With the Manitoba Junior Hockey League draft set for June 4, all 13 teams had the chance to protect 2007-born players from their home region.

The Dauphin Kings, Neepawa Titans and Virden Oil Capitals did just that on Thursday as they protected two players each.

The Kings selected defenceman Sam Swanton and forward Luke Myhre of Dauphin, who both played for the Parkland Rangers under-18 AAA program last season.

Swanton had 11 points in 44 games and Myhre – who has signed with the Western Hockey League’s Portland Winterhawks — was fourth in team scoring with 32 points.

The Titans picked up hometown forwards Addison McIntosh of the Yellowhead Chiefs U18 AAA program and Cohen Kulbacki of the Neepawa Tigers high school program.

McIntosh had 23 points in 44 games in his rookie season for the Chiefs, while Kulbacki recorded 35 points in 31 games for a Tigers team that reached the Westman High School Hockey League final.

The Oil Capitals used their selections on Westman Ice Bandits forward Tyson Draper and Chiefs defenceman Hudson Davidson, who are both from Virden.

Draper was the leading scorer for the first-year U17 program with 58 points – 25 goals and 33 assists — in 34 games.

Davidson had six points in 43 contests with the U18 Chiefs.

The Waywayseecappo Wolverines did not select a player on Thursday, which gives them an extra pick in the seventh and eighth rounds next weekend.

The Portage Terriers, Steinbach Pistons and Winkler Flyers also passed.

The Swan Valley Stampeders used their two picks on Rangers forwards Tavyn Boychuk and Tyrell Leaske of Swan River.

They joined the Selkirk Steelers, Winnipeg Blues and Winnipeg Freeze in picking a pair of players, while the Niverville Nighthawks and OCN Blizzard protected one skater.

» The Brandon Sun