows how to score goals. He reminds me a lot of the way that Logan Stankoven played. I think at the end of the day, he wants to really be a good hockey player and he’s willing to do it. Size is not an issue with me because he plays a lot bigger than he is. He’s very talented and has a high hockey IQ.”
Holowaychuk was also a first-team all-star at the John Reid Memorial tournament. In April, Holowaychuk was named a U15 Prep First-Team All-Star in the B.C. Division.
The Vancouver native was ranked 4th overall by Elite Prospects in their WHL Draft rankings, calling him one of the highest-paced players in the draft.
“Holowaychuk is a perpetual engine,” EP’s ranking said. “Blending an explosive inside-focused, route-changing rush game, the Vancouver-born centre targets poor body positions, protects at his hip, and flexes power elements constantly. So inside-focused, Holowaychuk attacks board-to-middle in waves, leveraging his projectable shooting at every opportunity. Chest over stick, synced weight transfer, and powerful catch-and-release skill led to a 50-goal season at the CSSHL U15 level. Moreover, his defensive involvement, particularly his penchant for pickpocketing pucks on spirited backchecks, means he stacks second-chance attacking opportunities.”
Holowaychuk was also ranked third overall by Puck Preps, another online scouting service.
Round 1, Pick 13: Crosby Mateychuk, D, Eastman Selects U15 AAA
Mateychuk is the younger brother of Columbus Blue Jackets defenceman and former Moose Jaw Warriors captain Denton Mateychuk.
The left-shot blueliner scored over a goal-per-game in the Manitoba U15 AAA League, with 32 goals and 71 points in 31 games for the Eastman Selects. He tallied 28 points in his final 10 games of the regular season (11G-17A).
“Crosby is a heck of a hockey player. He’s an elite skater, he’s big and strong, he controls the game when he’s out there,” Giants Director of Player Personnel Greg Batters said. “One of the things I liked about him is the bigger the game, the better he plays. He plays a measured type of game. He’s a leader. I can’t say enough good things about him. Great family. Great pedigree.”
Mateychuk was named a Manitoba U15 Second-Team All-Star.
The native of Dominion City, Man. was ranked 13th overall by Elite Prospects in their WHL Draft rankings.
“By the end of the season, Crosby Mateychuk was playing upward of 40 minutes, making every play for Eastman,” EP’s ranking said. “He absorbed and evaded the forecheck with spin moves, carried the puck up the ice, and found available lanes after entering the offensive zone. Consistently activating, he caught and distributed the puck, looking for vulnerabilities, attracting defenders on himself, and creating space for the attack. Defensively, his mature physical game made him hard to beat one-on-one.”
U.S. Priority – Round 1, Pick 5: Drew Wilkinson, F, Edge School U15 Prep
Wilkinson played in Calgary at Edge School this past season, scoring 14 goals and adding 13 assists for 27 points in 34 games.
“He is a big lad who has lots of power. He’s very physical. He’s very intelligent,” Batters said. “He’s a former defenceman, so this was his first year playing forward…He’s a versatile player that is just getting off the runway. I’m really excited about Drew. Drew is going to be a prototypical power forward and I think he’s got pro makings. To get him in the U.S. Draft is like getting a late first round pick or early second round pick in the Prospects Draft.”
The left-shot forward ranked 4th in the CSSHL U15 Prep division with four shorthanded goals. At the John Reid Memorial Tournament, Wilkinson recorded six points in five games, tied for second on Edge.
U.S. Priority – Round 2, Pick 43: Daniel Makovetskiy, F, STAR Hockey Academy U15 Prep
Makovetskiy scored 35 goals in 36 games and added 35 assists for 70 points, which ranked third in the entire U15 Prep division of the CSSHL.
“Daniel is a dynamic, skilled forward,” Batters said. “He’s a powerhouse of a kid. He’s a very confident young man. He can shoot the puck. He’s got playmaking ability. Fans will love watching Daniel. He has a really good chance to be a really good player in our league.”
His 35 goals were second in the U15 Prep division, trailing only Giants first-round pick Louis-Oscar Holowaychuk of St. George’s School, and his seven game-winning-goals were also second.
Round 5, Pick 101: Tony Cabelka, LW, Yale Hockey Academy U15 Prep
Cabelka tied for third on Yale Hockey Academy in scoring with 39 points in 35 games, on 17 goals and 22 assists.
“Cabelka is a different type of player. He’s got a lot of leadership ability,” Batters said. “He’s got a lot of skill, but he matches his skill with his intangibles. The coaches from Yale were raving about him. He had a really good second half; a great B.C. Cup. He’s just a quality player and a quality leader.”
The left-shot forward from Port Coquitlam had five game-winning-goals, which was top-10 in the entire U15 Prep division. Cabelka added six points in four games at the U15 Prep Division I Western Championships.
