Lowther weathers twin tests on draft day

The Western Hockey League draft can be a test of patience for players, but Wyatt Lowther passed it and another one on May 7 with flying colours.

That day, he woke up early and put the draft on his television. His whole family was there and they watched a few rounds but Lowther wasn’t picked.

Lowther, who was born and raised in Maple Ridge, B.C., had to go school for a test when the fourth round was being announced, and his teacher took his phone as he walked into the classroom.

“I didn’t know if I was getting drafted, I didn’t know anything that was going on,” Lowther said. “I had to take my test — it was around two hours — and when I get out, I’m walking back to BWC (Burnaby Winter Club) to get picked up my mother and dad, and I had a friend run up to me. It was ‘Dude, dude, you just got drafted by Brandon.’

“Oh, I was so happy.”

The Wheat Kings grabbed the 15-year-old forward in the ninth round with the 199th overall pick.

Lowther’s uncle is Adrian Foster, who the Wheat Kings acquired from the Saskatoon Blades on Jan. 13, 2002 in a swap of 19-year-old forwards that sent speedy Richard Mueller the other way.

Foster, a first-round pick of the New Jersey Devils, had 15 points in 14 regular-season games with Brandon, and then added 15 points in 15 playoff games, including a Game 7 winner against the Blades.

After a 12-year pro career, Foster retired and now runs Acceleration Hockey by Foster in Calgary.

“He texted me and said ‘Congrats on getting drafted by Brandon, it’s a great organization, you’ll have a ton of fun,” Lowther said.

In 30 games this year, the five-foot-10, 138-pound forward had 10 goals, 23 assists and 56 penalty minutes.

Wheat Kings director of hockey operations Chris Moulton likes what he brings to the rink as the team focused in part on getting harder to play against.

“He’s a combination of compete and skill,” Moulton said. “He has the ability to create offensively and has the ability to score but also isn’t afraid to get into the trenches and play hard and do the things he has to do to create for himself and his teammates.”

Lowther, who is planning to play U17 prep at BWC next winter, sees it the same way.

“I’m a complete, 200-foot forward,” Lowther said. “I like to use my body and I think I’m really good off the rush and also very good in the D zone. I wouldn’t say I’m a goal scorer but I can always put one in the back of the net if our team really needs one.”

He has a number of things he wants to get better at, starting with his skating — “That’s definitely a key factor of my game that I need to improve on” — his mental toughness and raising his compete level.

“It’s definitely a huge relief knowing that I finally got drafted,” Lowther said. “It was always a dream but there are still always going to be people watching. It’s not just getting drafted and you’re done, it’s about all the work you have to put in now. It always gets harder.”

A number of guys he played with over the years were also taken in the draft.

He has been to a few Vancouver Giants games at the Langley Events Centre, which is about a 20-minute drive from his house.

“I’ve been dreaming about it every single day,” Lowther said. The earliest stages of that dream began when he started skating at five and playing — always as a forward — in Ridge Meadows Minor Hockey. Lowther isn’t in any other sports competitively, but likes to golf and also was active in lacrosse and basketball.

Lowther said his success stems from his folks, BJ and Stephanie.

“I feel like my parents have done everything for me,” Lowther said. “They’ve always pushed me to be my best and I’m super grateful to have them. I could not be where I am now without any single person that is in my family. They’re always there. If I’m having a bad day, they’ll pick me up and put me back on my feet.

“I just love having them around. They’re super supportive of everything I do, which is such a good thing to have.”

It also won’t hurt to have that support as his junior career takes flight more than 2,000 kilometres from home. He has never been to Brandon before but it’s become his dream destination as he looks forward to training camp in late August.

“I’ve been watching so many videos about it,” Lowther said. “I’m so excited. Being drafted by Brandon is such a huge honour. A ton of the guys have already reached out to me so I can tell it’s a very good group.

“I’m super excited.”

» This is the final instalment in a series of profiles on Brandon’s draft class of 2026.

» pbergson@brandonsun.com