Oil Kings Add Wouters and Kokkoris in Round One of WHL Prospects Draft
Edmonton, Alta. – The Edmonton Oil Kings made two selections in the top-10 of the 2025 WHL Prospects Draft as the first round took place on Wednesday evening.
With the second overall selection, the Oil Kings selected defenceman Holden Wouters. A Vancouver, B.C. product, Wouters played the last two seasons with St. George’s U15 Prep squad in the CSSHL. This season, Wouters scored 12 goals and added 29 assists for 41 points in 29 games. He finished third on the team in scoring, and first among defencemen. In the playoffs, Wouters notched a goal and an assist in three games.
“Such an imposing, big defenseman, he’s a right shot, he’s got great offensive instincts, he defends extremely well,” said Oil Kings President and General Manager Kirt Hill “He’s going to be a guy that’s going to be able to play significant minutes for us in the future and really stabilize our back end.”
Hey @EdmOilKings fans 👋
Here's a quick preview of your next great blueliner and 2nd overall selection, Holden Wouters!@ATHLETICSaints | #WHLDraft | #CSSHL pic.twitter.com/n3enXOD7Om
— CSSHL (@CSSHL) May 7, 2025
The 6’4”, 175lbs defender also played five games at the John Reid Memorial Tournament in St. Albert, notching two assists.
Wouters was named as part of the CSSHL B.C. Division First All-Star Team this season.
Then, with the eighth overall selection the Oil Kings went back to the blue line, selecting defenceman Christopher Kokkoris.
Kokkoris, a Langley, B.C. product, has spent the last two seasons playing with Yale Hockey Academy’s U15 Prep and Varsity squads. The 6’6”, 176lbs blueliner had 37 points in 34 games this season, which included 33 assists, the most on his team. His 37 points were also the most by a defender on Yale’s U15 Prep team. He added two points in four playoff games as well.
“His size, his ability to move the puck, he’s extremely clean on his breakouts, that first pass is really good,” Hill said. “The range is phenomenal and the amount of space he can take up on the ice, so just thought he elevated his game, especially going into the sports school championships where he had an exceptional tournament and he really sold us there.”
Keeping it rolling! 🛞
With the 8th overall pick in the 2025 WHL Prospects Draft the Edmonton Oil Kings are proud to select defenceman Christopher Kokkoris!
Welcome to Edmonton, Christopher!👑 pic.twitter.com/V8JG4RieKN
— Edmonton Oil Kings (@EdmOilKings) May 8, 2025
Kokkoris was named as part of the CSSHL B.C. Division Second All-Star Team this season. He also played three games with Yale’s U17 Prep team.
This was the first time in Oil Kings history that the club has picked twice in the top-10 of the WHL Prospects Draft.
The Oil Kings will now look towards the U.S. Priority Draft and the remainder of the WHL Prospects Draft on Thursday. Edmonton holds the third overall pick in the U.S. Priority Draft and hold the 34th and 36th overall picks in the Prospects Draft in the second round.
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