WHL NOTEBOOK: Great picks sprinkled across WHL
Advertisement
Read this article for free:
or
Already have an account? Log in here »
We need your support!
Local journalism needs your support!
As we navigate through unprecedented times, our journalists are working harder than ever to bring you the latest local updates to keep you safe and informed.
Now, more than ever, we need your support.
Starting at $15.99 plus taxes every four weeks you can access your Brandon Sun online and full access to all content as it appears on our website.
Subscribe Nowor call circulation directly at (204) 727-0527.
Your pledge helps to ensure we provide the news that matters most to your community!
To continue reading, please subscribe:
Add Brandon Sun access to your Free Press subscription for only an additional
$1 for the first 4 weeks*
- Enjoy unlimited reading on brandonsun.com
- Read the Brandon Sun E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
*Your next Free Press subscription payment will increase by $1.00 and you will be charged $20.95 plus GST for four weeks. After four weeks, your payment will increase to $24.95 plus GST every four weeks.
Read unlimited articles for free today:
or
Already have an account? Log in here »
Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 17/05/2022 (1490 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
Brandon has had pretty good success with the 12th overall pick in the Western Hockey League draft.
In 2016, it traded up and grabbed a young defenceman from Prince Albert named Braden Schneider.
The only other time the Wheat Kings had the 12th pick, they took Braylon Shmyr in 2012. He was dealt at the 2016 trade deadline but finished his career with the Saskatoon Blades as an excellent offensive forward in the league.
Every WHL draft between 1990 and 2019 was scoured to determine the best picks in each spot. Not every player was a superstar, but if they became a long-serving player in the league, they were included.
It’s important to remember that by the 200th pick that teams regularly begin to pass on their selections so fewer picks are made.
Because the draft spots are randomly split between teams, it shows how much more success teams have at the top of the draft and how much harder it is to get good WHL players as the draft goes on.
—— 12th overall
• TOP PICKS: Johnathan Aitken (D, 1993, Medicine Hat), Barret Jackman (D, 1996, Regina), Tyler Metcalfe (F, 1999, Seattle), Reid Jorgensen (F, 2001, Kamloops), Adam Hobson (F, 2002, Spokane), Paul Postma (D, 2004, Swift Current), Stefan Elliott (D, 2006, Prince George), Reece Scarlett (D, 2008, Swift Current), Kayle Doetzel (D, 2010, Red Deer), Joe Hicketts (D, 2011, Victoria), Tyler Steenbergen (F, 2013, Swift Current), Dom Schmiemann (D, 2014, Swift Current), Zack Ostapchuk (F, 2018, Vancouver), Oasiz Wiesblatt (F, 2019, Medicine Hat).
BRANDON: Braylon Shmyr (F, 2012), Braden Schneider (D, 2016).
—— 34th overall
• TOP PICKS: Aaron Sorochan (G, 1999, Prince Albert), Luke Hunter (F, 2000, Swift Current), Brett Ward (D, 2003, Saskatoon), Ryan Molle (D, 2004, Vancouver), Travis Toomey (F, 2005, Saskatoon), Blake Gal (F, 2007, Spokane), Justin Hickman (F, 2009, Seattle), Cory Millette (F, 2010, Red Deer), Joe Gatenby (D, 2012, Kelowna), Henrik Rybinski (F, 2016, Medicine Hat), Tom Cadieux (D, 2017, Tri-City), Conner Roulette (F, 2019, Seattle).
• BRANDON: Jeremy Robinson (D, 1991), Kelly Smart (F, 1992), Ian Walterson (D, 1993), Brad Twordik (F, 1994), Ryan Craig (F, 1997).
—— 56th overall
• TOP PICKS: Todd Fedoruk (F, 1994, Tacoma), Zack Smith (F, 2003, Swift Current), Jacob DeSerres (G, 2005, Seattle), Cole Grbavac (F, 2006, Portland), Landon Oslanski (D, 2007, Spokane), Ryan Gagnon (D, 2011, Victoria), Cameron Hebig (F, 2012, Saskatoon), Blake Allan (F, 2016, Kootenay), Justin Lies (F, 2018, Vancouver), Ryan Nolan (D, 2019, Medicine Hat).
• BRANDON: Nolan Ritchie (F, 2017).
—— 78th overall
• TOP PICKS: Aaron Gionet (D, 1997, Kamloops), Shayne Neigum (F, 2005, Medicine Hat), Adam Lowry (F, 2008, Swift Current), Landon Bow (G, 2010, Swift Current), Cale Fleury (D, 2013, Kootenay), Brett Davis (F, 2014, Lethbridge), Nicco Camazzola (D, 2018, Vancouver).
• BRANDON: Matt Walters (D, 2003), Kirklan Lycar (F, 2012).
