Kelowna Rockets 2025 WHL Draft Preview

Kelowna Rockets 2025 WHL Draft Preview

The Kelowna Rockets are preparing for a busy week on the Western Hockey League calendar, as the annual Prospects Draft, U.S. Priority Draft and WHL Expansion Draft are set to begin on May 7.

The first round of the WHL Draft will take place on Wednesday, May 7^th at 4 p.m. PT which is being streamed free on Victory+ beginning with pre-show and analysis at 3:30 p.m. PT. The U.S. Priority Draft will begin on Thursday, May 8 at 8 a.m. PT and will be followed by the completion of the WHL Draft. Kelowna will pick ninth and 39^th in the U.S. Draft.

Additionally, the Penticton Vees’ selections from the 2025 Expansion Draft will be revealed on Wednesday, May 7, prior to Round 1 of the WHL Prospects Draft.

2025 WHL DRAFT

The Rockets own two first round selections in the 2025 WHL Draft, as they hold their own pick at third overall as well as 20^th overall, acquired in a trade with the Spokane Chiefs in the Andrew Cristall trade.

The Rockets selected defenceman Owen Hayden with their first selection in 2024, who spent this past season with Edge School U18 Prep in Calgary. Since 2018, Kelowna has only made two other first round selections – taking Trevor Wong 18^th overall in 2018 and Andrew Cristall 8^th overall in 2020.

The Rockets have made a top five pick in franchise history five times:

• 1991 (1): Adam Smith (D)
• 2007 (2): Luke Moffatt (F)
• 2000 (4): Josh Lepp (G)
• 1992 (5): Kyle McLaren (D)
• 1999 (5): Jason Ryznar (F)

2025 ROCKETS WHL PROSPECTS DRAFT INVENTORY
ROUND	PICK	ORIGINAL TEAM
1	3	KELOWNA
1	20	SPOKANE
2	43	SPOKANE
3	66	SPOKANE
4	82	EDMONTON
4	86	PRINCE GEORGE
5	95	REGINA
5	96	KELOWNA
6	121	WENATCHEE
7	142	KELOWNA
7	149	VANCOUVER
8	165	KELOWNA
10	211	KELOWNA
11	234	KELOWNA
12	257	KELOWNA

 

2025 WHL PROSPECTS DRAFT – FIRST ROUND ORDER OF SELECTION

1. Regina Pats
2. Edmonton Oil Kings (from Moose Jaw)
3. Kelowna Rockets
4. Penticton Vees
5. Everett Silvertips (from Kamloops)
6. Vancouver Giants (from Wenatchee)
7. Red Deer Rebels
8. Edmonton Oil Kings (from Seattle)
9. Tri City Americans
10. Wenatchee Wild (from Swift Current)
11. Kamloops Blazers (from Vancouver)
12. Brandon Wheat Kings (from Portland)
13. Vancouver Giants (from Edmonton)
14. Kamloops Blazers (from Saskatoon)
15. Brandon Wheat Kings
16. Prince Albert Raiders
17. Prince George Cougars
18. Moose Jaw Warriors (from Lethbridge)
19. Victoria Royals
20. Kelowna Rockets (from Spokane)
21. Seattle Thunderbirds (from Calgary)
22. Saskatoon Blades (from Medicine Hat)
23. Regina Pats (from Everett Silvertips)

Starting with the second round, Penticton will receive the first pick. All other WHL Clubs shall draft based on the inverse order of the final standings from the 2024-25 WHL Regular Season.

Players eligible for the 2025 WHL Prospects Draft are 2010-born players who reside in Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Northwest Territories, Yukon, Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.

Players not selected in the 2025 WHL Prospects Draft will remain eligible to be listed by WHL Clubs at any time thereafter.

2025 WHL U.S. Priority Draft

The Kelowna Rockets will select ninth overall in the first round of the 2025 WHL U.S. Priority Draft.

The 2024 WHL U.S. Priority Draft will consist of two rounds and 44 selections, with each WHL Club presented with the opportunity to make two draft choices. Players eligible for the 2024 WHL U.S. Priority Draft are 2008-born players who reside in Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.

2025 WHL U.S. Priority Draft – Round 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

In 2024, the Rockets selected forward Colton Lien at 11^th overall and forward Drew Larioza at 33^rd overall.

Other notable players selected by the Rockets in the U.S. Priority Draft include two members of the Rockets roster from this past season. Defenceman Jackson Gillespie was selected 17^th overall in 2022, while 2024-25 Rockets Rookie of the Year, Kalder Varga was selected with the seventh overall pick in 2023.

2025 WHL EXPANSION DRAFT

The Western Hockey League is holding an expansion draft with the addition of the Penticton Vees to the league ahead of the 2025-26 WHL Regular Season.

On Tuesday, May 6, WHL Clubs will be permitted to protect either:

1. 16 players aged 17 to 20 years old (born in 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005) appearing on their 50-player, Injured, Suspended, Graduate, Special Import, and 20-year-old Lists, plus an additional six (6) players appearing on their College List.

OR

2. 14 players aged 17 to 19 years old (born in 2008, 2007, 2006) and three (3) 20-year-old players (born in 2005) appearing on their 50-player, Injured, Suspended, Graduate, Special Import, and 20-year-old Lists, plus an additional six (6) players on their College List.

Players aged 16 (born in 2009) are exempt from the 2025 WHL Expansion Draft for all WHL Clubs.

• Penticton can select one (1) player from each WHL Club for a total of 22 players.
• Penticton will be permitted to dress four (4) 20-year-old players in all pre-season, regular season, and playoff games during the 2025-26 WHL season only. Should Penticton win the WHL Championship, they will only be permitted to dress three (3) 20-year-old players in the 2026 Memorial Cup.
• Trades between Penticton and WHL Clubs for a player(s) and / or a draft pick(s) will be permitted in place of the expansion pick.

Full details on the 2025 WHL Expansion Draft can be found HERE.