Western Hockey League completes 2024 WHL U.S. Priority Draft
Calgary, Alta. – The Western Hockey League completed the 2024 WHL U.S. Priority Draft with WHL member Clubs selecting 44 players throughout the two-round draft on Wednesday, May 8, 2024.
With the first overall pick, the Regina Pats selected forward Braden Hordichuk from the Phoenix Jr. Coyotes 14U AAA squad.
The 15-year-old forward put up 20 goals and 12 assists for 32 points in 37 games to finish second on his team in points and goals.
“We’re very excited to select Braden with the first overall pick of the U.S. Priority Selection,” Regina Pats VP, Hockey Operations and General Manager Alan Millar said. “We really like Braden as both a player and a young man. He plays the game the right way and understands the competitiveness, how hard you need to play to be successful and play at this level. He projects to be a power forward in our league with skill, and we’re excited about his future with the Pats.”
Hordichuk’s father, Darcy- a Kamsack, Sask. product- spent 12 seasons in the NHL with the Atlanta Thrashers, Phoenix Coyotes, Florida Panthers, Nashville Predators, Vancouver Canucks and Edmonton Oilers. He also played parts of three seasons in the WHL with the Saskatoon Blades and the Calgary Hitmen.
Notable selections include three other sons of NHL alumni.
The Edmonton Oil Kings picked defenceman Matheas Hejda (5th overall), whose father, Jan, played 627 regular-season games with the Edmonton Oilers, Columbus Blue Jackets and Colorado Avalanche.
With the sixth overall pick, the Kamloops Blazers chose forward Eli Tverdovsky, the son of two-time Stanley Cup Champion Oleg Tverdovsky, who also suited up for the Brandon Wheat Kings in 1994-95.
The Vancouver Giants drafted blueliner Luke Storr, whose father, Jamie, won a World Championship gold medal for Team Canada and backstopped the Los Angeles Kings and Carolina Hurricanes for more than 200 games over a decade in the NHL.
The Tri-City Americans also selected forward Grady (6th overall) and defenceman Jackson (24th overall) Schaefer, a pair of twin brothers from Orange, Calif.
In total, 10 Western states had players selected in the 2024 WHL U.S. Priority Draft, including California, which led the way with 15 players chosen.
WHL Clubs drafted a total of 27 forwards, 13 defencemen and four goaltenders.
2023 WHL U.S. Priority Draft – State-by-State Breakdown
California—15
Minnesota—9
Texas—5
Alaska—4
Arizona—3
Colorado—3
North Dakota—2
Michigan—1
Ohio—1
Washington—1
Complete results for the 2024 WHL U.S. Priority Draft are available at WHL.ca.
2023 WHL U.S. Priority Draft Results
Round One
#1 – Regina Pats
Name: Braden Hordichuk Position: Forward Hometown: Scottsdale, Ariz.
Team: Phoenix Jr. Coyotes 14U Stats: 37 GP –20G-12A—32 points
#2 – Seattle Thunderbirds
Name: Ewen Willers Position: Forward Hometown: Dallas, Texas
Team: Dallas Stars Elite 14U Stats: 78 GP—26G-25A—51 points
#3 – Calgary Hitmen
Name: Parker Schellenberg Position: Defence Hometown: Irvine, Calif.
Team: Anaheim Jr. Ducks 14U Stats: 58 GP—4G-25A—29 points
#4 – Tri-City Americans
Name: Grady Schaefer Position: Forward Hometown: Orange, Calif.
Team: Anaheim Jr. Ducks 14U Stats: 62 GP—39G-35A—74 points
#5 – Edmonton Oil Kings
Name: Matheas Hejda Position: Defence Hometown: Columbus, Ohio
Team: Chicago Reapers 14U Stats: 65 GP—5G-22A—27 points
#6 – Kamloops Blazers
Name: Eli Tverdovsky Position: Forward Hometown: Los Angeles, Calif.
Team: OHA U15 Prep Stats: 27 GP—20G-16A—36 points
#7 – Spokane Chiefs
Name: Brady Elbert Position: Defence Hometown: Agoura Hills, Calif.
