Thursday 3 May 2012

2012 WHL Bantam Draft

The Calgary Hitmen opened the draft by taking a puck moving defenceman with their first round pick, 17th overall, in 6'1" 160 pound Brennan Riddle.  Riddle, who doesn't turn 15 until July, played AA Bantam in Saskatchewan with the Prairie Storm.  The Balgonie product had 17 points (11g 6a) in 22 regular season games adding eight more (3g 5a) in nine post season appearances.

Hitmen Head Scout Dan Bonar on Riddle:  "Brennan has good size and skates well. We expect him to come in and play as a 16 year-old"

Riddle captured the Allstar defenceman award in Regina at the Bantam AA Challenge Tournament in November
                                             Hitmen first round pick Brennan Riddle
        
In the second round the Hitmen turned back to Saskatchewan to select the top scorer from the Saskatchewan Bantam AA League in Terrell Draude.  The just turned 15 year-old had a monster season with the Sask Valley Diamond Pharmacy Vipers racking up 94 points (54g 40a) in only 24 games.  The 6'2" 180 pound centre added another 15 points (9g 6a) in five playoff games.  

                   Terrell Draude Photo Credit:  http://westernelitehockeyprospects.blogspot.ca/

The Hitmen did not have a third round pick, traded to Tri-City in the Chris Driedger trade but had a pair of fourth round selections.  With their first, at 83rd overall, they drafted: Jordan Stallard, a 5'9" 140 pound Centre from Brandon Bantam AAA Div. 1.  Stallard had 37 points (10g 27a) in 30 regular season games to lead the Brandon A & W Wheat Kings in scoring, finishing fifth overall in league scoring.

                              Jordy Stallard Photo Credit:  http://www.hockeymanitoba.ca/

With the 84th overall over pick the Hitmen drafted 5'10" 160 pound right winter Cal Babych from the North Shore Winter Club Winterhawks AAA Bantam.  Cal is the son of former NHLer Dave Babych who played almost 1,200 regular season games.  No stats available.

Calgary had acquired that pick in this October 26th, 20011 Trade: 
-To MJ: 20-year-old Kenton Miller and 19-year-old Justin Kirsch. 
To Calgary: 20 year-old Collin Bowman, 18-year-old Joey Kornelsen and a 4th round pick in the 2012 Bantam Draft.

With the 105th overall selection the Hitmen took 5'10" 159 pound centre Scott Petkau from Steinbach, Manitoba.  He played this past season with the Southeast Blizzards Bantam AA.  He had 11 points (4g 7a) in 11 games at the Hockey Manitoba Bantam AAA Showcase for the Eastman Selects.  However his regular season numbers are not available.

                                                              Scott Petkau

In Round 6, 127th overall the Hitmen took their first goalie of the draft in 5'11" 158 lbs Carson Franks from Red Deer Black Bantam AAA.  His team won only six of 33 regular season games this season with Franks posting a 4.32 goals against average and .873 save percentage.  He turned in a brilliant Alberta Cup posting a 1.99GAA and .909 save percentage in 150 minutes of work.

                                                             Carson Franks

In Round 7, 149th overall, the club took 5'11" 188 pound right defenceman Lochlan Morrison from the Prince Albert Bantam AA Venice House Raiders. He finished fifth in the league in points for a defenceman with 30 (11g 19a).

                                         Lochlan Morrison Photo Credit: PA Herald

In Round 8, 171st overall the Hitmen drafted left defenceman Alex McGovern of Vernon, B.C. who split time between the Notre Dame Bantam AA Hounds and Notre Dame Midget AA Hounds.  On the midget squad McGovern had 11 assists in 31 games.

In Round 9, 193rd overall Calgary selected 5'7" 169lbs left defenceman James Shearer from Brandon AAA Bantam.  He was the captain of the A and W Wheat Kings this season and picked up 29 points (9g 20a) in 30 games.

                                                             James Shearer

In Round 10 at 215th overall the Hitmen drafted 5'9" 145lbs centre Grady McInnes from the Campbell River Bantam A Tyees.  However his regular season numbers are not available.

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