Well, as prepared as I'll ever be. I got a chuckle over the use of the term 'excited' when describing the team picking this high. I think it's okay for fans to be excited about getting a good prospect, but the team should actually be disappointed to pick this high since it reflects a poor 2012-2013 season.
Pre-Draft, my inclination is that Winnipeg product Nolan Patrick may be the guy that ends up being chosen by the Wheat Kings at #4.
There were also some rumours last night that Brandon may have a deal in place to land Lethbridge's pick at #6. I think they'd like to do that in order to land David Quenneville, John's younger brother.
Time will tell -- 15 minutes until the draft starts!!!
9:27 a.m.
Just checking out the draft order. In addition to fourth overall, the Brandon Wheat Kings also hold 17th, 25th, 47th, 60th and 69th overall. That's six of the first 69 picks. FYI, Brandon held their own fifth round pick (69th), dealing away two previously acquired fifth rounders in Maguire (Everett) and Yaworski (Prince Albert) trades last summer.
9:30 a.m.
The LIVE streaming of the WHL Bantam Draft underway. Hello Andy Neal, Tyler Boldt and Peter Loubardias.
9:35 a.m.
Hello to Brandon Wheat Kings' scout Mike Fraser!!
9:38 a.m.
First pick is in, and no surprise that the Vancouver Giants select Edmonton's Tyler Benson!! The Regina Pats are on the clock. The Brandon Wheat Kings are two picks away.
9:41 a.m.
Former Brandon Wheat King Dale McMullan, Pats' Director Scouting, makes Regina's pick at #2, and it's F Sam Steele.
9:45 a.m.
The Prince George Cougars have chosen D Josh Anderson with the third overall pick, putting the Brandon Wheat Kings on the clock!!!
9:48 a.m.
The Brandon Wheat Kings select F Nolan Patrick of Winnipeg fourth overall. The 6-foot-3, 175 pound Patrick had 33 goals and 75 points with the Winnipeg Hawks last season.
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| Wheat Kings' GM Kelly McCrimmon makes Brandon's first pick in the 2013 WHL Bantam Draft. |
Patrick is the son of former Brandon Wheat King Steve Patrick, who was a teammate of Kelly McCrimmon with the team in the late 1970's.
9:58 a.m.
The rumour I heard comes true! The Brandon Wheat Kings send G Corbin Boes and the 17th overall pick in today's WHL Bantam Draft to the Lethbridge Hurricanes for the sixth overall pick.
Brandon then uses the #6 pick to select defenceman Kale Clague. Clague broke Dion Phaneuf's scoring record for defenceman in the AMBHL this season. He's a 5-foot-11, 175 pounder from Lloydminster.
Kale's Dad Jason Clague is a former WHL goaltender with Regina and Red Deer.
10:22 a.m.
"What was really unique about this year's draft was how many players at the top of the draft had the ability to be franchise players," said Wheat Kings' GM Kelly McCrimmon, "In Kale Clague, you get a tremendous offensive talent. He's been a superstar for two years of Bantam and we're thrilled to be able to add him to our organization."
10:32 a.m.
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| Nolan Patrick |
Kelly McCrimmon on Nolan Patrick:
"I think he's a tremendous player. I think he does possess a lot of room of development," said McCrimmon, "We think he'll continue to improve and he'll a great junior and a successful pro after that."
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| Kale Clague |
On Kale Clague
"He make the whole game easy. He plays so intelligently, he's got a tremendous skill-set," said McCrimmon, "On the offensive blueline, he's as good as any defenceman I've ever seen in terms of his ability to get pucks through and find open people. He's just a tremendous talent."
10:36 a.m.
Another former Brandon Wheat King, Dan Bonar, making the Calgary Hitmen's first round pick.
10:41 a.m.
Corbin Boes sends out two Tweets:
Wow. Just want to thank the@bdnwheatkings organization for giving me a chance to make the WHL. Had 3 years there that I'll never forget
But looking forward to a new chapter in my hockey career with the @WHLHurricanes. Very excited to be apart of the organization!
Right back at you Corbin!
10:47 a.m.
