Regina Pats to select first overall in 2024 WHL U.S. Priority Draft
Calgary, Alta. – The Western Hockey League announced today the Regina Pats will select first overall in the 2024 WHL U.S. Priority Draft following the completion of the 2024 WHL U.S. Priority Draft Lottery.
The 2024 WHL U.S. Priority Draft is scheduled for Wednesday, May 8, 2024, and will be conducted online at WHL.ca. The 2024 WHL U.S. Priority Draft will consist of two rounds and 44 selections, with each WHL Club presented with the opportunity to have two draft selections.
All six WHL Clubs that did not qualify for the 2024 WHL Playoffs participated in the 2024 WHL U.S. Priority Draft Lottery. The lottery proceedings determined the order of selection for the first six picks in the first round of the 2024 WHL U.S. Priority Draft, with inverse order of standing from the 2023-24 WHL Regular Season determining the order of selection for the remainder of the first round and second round.
The Kamloops Blazers, Tri-City Americans, Regina Pats, Seattle Thunderbirds, Edmonton Oil Kings, and Calgary Hitmen had the opportunity to obtain the first-overall selection in the 2024 WHL U.S. Priority Draft. The process for the 2024 WHL U.S. Priority Draft Lottery was administered by Josh Glenn of KPMG.
2024 WHL U.S. PRIORITY DRAFT – ORDER OF SELECTION
FIRST ROUND | SECOND ROUND |
1. Regina Pats | 23. Kamloops Blazers |
2. Seattle Thunderbirds | 24. Tri-City Americans |
3. Calgary Hitmen | 25. Regina Pats |
4. Tri-City Americans | 26. Seattle Thunderbirds |
5. Edmonton Oil Kings | 27. Edmonton Oil Kings |
6. Kamloops Blazers | 28. Calgary Hitmen |
7. Spokane Chiefs | 29. Spokane Chiefs |
8. Victoria Royals | 30. Victoria Royals |
9. Prince Albert Raiders | 31. Prince Albert Raiders |
10. Vancouver Giants | 32. Vancouver Giants |
11. Kelowna Rockets | 33. Kelowna Rockets |
12. Wenatchee Wild | 34. Wenatchee Wild |
13. Lethbridge Hurricanes | 35. Lethbridge Hurricanes |
14. Brandon Wheat Kings | 36. Brandon Wheat Kings |
15. Red Deer Rebels | 37. Red Deer Rebels |
16. Medicine Hat Tigers | 38. Medicine Hat Tigers |
17. Swift Current Broncos | 39. Swift Current Broncos |
18. Moose Jaw Warriors | 40. Moose Jaw Warriors |
19. Everett Silvertips | 41. Everett Silvertips |
20. Portland Winterhawks | 42. Portland Winterhawks |
21. Prince George Cougars | 43. Prince George Cougars |
22. Saskatoon Blades | 44. Saskatoon Blades |
Recent players to come through the WHL U.S. Priority Draft include Brody Gillespie (Spokane Chiefs, 2023), Blake Fiddler (Edmonton Oil Kings, 2022), and Gracyn Sawchyn (Seattle Thunderbirds, 2020).
Players eligible for the 2024 WHL U.S. Priority Draft are 2009-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.
Players not selected in the 2024 WHL U.S. Priority Draft will remain eligible to be selected in the 2024 WHL Prospects Draft on Thursday, May 9, 2024, or listed by a WHL Club at any time thereafter.
For complete coverage of the 2024 WHL Playoffs and 2024 WHL Drafts, please visit WHL.ca.
About the Western Hockey League
Regarded as the world’s finest development league for junior hockey players, the Western Hockey League (WHL) head office is based in Calgary, Alberta. The WHL offers a world-class player experience featuring three key cornerstones: hockey development, education, and a safe and positive environment for all participants. A diverse and inclusive organization, the WHL consists of 22 member Clubs with 16 located in Western Canada and six in the U.S. Pacific Northwest. A member of the Canadian Hockey League, the WHL has been a leading supplier of talent for the National Hockey League for close to 60 years. The WHL is also a leading provider of hockey scholarships with over 375 graduates each year receiving WHL Scholarships to pursue a post-secondary education of their choice. Each season, WHL players also form the nucleus of Canada’s National Junior Hockey Team.