WHL BANTAM DRAFT APPROACHES

Calgary, Alberta — The Western Hockey League will be conducting it’s 15th Annual Bantam Draft this Thursday in Calgary.r 
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The WHL Bantam Draft is a talent identification process which serves as the first opportunity for clubs to add 1989 born players to their respective 50 player lists. r 
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The Prince George Cougars, thanks to last month’s WHL draft lottery, will have the first overall selection while the Saskatoon Blades, who won seven games during the 2003-04 campaign, will draft second.r 
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The Brandon Wheat Kings will have the sixth pick, their highest draft selection in four years. In April, 2000 the Wheat Kings opted for right-winger Eric Fehr of Winkler with the fifth overall pick. Fehr was one of three WHL players to score fifty goals this past season.r 
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With their first pick last year, Brandon took defenceman Mike Cann from Cochrane, Alberta. Among their recent selections are Codey Burki and Ryan Reaves of Winnipeg, Mark Louis of Ponoka, Alberta and goalkeeper Tyler Plante of Brandon, who recently backstopped the AAA midget Wheat Kings to the 2004 Air Canada Cup National Championship in Kenora, Ontario.r 
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Plante finished the tournament with a stellar 2.32 goals against average and a .932 save percentage in six games including a 29-save performance in a scoreless tie with the host Kenora Stars during the round robin last week.r 
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Brandon chose eleven players during last year’s draft including Douglas product Brandon Lockerby and Ryan McDonald of Prince Albert, who was part of this year’s trade with Regina that saw the Wheat Kings obtain all star netminder Josh Harding from the Pats.