First round is about to end with Seattle's pick (at #22) and Brandon product Tanner Kaspick is still on the board. If he lasts to #25, I think he'll be a Wheat King!!
11:00 a.m.
Teams regrouping after first round. Interesting to note that Nolan Patrick is the first Manitoban selected by the Wheat Kings in the first round since 2005 (Sanfred King).
11:11 a.m.
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| Tanner Kaspick |
Brandon product Tanner Kaspick has been chosen 25th overall by the Wheat Kings. Got to watch Kaspick quite a bit this winter with the AAA Midget Wheat Kings and didn't look out of place as an underage player.
Kaspick had 38 points in 44 games with Brandon but may not be a big time scorer, but the 5-foot-11, 183 pounder is a physical forward and, from what I'm told, has tremendous character.
11:19 a.m.
Just off the phone with new Wheat Kings' prospect Tanner Kaspick.
"I was in shock, and I was just excited. It's such an honour," said Kaspick, "That's the team you grow up cheering for so it's a honour to be part of the organization for sure."
11:39 a.m.
Picks are coming fast and furious, and the Wheat Kings used their first pick of the third round (#47 overall) to select another hometown boy in Ty Lewis, a 5-foot-8, 140 pound forward who played Bantam AAA hockey in Brandon this past season.
11:42 a.m.
If you're wondering about the Wheat Kings' strategy, nothing gets pride back into wearing the Wheat Kings' uniform like selected hometown kids. I'm just saying!!
By the way, the Wheat Kings hadn't chosen at least two Brandonites in the same Bantam Draft since 2008.
11:45 a.m.
This just in -- Brandon makes another deal, sending F Geordie Maguire and the 60th overall pick to the Regina Pats. Don't know for who/what yet!!
11:53 a.m.
By trading the #60 pick to the Regina Pats, the Brandon Wheat Kings don't select until the third pick of the fourth round, #69 overall (insert your own joke here _____________________ ).
12:08 p.m.
According to a Brandon Wheat Kings release, they got "draft day considerations" in the deal with Regina. What the heck does that mean?? Chad Lang buys lunch!!!
12:10 p.m.
The Brandon Wheat Kings use the 69th overall pick to select defenceman T.J. Brown from Red Deer, Alberta.
5-foot-10, 160 pounds.
It's going to be confusing in a couple of years with T.J. Brown and 2012 second rounder Tanner Browne patrolling the Wheat Kings' blueline!!!
12:13 p.m.
Thanks to my learned friends at Western Elite Hockey Prospects, who point out the Regina trade may have to do with the Pats promising not to select Nolan Patrick with the second overall pick.
Hopefully, Pats' GM Chad Lang will still buy lunch (no egg salad please!!!)
12:23 p.m.
Brandon product Blake Jameson, a 6-foot-1, 170 pound defenceman, has been chosen in the fourth round by the Victoria Royals, 75th overall.
12:29 p.m.
Small correction. The Wheat Kings' fourth round pick T.J. Brown is actually from Lacombe, Alberta but played in Red Deer. Fact: My brother lives in Lacombe. He had no insights on Brown's abilities.
12:44 p.m.
In the span of a few seconds, the Tri-City Americans select Strathclair product Morgan Geekie with the second pick of the fifth round, 90th overall.
He's the son of former Wheat Kings' defenceman Craig Geekie, and is a 5-foot-11, 153 pound centre.
The Wheat Kings then follow with the 91st overall pick and select Winnipeg product Dylan Thiessen, a 5-foot-11, 187 pound forward.
Thiessen led the Winnipeg Bantam Hockey League in scoring last season, with Nolan Patrick being #2.
Nice to see the Wheat Kings drafting some players with size this year!!!
12:50 p.m.
They'll take a lunch break at the fifth round for Chad Lang to serve his soup and sandwiches to the Wheat Kings' scouting staff.
Brandon doesn't have a sixth round pick, as they traded that to Regina for F Hampus Gustafsson (remember that deal??).
The Wheat Kings next scheduled pick is in the seventh round, 135th overall.
1:09 p.m.
Can someone please tell Jason Swyripa 144 characters MAX!!!