Round 5, Pick 103: Jakob Schmidt, D, Portland Pirates U15 AA
Schmidt led all Pirates defencemen in scoring with 31 points in 28 games, on 10 goals and 21 assists.
“He’s a big body who has that offence tucked into his game, but he’s also a strong defender,” Batters said. “He’s got good feet for a big lad. He’s intelligent. I was surprised that he was there [at 103]. Our Saskatchewan guys loved him.”
The left-shot d-man added four points in two playoff games.
Round 7, Pick 157: Leonardo Domenichelli, F, HC Lugano U20
Domenichelli was an off the board pick, but one that could provide immediate dividends.
He is a 2006-born forward from Switzerland, but was eligible for the draft as a dual Canadian-Swiss citizen after his dad played in the WHL.
“He’s a player that we expect to come in and slide right into the lineup,” Batters said. “He’s a high-skilled forward that can really skate. He’s going to fit in with the forward group. I think any time you can get a player who can come in right away and help, it seems to me like a no-brainer.”
Domenichelli’s younger brother Alessandro was selected by Portland in the 2024 WHL Draft, but Leonardo – who is three years older – has played the last two seasons in the Swiss U20 league already, recording 44 points in 43 games with HC Lugano U20 this past season. He also has played three professional games over the last two years. He could very well play for Swizterland at the 2025 World Junior Championships.
Round 8, Pick 169: Adrian Ferro, G, Sherwood Park Flyers U15 AAA
Ferro was fifth in the AEHL in save percentage for goalies that played in at least 20 games, recording a .914 SV% on a team that only won 10 games.
“Adrian played huge minutes, saw a lot of shots and his save percentage was really good,” Batters said. “He got hurt at the Alberta Cup after the first game, but he had done enough throughout the season to earn the respect of our scouts. Michael Green went to bat for him and Green is a great scout with a great eye. We feel lucky to get him there.”
“Ferro is another goalie who I think could be a starter. That’s another really nice late get for Vancouver,” Neutral Zone Director of Hockey Operations Nick Earle said on Neutral Zone’s live YouTube stream on day two of the WHL Draft. “He was on a pretty bad team – that Sherwood Park team – and he held the fort really well.”
Round 8, Pick 172: Ethan Mah, D, North Shore Warriors U15 Prep
Mah was second on the Warriors blueline in scoring with 26 points in 35 games, on five goals and 21 assists.
“He’s a big kid that can really skate. He improved all year,” Giants Director of Player Personnel Greg Batters said. “He’s another player whose trajectory is pointing upwards. Ethan is a great hockey player, so we’re interested to see how he plays out and we feel confident that he’ll have a chance to play in the Western Hockey League for sure.”
The left-shot d-man is already 6-3, and added 86 penalty minutes this season too.
“He’s got every tool in the toolbox for me,” Neutral Zone B.C. Regional Scout Jeff McCarthy said on Neutral Zone’s live YouTube stream. “Maybe in a couple years with the size that he already has, he can definitely turn some heads.”
Round 9, Pick 192: Nathaniel Moore, F, St. George’s School U15 Prep
Moore registered 27 points in 34 games at St. George’s this season.
“He had a good year on St. George’s and he had a good B.C. Cup,” Giants Director of Player Personnel Greg Batters said. “He was a player that was trending upwards for us. He’s a solid, hard-working, two-way guy with some grit and some skill.”
The forward was nearly a point-per-game despite getting very little special teams opportunities.
Round 9, Pick 195: William Mateychuk, D, Eastman Selects U15 AAA
Mateychuk is the cousin of Crosby Mateychuk, selected by the Giants in the first round. The two played on the same team and are both defenceman.
“We were thrilled to get both [William] and [Crosby]. William in his own right is a very good player,” Giants Director of Player Personnel Greg Batters said. “He’s more of a steadfast defender who’s heavier and a bit more physical – not that Crosby can’t be physical – but William is more of a piano mover than a piano player like his cousin.”
William recorded 28 points in 29 regular season games.
Round 10, Pick 218: Tommy Ogee, D, STAR Hockey Academy U15 Prep
Ogee recorded 17 points in 36 games from the blue line this past season, tied for second amongst defencemen on STAR Hockey Academy, the same team as Giants draft pick Daniel Makovetskiy.
“He’s a fleet-footed, skating, smart, puck-moving defenceman who comes from a really athletic background,” Giants Director of Player Personnel Greg Batters said. “Both of his parents were NCAA athletes, so he’s got some pedigree to him as well. The STAR Academy did very well for their first year in the CSSHL and Tommy was a big part of that.”
His father Tom had a junior career in the USHL in the late 1990s.