—— 97th overall
• TOP PICKS: Jordan Clarke (D, 1997, Prince Albert), Dana Tyrell (F, 2004, Prince George), Brennan Yadlowski (D, 2006, Lethbridge), Brett Pollock (F, 2011, Edmonton), Dallas Hines (D, 2013, Kootenay), Reese Belton (F, 2017, Kamloops).
• BRANDON: None.
—— 100th overall
• TOP PICKS: Brent Henke (F, 2005, Kootenay), Josh Derko (F, 2008, Swift Current), Carson Denomie (F, 2015, Kamloops), Matthew Ng (F, 2019, Everett).
• BRANDON: Jesse Gabrielle (F, 2012),
—— 144th overall
• TOP PICKS: Michael King (F, 2015, Kootenay).
• BRANDON: Chet Camrud (F, 1996), Christian Chivilo (G, 2004), Wade Allison (F, 2012).
—— 158th overall
• TOP PICKS: Stephen Mann (D, 1998, Spokane), Carter Rigby (F, 2009, Prince George), Carter Hart (G, 2013, Everett), Adam Hall (F, 2016, Lethbridge), Ty Young (G, 2019, Prince George).
• BRANDON: Derek Holenski (D, 2003), Dan Taillefer (F, 2010).
—— 166th overall
• TOP PICKS: Dylan Ferguson (G, 2013, Kamloops).
• BRANDON: Jason Miller (F, 2011), Conner Lukan (F, 2012).
—— 172nd overall
• TOP PICKS: Jesse Deckert (G, 2001, Regina), Matt Fraser (F, 2005, Red Deer).
• BRANDON: Daniel Asham (F, 2009).
—— 188th overall
• TOP PICKS: Jared Spurgeon (D, 2004, Spokane), Steven Stanford (G, 2005, Prince Albert), Michael Herringer (G, 2011, Victoria),
• BRANDON: Tyler Strautman (F, 2002), Liam Macleod (F, 2012).
—— 210th overall
• TOP PICKS: Colin Long (F, 2004, Kelowna), Noah King (D, 2014, Swift Current).
• BRANDON: Aaron Kellogg (D, 2012).
—— 232th overall
• TOP PICKS: Robbie Holmes (F, 2014, Regina).
• BRANDON: Evan Werle (D, 2012).
—— 254th overall
• TOP PICKS: (Seattle drafted Alexander Kerfoot in this spot in 2009 but he went the college route and now plays for the Toronto Maple Leafs.)
• BRANDON: None.
BONUS ROUND
Every year there are some late surprises.
Here is the guy chosen the latest in the WHL draft each year who went on to play at least one game in the National Hockey League. (The second number, the total picks in the draft, is the assigned number of picks, and includes spots where teams declined to make a selection because they were done.)
The most recent drafts don’t have enough players at that level yet to make it interesting.
1990 — Jeff Lank, Prince Albert, 19th selection of 25 total picks.
1991 — Robb Gordon, Tacoma, 31st of 52.
1992 — Travis Brigley, Lethbridge, 43rd of 73.
1993 — Boyd Kane, Regina, 57th of 85.
1994 — Burke Henry, Brandon, 146th of 154.
1995 — Micki DuPont, Kamloops, 191st of 192.
1996 — Jeff Jillson, Tri-City, 202nd of 202.
1997 — Michael Garnett, Red Deer, 195th of 234.
1998 — David LeNeveu, Calgary, 175th of 269.
1999 — Todd Ford, Swift Current, 191st of 215.
2000 — Patrick Dwyer, Lethbridge, 204th of 216.
2001 — Kris Chucko, Brandon, 180th of 228.
2002 — Ryan Russell, Kootenay, 204th of 244.
2003 — Justin Falk, Calgary, 189th of 243.
2004 — Jared Spurgeon, Spokane, 188th of 254.
2005 — Tyler Johnson, Spokane, 201st of 215.
2006 — Chris Brown, Calgary, 209th of 309.
2007 — Brett Bulmer, Kelowna, 223rd of 318.
2008 — Dillon Simpson, Kelowna, 164th of 261.
2009 — Alexander Kerfoot, Seattle, 254th of 298.
2010 — Chase De Leo, Portland, 192nd of 298.
2011 — Brandon Carlo, Tri-City, 214th of 302.
2012 — Rem Pitlick, Prince George, 222nd of 306.
2013 — Brandon Biro, Swift Current, 210th of 250.
2014 — Mikey Anderson, Brandon, 230th of 240.
2015 — Cole Reinhardt, Brandon, 198th of 263.
2016 — Cam York, Red Deer, 193rd of 285.
2017 — Kent Johnson, Everett, 208th of 307.
» pbergson@brandonsun.com
» Twitter: @PerryBergson