Team: California Golden Bears 14U Stats: 59 GP—6G-9A—15 points
#8 – Victoria Royals
Name: Brayden Willis Position: Forward Hometown: Gilbert, Ariz.
Team: Phoenix Jr. Coyotes 14U Stats: 46 GP—27G-27A—54 points
#9 – Prince Albert Raiders
Name: Gavin Burcar Position: Forward Hometown: Coto De Caza, Calif.
Team: Anaheim Jr. Ducks 14U Stats: 51 GP—29G-33A—62 points
#10 – Vancouver Giants
Name: Boone Chartier Position: Forward Hometown: Minnetonka, Minn.
Team: Shattuck-St. Mary’s Sabres 14U Stats: 57 GP—24G-42A—66 points
#11 – Kelowna Rockets
Name: Colton Lien Position: Forward Hometown: Highlands Ranch, Col.
Team: Okanagan (Colorado) 14U Stats: 17 GP—10G-14A—24 points
#12 – Wenatchee Wild
Name: Marcus Matyas Position: Forward Hometown: Edina, Minn.
Team: Cretin/Derham Hall HS Raiders Stats: 31 GP—9G-17A—26 points
#13 – Lethbridge Hurricanes
Name: Enzo Didomenicantonio Position: Forward Hometown: Detroit, Mich.
Team: Los Angeles Jr. Kings 14U Stats: 62 GP—45G-57A—102 points
#14 – Brandon Wheat Kings
Name: Colin Grubb Position: Forward Hometown: Burlington, N.D.
Team: Shattuck-St. Mary’s Sabres 14U Stats: 57 GP—42G-60A—102 points
#15 – Red Deer Rebels
Name: Nikolas Ferry Position: Defence Hometown: Los Angeles, Calif.
Team: Los Angeles Jr. Kings 14U Stats: 68 GP—4G-16A—20 points
#16 – Medicine Hat Tigers
Name: Owen Hayes Position: Forward Hometown: Centennial, Col.
Team: Okanagan (Colorado) 14U Stats: 17 GP—16G-20A—36 points
#17 – Swift Current Broncos
Name: Easton Johnson Position: Defence Hometown: Luverne, Minn.
Team: Sioux Falls POWER 14U Stats: 47 GP—22G-32A—54 points
#18 – Moose Jaw Warriors
Name: Mathieu Bowerman Position: Defence Hometown: Quincy, Wash.
Team: Wenatchee Wild 15U Stats: 8 GP—5G-4A—9 points
#19 – Everett Silvertips
Name: Evan Enck Position: Goaltender Hometown: Costa Mesa, Calif.
Team: Anaheim Jr. Ducks 14U Stats: 34 GP—.921 SV%
#20 – Portland Winterhawks
Name: Tyler DiCarlo Position: Goaltender Hometown: Anchorage, Alaska
Team: Team Alaska 14U Stats: 26 GP—13-8-1—1.92 GAA, .912 SV%
#21 – Prince George Cougars
Name: Cole Hajt Position: Forward Hometown: El Segundo, Calif.
Team: Los Angeles Jr. Kings 14U Stats: 70 GP—20G-24A—44 points
#22 – Saskatoon Blades
Name: Mason Moreland Position: Forward Hometown: Coto De Caza, Calif.
Team: Anaheim Jr. Ducks 14U Stats: 66 GP—28G-11A—39 points
Round Two
#23 – Kamloops Blazers
Name: Kaeden Tate Position: Goaltender Hometown: Huntington Beach, Calif.
Team: Anaheim Jr. Ducks 14U Stats: 34 GP– .911 SV%
#24 – Tri-City Americans
Name: Jackson Schaefer Position: Defence Hometown: Orange, Calif.
Team: Anaheim Jr. Ducks 14U Stats: 63 GP—10G-15A—25 points
#25 – Regina Pats
Name: Camden Zaporzan Position: Forward Hometown: Anchorage, Alaska
Team: Shattuck-St. Mary’s Sabres 14U Stats: 57 GP—18G-32A—50 points
#26 – Seattle Thunderbirds
Name: Brendan Williams Position: Forward Hometown: Frisco, Texas
Team: Dallas Stars Elite 14U Stats: 79 GP—11G-14A—25 points
#27 – Edmonton Oil Kings
Name: Brock Stevenson Position: Forward Hometown: Denver, Col.
