WHEAT KINGS TO PICK 17TH IN BANTAM DRAFT
Calgary, Alberta — The Brandon Wheat Kings will pick 17th overall when the Western Hockey League holds its annual Bantam Draft on Thursday, May 3rd, beginning at 9:30 a.m. at the Round-Up Center in Calgary.
rEligible players for the Bantam Draft will be 1992 born players who reside in Alberta, B.C., Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Northwest Territories, Yukon, Alaska as well as the western states in the U.S.
rThe bantam draft allows for the orderly transfer of players to WHL Protected Player Lists from the bantam ranks (14-15 year olds).
rAmong the highly touted players expected to be chosen include Manitobans Quinton Howden, a 6’2” 180 lb center from the Springfield Bantam AA Ice Hawks, Winnipeg bantam Sharks center Charles Inglis, blueliner Justin Slobozian from Dauphin, Winnipeg bantam Warrior defenceman Gabriel Minville and center Mark Stone of the Winnipeg bantam AAA Hawks. Others expected to hear their name called include right-winger Taylor Wells and center Wheaton King of the Brandon bantam Wheat Kings.
rWells is the son of Brandon assistant coach Brad Wells while King is the younger brother of Sanfred King, the Wheat Kings’ first round pick in the 2005 WHL bantam draft.
rIn addition to their first round pick, Brandon will select early in the second round (31st overall), after acquiring the Lethbridge Hurricane’s second selection in last year’s deal involving defenceman Mike Cann.
rThe Wheat Kings also have their third and fourth round picks and two fifth round selections, with the extra pick acquired from Chilliwack in exchange for Michael Proudley last October.
rFormer first round selections by the Wheat Kings include Brayden Schenn (2006), King (2005) and Keith Aulie (2004).
rAulie meanwhile is also in Calgary this week as he is the Eastern Conference nominee for WHL Scholastic Player of the Year. Brandon’s graduating captain Mark Derlago meanwhile is up against Seattle’s Aaron Gagnon for the league’s Most Sportsmanlike Player honours.
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