Every draft at every level comes with some degree of uncertainty.
The collective history of major North American professional sports is littered with examples of players taken early who failed to materialize, as well as players taken late who go on to become stars.
The Western Hockey League bantam draft is no exception. In fact, it might be even more difficult to predict because the players in question are 14 and 15 years old, as opposed to the professional drafts, where players range from 18 to 23 years old in some cases.
The annual exercise in guesswork begins at 7:30 a.m. Pacific time today in Calgary, Alberta, with the Everett Silvertips holding the No. 13 overall pick. The Tips did not have a selection in last year’s first round after trading the pick as part of the deal that netted them Nikita Scherbak. Last year’s draft class was considered average, and Everett general manager Garry Davidson said much the same about this year’s class.
“It might even be thinner than last year,” Davidson said earlier this week via phone from Calgary, where he’s preparing for the event. “There are certainly some good players in the draft — there always are. But overall it might be a little bit down.”
This year’s draft class disperses the rights to 2001-born players from Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia and the Western United States among the WHL’s 22 clubs.
Since the players are at least two years away from being eligible to play full time, the Tips like to draft the best available player rather than to fill any perceived need.
This year the Tips are without a second-round pick as that selection was also included as part of the Scherbak deal. However, the Tips have a third-rounder, a fourth-rounder and a sixth-rounder, as well as two picks each in both the fifth and seventh rounds.
Davidson said the Tips would like to acquire a second-round pick if possible but wasn’t sure “exactly how we’re going to do that.”
“Some people may (trade) draft picks to acquire some veterans and some might trade a pick to move ahead in the first round or move back and get more picks in a later round,” Davidson said. “There’s lots of discussion. There already has been some, to be honest with you. I’ve had some things thrown my way the last day or so. It will heat up through Wednesday night and there could even be an odd one Thursday morning before the draft starts.”
Even if the Tips don’t acquire a second-round pick Davidson feels good about the selections the Tips do possess.
“Over the years we’ve done very well in the third, fourth and fifth rounds,” Davidson said. “Hopefully this year will be the same.”
Current Silvertip Matt Fonteyne was a third-rounder, while teammates Noah Juulsen and Brian King were fourth-round picks. Connor Dewar and Jake Christiansen were each taken in the fifth round in 2014. Davidson also found Carter Hart in the eighth round in 2013.
Davidson has shown no qualms about drafting American players despite mixed results in convincing them to forfeit their NCAA eligibility in order to sign. Two years ago Everett took eight Americans, and the organization drafted five last year.
This year’s draft class, while perhaps not strong all the way through, does seem to have concentrated talent at the top.
“The first 10-12 picks (are) all players being (considered as) cornerstone-type assets to teams,” Western Elite Hockey Prospects scout Tyler Neisz wrote in an email.
Neisz also said the first three picks are likely to come from Alberta. The top-ranked players in the draft, according to Western Elite Hockey Prospects, are forward Peyton Krebs of the AMBHL’s Rocky Mountain Rough Riders, defenseman Bowen Byram of the Lethbridge Golden Hawks, and Fort Saskatchewan forward Kirby Dach.
Luke Toporowski of Bettendorf, Iowa, should be the first American-born player taken, Neisz wrote. Toporowski’s brother Jake plays for the Spokane Chiefs, the same team for which their father, Kerry, once played.
No Snohomish County players were taken in last year’s draft after four were selected in 2014. Everett native Hunter Campbell, who played this season for the L.A. Junior Kings is considered by many to be a virtual lock to be taken. Lake Stevens athlete Caden Pattison could also be taken. Pattison is a former Everett Youth Hockey player who played this past season with the Sno-King Junior Thunderbirds 14-U team.
Pattison’s Sno-King teammates Cole Dubicki, Dylan Herzog, Alonzo Colburn and Matthew Butson have also drawn interest.
For the latest Silvertips news follow Jesse Geleynse on Twitter @jessegeleynse.
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