Team: Okanagan (Colorado) 14U Stats: 12 GP—10G-16A—26 points
#28 – Calgary Hitmen
Name: Logan Brown Position: Forward Hometown: Palmer, Alaska
Team: Dallas Stars Elite 14U Stats: 75 GP—34G-40A- 74 points
#29 – Spokane Chiefs
Name: Spencer Anderson Position: Forward Hometown: Thief River Falls, Minn.
Team: Thief River Falls HS Prowlers Stats: 27 GP—17G-15A—32 points
#30 – Victoria Royals
Name: Cooper Avelar Position: Defence Hometown: Medina, Minn.
Team: Minnesota Walleye 14U Stats: 15 GP—3G-7A—10 points
#31 – Prince Albert Raiders
Name: Diego Gutierrez Position: Defence Hometown: McAllen, Texas
Team: Shattuck-St. Mary’s Sabres 14U Stats: 56 GP—12G-66A—78 points
#32 – Vancouver Giants
Name: Luke Storr Position: Defence Hometown: EL Segundo, Calif.
Team: Los Angeles Jr. Kings 14U Stats: 68 GP—6G-25A—31 points
#33 – Kelowna Rockets
Name: Drew Larioza Position: Forward Hometown: San Jose, Calif.
Team: San Jose Jr. Sharks 14U Stats: 36 GP—28G-27A—55 points
#34 – Wenatchee Wild
Name: Gunnar Conboy Position: Forward Hometown: Lakeville, Minn.
Team: Lakeville North HS Panthers Stats: 26 GP—13G-9A—22 points
#35 – Lethbridge Hurricanes
Name: Aydan Murphy Position: Goaltender Hometown: Surprise, Ariz.
Team: Phoenix Jr. Coyotes 14U Stats: 23 GP—7-16-0, 3.50 GAA, .878 SV%
#36 – Brandon Wheat Kings
Name: Ethan Sung Position: Forward Hometown: Pasadena, Calif.
Team: Shattuck-St. Mary’s Sabres 14U Stats: 57 GP—49G-70A—119 points
#37 – Red Deer Rebels
Name: Bodi Anderson Position: Defence Hometown: Eagle River, Alaska
Team: Team Alaska 14U Stats: 48 GP—6G-8A—14 points
#38 – Medicine Hat Tigers
Name: Nolan Marto Position: Forward Hometown: Grand Forks, N.D.
Team: Team North Dakota 14U Stats: 58 GP—63G-67A—130 points
#39 – Swift Current Broncos
Name: Nolan Fitzhenry Position: Forward Hometown: Andover, Minn.
Team: Shattuck-St. Mary’s Sabres 14U Stats: 57 GP—53G-47A—100 points
#40 – Moose Jaw Warriors
Name: Gage Beveridge Position: Forward Hometown: Edina, Minn.
Team: Okanagan (Colorado) 14U Stats: 17 GP—13G-6A—19 points
#41 – Everett Silvertips
Name: Drew Fox Position: Forward Hometown: Hickory Creek, Texas
Team: Dallas Stars Elite 14U Stats: 80 GP—48G-51A—99 points
#42 – Portland Winterhawks
Name: Finn Spehar Position: Forward Hometown: Minneapolis, Minn.
Team: Minnetonka Skippers 14U Stats: N/A
#43 – Prince George Cougars
Name: Dax Diep Position: Defence Hometown: San Diego, Calif.
Team: Anaheim Jr. Ducks 14U Stats: 66 GP—9G-24A—33 points
#44 – Saskatoon Blades
Name: Noah Morrison Position: Defence Hometown: Plano, Texas
Team: Dallas Star Elite 14U Stats: 79 GP—14G-48A—62 points
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 consists of 22 member Clubs with 17 located in Western Canada and five 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 over 50 years. The WHL is also the 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.
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