CALGARY — The Calgary Hitmen made forward Jake Virtanen the first overall pick in the Western Hockey league bantam draft on Thursday.
Virtanen, a right winger with the Abbottsford Hawks, is known as a strong skater and shooter.
The Swift Current Broncos followed by selecting defensema
n Brycen Martin from the Calgary Bisons and the Lethbridge Hurricanes took defenseman Ryan Pilon third overall.
The Kamloops Blazers selected defenseman Jordan Thompson of Brandon, Man., and Lethbridge used its second pick of the first round to take forward Reid Duke of the Calgary Royals.
Seattle used the sixth pick to select high-scoring left winger Ryan Gropp and the Everett Silvertips chose center Ty Mappin of the Red Deer bantam Rebels seventh overall.
The Prince Albert Raiders took forward Reid Gardiner eighth, the Edmonton Oil Kings selected defenseman Aaron Irving ninth, the Prince George Cougars took defenseman Jordan Harris 10th and the Brandon Wheat Kings chose defenseman Kord Pankewicz 11th.
The new as-yet unnamed Victoria team, formerly the Chilliwack Bruins, took defenseman Joe Hicketts 12th overall.
Swift Current used its second pick of the round to select defenseman Zack Gonek while the Moose Jaw Warriors chose forward Braydon Point 14th and the Kelowna Rockets took center Rourke Chartier 15th.
The Reginas Pats traded the 16th overall pick to Moose Jaw for a few later picks and the Warriors selected forward Miles Warkentine.
The Kootenay Ice took forward Colin Shirley 17th overall, the Medicine Hat Tigers took forward Blake Penner of the Notre Dame Hounds, a Medicine Hat native, 18th. The Spokane Chiefs chose playmaking forward Tanner McMaster 19th.
The Vancouver Giants, using the 20th pick they acquired in a deal with Portland, took defenseman Thomas Foster. The Red Deer Rebels chose center Connor Bleakley 21st overall.
Brandon had the 22nd pick via a trade with Saskatoon and used the final pick of the first round to take the first goaltender, Jordan Piperny.
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