Manitoba weathers tough year at draft table

Manitoba had its worst showing in many years at the Western Hockey League draft, with just 15 players drafted.

The 2011-born crop of players wasn’t considered a strong one, but came one year after the Keystone province set a record with 39 players taken, eclipsing the mark of 38 players picked in 2023, with 33 taken in 2024. Prior to that, it fluctuated between 26 and 36 from 2011 to 2022.

Brandon director of player development Chris Moulton said it’s not something anyone in Manitoba hockey circles should be losing any sleep over.

“Was it the strongest year in Manitoba?” Moulton said. “Maybe not, but in saying that, we just threw 15 players from Manitoba on our camp invite list, meaning we have a lot of time for some kids who were undrafted … It was just a different year.”

Part of that was the inclusion of American players into the main draft, which cut the number of western Canadians taken.

Brandon head coach and general manager Marty Murray doesn’t spend as much time in rinks as the scouting staff, which is understandable with the two job titles he already has. He said the 2027 draft class, including Brandon’s Kale Nicol, looks like a good one.

“From what I understand, next year’s crop of Manitobans is going to be real strong,” Murray said. “At the POE (pursuit of Excellence) camp, there were some really good players. Obviously we all know about Nicol, but some other really good underages were at the POE camp.

“You talk about one of those years, and that was probably the case in Manitoba this year unfortunately.”

On Thursday, Easton Pitz of Virden was the first Manitoban and only Westman player taken.

After Manitoba was skunked in the first round on Wednesday, the Swift Current Broncos grabbed the five-foot-10, 166-pound centre, who spent last season with the Rink Hockey Academy in Winnipeg.

In 28 games, he had 29 goals, 27 assists and 30 penalty minutes.

No Brandonites were taken on Wednesday or Thursday one year after a record six were grabbed in 2025 and 21 were taken over the last five drafts. Brandon has now been blanked seven times, 2026, 2018, 2010, 1998, 1996, 1995 and 1992.

“I don’t know if Hockey Manitoba can look in the mirror and cast blame on anything,” Moulton said. “It’s just one of those years. It’s cyclical and will be better next year.”

Incredibly, Brandon’s U15 AAA squad won a provincial championship in the spring, but their star forward, Nicol, was an underager.

By position among the Manitoba picks, eight forwards, five defencemen and one goalie were taken.

Murray added it’s worth remembering that the draft doesn’t write the final chapter. That’s up to the players.

“At the end of the day, getting drafted is one thing, but we can look through rosters and see how many kids who go undrafted that go on to play, from the Western Hockey League level all the way up to the NHL level,” Murray said. “Just because you didn’t get drafted isn’t the end of the world, but that age it’s hard to swallow.”

» pbergson@brandonsun.com

MANITOBANS WHO WERE DRAFTED

2-27: F Easton Pitz, Virden (Swift Current).

2-42: D Marko Malbasa, St. Andrews (Brandon).

2-46: F Nixon Gaudet, Ile Des Chênes (Kamloops).

3-51: F Brock Vodden, Manitou (Edmonton).

4-89: D Braedan Gilbertson, Lorette (Seattle).

5-96: F Koen Braunberger, Winnipeg (Calgary).

5-110: F Reed Sherry, St. Malo (Prince George).

5-111: D Brady Piec, Oakbank (Tri-City).

6-125: F Alex Dyrland, Winnipeg (Moose Jaw).

6-127: D Madden Atkinson, Swan River (Red Deer).

7-154: D Jack Arseniuk, Winnipeg (Saskatoon).

7-157: G Champ Vannus, East St. Paul (Edmonton).

8-182: F Liam Meier, Stonewall (Everett).

10-227: F Declan Champagne, Winnipeg (Penticton).

13-293: F David Ring, Winnipeg (Kelowna).