Bantam draft week has arrived
Published 11:19 am Monday, April 30, 2012
It’s a big week for the WHL. Not only does the championship series between Portland and Edmonton (featuring former Everett star Tyler Maxwell) begin, the bantam draft takes place Thursday.
Alan Caldwell has done his best to piece together the draft order. I’ll firm up Everett’s picks, including the situations with Miles Koules’ commitment to Medicine Hat and compensation for hiring general manager Garry Davidson, after I get ahold of Davidson. What we know for certain, though, is that the Tips hold the seventh pick overall. That’s the same position from which Everett selected center Ty Mappin last season. Kelly Friesen provides a glimpse at the bantam draft’s top prospects, and it’s likely the Tips will draft one of the players listed.
Speaking of Mappin, he and his Red Deer Optimist Rebels teammates earned the biggest honor in Canadian midget hockey when they won the Telus Cup on Sunday. Mappin, who will be 16 next season and has already signed with the Tips, finished tied for the team lead in scoring with nine points in seven games during the tournament.
Mappin wasn’t the only Everett prospect to shine at the tournament. Dawson Leedahl, taken one round after Mappin in last year’s bantam draft, had 10 points in seven games as the Saskatoon Contacts won bronze. Carson Stadnyk, who also plays for Saskatoon and will be entering his 17-year-old season, had seven points in seven games. And listed defenseman Cole MacDonald, also entering his 17-year-old season and playing for host Leduc, had five points in seven games.
Meanwhile, Tips captain Ryan Murray seems to be settling well playing with Canada’s men’s national team in preparation for the World Championships. Murray played in Sunday’s exhibition game against Switzerland, won 2-1 in a shootout by Canada. According to the Twitter buzz, Murray was paired with Chicago star Duncan Keith and didn’t look out of place. So maybe there’s a chance Canada will keep Murray around beyond the pre-tournament preparations.
Finally, nothing yet from Seth Jones following his visit with Portland. So we’re still waiting to see how this scenario plays out.
