WHL Bantam Draft: A look back at notable undrafted WHL players

With the 2020 WHL Bantam Draft concluding Wednesday afternoon, we look back to a handful of big names who were looked over in the selection process over the years, but still went on to have WHL seasons impressive enough to earn NHL contracts. This is just a snapshot of the list of players who didn’t hear their names called at the Draft. Regardless of whether a player is or is not selected in the WHL Bantam Draft, WHL Clubs continue to evaluate players and add them to their protected lists if they display potential to play in the WHL.

Jarome Iginla

A quick look at Iginla’s trophy case will emphasize the impact that not being drafted to the WHL had on his career. As a member of the Kamloops Blazers, Iginla was part of the historic Club that captured both the WHL Championship and Memorial Cup Championship, winning the first of two consecutive crowns in the 1993-94 season. At the 1995 Memorial Cup, he was awarded the George Parsons Trophy as the tournament’s most sportsmanlike player. Iginla was drafted by the Dallas Stars in the first round, 11^th overall at the 1995 NHL Draft, but was traded to the Calgary Flames a few months later where he would spend most of his NHL career. Between five NHL clubs, Iginla tallied 1,300 points (625G-675A) in 1,554 regular season games and 68 points (37G-31A) in 81 playoff games. In addition to his NHL success, he represented Canada at numerous international tournaments that includes gold medals at the Olympics, World Junior Championship, and World Championship.

Jamie Benn

The undrafted Benn joined the Kelowna Rockets for the 2007-08 season, in which he scored the most goals as a rookie in the WHL with 33. Benn followed up his rookie season with a team-high 46 goals along with 36 assists and 82 points in 56 games. The Victoria, B.C. native then led the Rockets with a WHL playoff-leading 33 points en route to the Ed Chynoweth Cup and a berth in the 2009 Memorial Cup. The Rockets ultimately fell one game short, losing to the Windsor Spitfires in the Final. After being selected 129^th overall by the Dallas Stars in 2007, Benn joined the Stars system for the 2009-10 campaign, registering a modest point per two games. Benn has played the entirety of his NHL career with the Stars, where he currently captains the club, putting up 688 points (300G-388A) in 814 games and 30 points (11G-19A) in 32 playoff games. The Stars centreman also has gold medals at the 2014 Olympics in Sochi and the 2009 World Junior Championship in Ottawa.

Shea Weber

Despite going unselected in the WHL Bantam Draft, Shea Weber was added to the Kelowna Rockets protected players list in his second year of bantam. With already five WHL games under his belt, Weber joined the Rockets fulltime for the 2002-03 season, a year that saw the Rockets capture their first WHL Championship in franchise history. Following his rookie season in Kelowna, Weber was selected in the second round, 49^th overall, by the Nashville Predators. Weber would go on to play two more seasons with the Rockets, winning the Memorial Cup in 2004 and a second WHL Championship in 2005. He was also a member of the gold-medal winning Team Canada at the 2005 World Junior Championship. With Nearly 1,000 NHL games to his name, Weber has recorded 570 points (218G-352A) in his career spent between the Nashville Predators and Montreal Canadiens. The Canadiens captain won a gold medal at the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver and was a member of Team Canada when they won gold at the 2017 World Cup.

Jake Bean

Prior to his junior career in the WHL, Jake Bean played for the Edge School of the Canadian Sport School Hockey League in Calgary, Alta. Bean was named the CSSHL’s Elite 15s Top Defenceman for the 2013-14 season and although he went undrafted in the WHL Bantam Draft, he was later signed by his hometown Calgary Hitmen. In his rookie season with the Hitmen, Bean posted 39 points (5G-34A) in 51 games, breaking the club’s franchise record for most single-season points by a rookie defenceman. Bean’s second year with the Club saw him record nearly a point-per-game with 64 (24G-40A) in 68 games and ended with the Carolina Hurricanes selecting him 13^th overall at the NHL Draft. Bean signed with the Hurricanes a month following the draft before returning to the WHL where he would spend two more seasons between the Hitmen and the Tri-City Americans. The Calgary native represented Team Canada at the 2017 and 2018 World Junior Championships, taking home silver and gold medals, respectively. Since leaving the WHL, Bean has spent his professional career with the Hurricanes minor league affiliate, the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers. Bean helped the Checkers to a Calder Cup in 2019 as the AHL Champions.

Dryden Hunt

No stranger of being undrafted, Dryden Hunt has taken the road less travelled for much of his playing career. Bypassed in the 2010 WHL Bantam Draft, Hunt had a brief stint in the BCHL before signing a WHL Standard Player Agreement with the Regina Pats in 2011. Hunt recorded just 10 points in his rookie seasons with the Pats in the 2011-12. He eventually found his stride in 2014-15, a season split between the Pats and the Medicine Hat Tigers that saw him put up 83 points (33G-50A) in 71 games. In his 20-year-old season, Hunt joined the Moose Jaw Warriors and exploded for a league-leading 116 points (58G-58A) in 72 games. Hunt was awarded the Four Broncos Memorial Trophy as the WHL’s Player of the Year. Despite not being selected in his two years of NHL Draft eligibility, Hunt signed an entry-level contract with the Florida Panthers. Since signing, Hunt has spent his professional career between the Panthers and their AHL affiliate, the Springfield Thunderbirds. Hunt has produced 150 points (72G-78A) in 214 AHL regular season games and 15 points (3G-12A) in 63 NHL regular season games.