WHL Draft

The WHL held their Bantam Draft yesterday. Burnaby's Ryan Nugent-Hopkins was the first overall pick by Red Deer. Nugent-Hopkins had briefly considered the NCAA-route, but as it got closer to draft time, his stock really increased.

Los Angeles' Shane McColgan was the first American selected at 13th overall by Kelowna. It sounds like Kelowna was one of the teams McColgan was interested in playing for and he will sign with them.

The next American wasn't selected until 63rd overall, when Portland took Dallas' Cason Hohmann. Fellow Texan Colin Jacobs was taken in the 4th round, 67th overall by Seattle. Both players were projected as first round picks, so that represents a fairly significant drop, though both were selected by American teams, which would probably have a slightly better chance of signing them.

Idahoan Tanner Mort was selected 87th overall by Spokane. He was probably one of the few players in the draft already with junior experience. He played 14 games in the Northern Pacific Junior League with his older brother Tyler for the Couer D'Alene Lakers.

New Prague's Seth Ambroz was the only Minnesotan selected at 146 by Seattle. And defenseman Dillon Simpson, son of former NHLer Craig Simpson, fell to 164th because of his family's history with the NCAA.