The first round of the Western Hockey League Bantam Draft is in the books, and just looking at the statistics on display, a lot of teams found a tremendous amount of talent with the opening 22 picks.
Leading the way, of course, is Connor Bedard, the WHL's first player to receive exceptional status.
Bedard – who can play a full season in the WHL as a 15-year-old – was selected by the Regina Pats with the first overall selection. Playing up with the West Vancouver Academy Midget Prep team, Bedard still utterly torched the Canadian Sport School Hockey League loop, scoring 43 goals and 84 points in 36 games.
The Prince George Cougars had the second selection and chose Riley Heidt from the Saskatoon Contacts. One of three players to apply for exceptional status, Heidt scored 17 goals and 37 points in 44 games for Saskatoon in the Sask Midget AAA Hockey League this past season. Two seasons ago with Martensville in the Bantam AA ranks, Heidt scored 36 goals and 99 points in only 31 games.
The Moose Jaw Warriors used the third pick to land Heidt's long-time teammate, forward Brayden Yager. He scored 18 goals and 42 points in 44 games for the Contacts and two seasons ago with Martensville in the Bantam AA ranks scored 35 goals and 103 points in only 31 games.
With the fourth pick, the Tri-City Americans chose defenceman Lukas Dragicevic from Delta Hockey Academy Bantam Prep. Dragicevic, who hails from Richomond, B.C., scored eight goals and 52 points with the Prep team and added a further two goals and five points in four games at the Elite 15 level.
The Saskatoon Blades landed Kamloops-born defenceman Tanner Molendyck with the fifth pick. The Yale Hockey Academy prospect had nine goals and 55 points in only 27 games while serving as the team's captain.
Shaunavon's Kalan Lind was selected by the Red Deer Rebels with the sixth choice of the first round. Lind played for the Swift Current Broncos Bantam AA squad and put up 68 goals and 120 points. He also played 10 games in Midget AAA, putting up a goal and an assist.
Another Saskatchewan-born player went seventh overall, as the Seattle Thunderbirds selected Regina's Sam Oremba. Oremba played for the Regina Monarchs in the Sask Bantam AA League and scored 75 goals to go along with 133 points in only 31 games.
The Kelowna Rockets selected eighth overall and chose Burnaby, B.C.'s Andrew Cristall. Playing forward for St. George's School Bantam Prep, Cristall scored 43 goals and 80 points in 27 games.
The ninth overall pick went to the Victoria Royals, and they selected defenceman Austin Zemlak. Playing with OHA Edmonton Bantam Prep, the Fort McMurray, Alta. native scored eight goals and 36 points in 27 games.
The Vancouver Giants rounded out the top 10 by selecting defenceman Mazden Leslie from Lloydminster. Playing Midget AAA for his hometown team, Leslie had five goals and 12 points in 33 games. A season ago in Bantam AAA, he put up 23 goals and 50 points in 33 games.
Saskatoon's Reid Andresen was chosen by the Medicine Hat Tigers with the 11th pick. Andresen, a defenceman, suited up for the Saskatoon Generals Bantam AA squad, scoring 13 goals and 51 points in 31 games.
The Calgary Hitmen used the 12th overall selection to land forward Oliver Tulk from Delta Hockey Academy. The Gibsons, B.C. product played for the Bantam Prep squad and scored 27 goals and 69 points in 30 games.
The Moose Jaw AAA Warriors saw one of their prospects hit the board again with the 13th pick, as the Brandon Wheat Kings selected Weyburn defenceman Quinn Mantei. Mantei, who played as an affiliated player for the Warriors last season, had 22 goals and 52 points in 30 games with the Bantam Wings. He had no points in seven games with the Warriors.
With the 14th pick the Winnipeg Ice selected forward Zach Benson from Yale Hockey Academy. The Chilliwack, B.C. product had 30 goals and 86 points in 30 games playing Bantam Prep.
The Prince Albert Raiders used the 15th pick to select defenceman Terrell Goldsmith from Fort St. James, B.C. The 6-foot-2, 198-pound Delta Hockey Academy standout scored four times with 19 points in 23 games.
Selecting 16th overall, the Lethbridge Hurricanes chose forward Cole Miller from the Knights of Columbus Squires Bantam team in Edmonton. Miller, an Edmonton product, had 11 goals and 26 points in 28 games as well as a goal and two points in three AAA Midget games.
The Prince George Cougars used their second first round pick to chose forward Caden Brown from Delta Hockey Academy Bantam Prep 17th overall. A product of Fort St. John, B.C., Brown had 35 goals and 65 points in 30 games.
The 18th pick went to the Spokane Chiefs, and they selected defenceman Saige Weinstein from Northern Alberta Bantam Prep. The Edmonton product scored four goals and 20 points in 23 games.
The Kamloops Blazers stayed in-province with the 19th overall pick, selecting defenceman Kaden Hammell from Langley, B.C. Hammell had 12 goals and 41 points playing for West Van Academy Bantam Prep.
With the 20th selection, the Edmonton Oil Kings picked up forward Dawson Seitz. The Medicine Hat product suited up for the SEAC Tigers Bantam AAA squad but battled through injury, scoring seven goals in seven games. He put up 23 goals and 31 points in 31 games playing Bantam AAA two seasons ago.
Regina's Brady Birnie was chosen by the Swift Current Broncos with the 21st pick of the first round. Playing forward for the Regina Monarchs Bantam AA squad, Birnie scored 16 goals and 46 points in 30 games.
Prince George rounded out their trio of first-round picks by selecting forward Ryker Singer from the Lloydminster Bobcats Bantam AAA. Singer had 30 goals and 51 points in 32 games with his hometown team.
The 2020 WHL Bantam Draft continues throughout the afternoon with the later rounds.
Be sure to check back for more updates.