@JSwyripa14 Would like to wish one of my best friends@Boesy1 goodluck in lethy! Formed an amazing friendship in the 3 years of playing together #family
1:11 p.m.
Question - what is more exciting? The Wheat Kings moves and selections so far at the WHL Bantam Draft or that fact the Red Carts have arrived at the new Target Store in Brandon.
1:21 p.m.
Just had an "I'm old" moment! Realized I was called games when Jason Clague was playing in the Western Hockey League!!
Now, it'll be his son Kale!!
1:45 p.m.
WHL Bantam Draft has resumed. Sixth round is underway!!
2:15 p.m.
The Kamloops Blazers use their sixth round pick to select defenceman James Miller, younger brother of former Wheat King Ryley Miller.
No word if the Dauphin Kings immediately added James to their protected list as well!!
2:21 p.m.
The Brandon Wheat Kings used their seventh round pick to select Linden McCorrister.
He's a 5-foot-10 1/2, 150 pound left-winger from Winnipeg.
The Wheat Kings have selected seven players -- five are from Manitoba (Patrick, Kaspick, Lewis, Thiessen and McCorrister). Clague and Brown are from Alberta.
2:33 p.m.
I've decided watching the computer and waiting for names to pop up is boring. Bring back Andy, Tyler and Peter for the eighth round!!!!
2:45 p.m.
After a little research, it's confirmed that Portland seventh round pick Keiffer Bellows is the son of former NHLer Brian Bellows.
Keiffer, by the way, was born while dad was playing in the 1998 Stanley Cup Final.
Check out this story.
By the, welcome to the 2013 WHL Bantam Draft Portland!!!
The Winterhawks had no picks in the first six rounds because of the sanctions handed down by the WHL last fall.
2:52 p.m.
The Wheat Kings used their eighth round pick on defenceman Ryan Lindgren, who is from Minnesota and playing at Shattuck St. Mary's.
The 5-foot-11, 190 pound Lindgren was the top ranked American player by Western Elite Hockey Prospects and likely would have been a Top 10 pick is he were guaranteed to play in the Western Hockey League.
As it is, a chance pick but a good gamble at this point.
Lindgren committed to the University of Minnesota earlier this week!
2:57 p.m.
If Ryan Lindgren reports to the Wheat Kings, I'll have Ryan and Ryley Lindgren and Tanner Browne and T.J. Brown to contend with for play-by-play in a couple of years!!!
If Brandon had taken David Quenneville, my head would be exploding right now!!!
3:18 p.m.
After eight rounds, only four players from Western Manitoba have been selected. Tanner Kaspick and Ty Lewis to the Wheat Kings, Blake Jameson to Victoria and Morgan Geekie to Tri-City.
3:22 p.m.
The Brandon Wheat Kings use their ninth round pick on another Minnesotan in F Joey Anderson.
Anderson is a 5-foot-10, 175 pound LW played with Hill-Murray High School in Maplewood, Minnesota this past season.
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| Joey Anderson |
3:30 p.m.
You gotta love this Tweet from Wheat Kings' prospect Ryley Lindgren (@rLindgren9)
Hey @RyanLindgren1 if you weren't committed to MN we could have been like the sedin twins except with no relation& I'm FWD ur D #OneDay #BWK
3:35 p.m.
The fifth Westman prospect to be selected is Virden product Tyler Kirkup, who goes in the ninth round to the Red Deer Rebels.
Kirkup is a 5-foot-10 1/2, 140 pound centre.
3:42 p.m.
Riley Shamray of Oak River is chosen by the Calgary Hitmen in the ninth round. Shamray is a 5-foot-11, 165 pound defenceman. Know dad Derek well!
BTW, the Midwest Pee Wee Baseball team that went to the Western Canadians in Nanaimo two years ago is doing well in today's Bantam Draft.
3:57 p.m.
The Wheat Kings used their tenth round pick to select defenceman Brenden Storey.
Storey is a 6-foot-1, 175 pound blueliner from Grandview, Manitoba.
Last time Brandon selected a defenceman from Grandview this late, it turned out all right -- didn't it Ryan Pulock (seventh round in 2009).
4:00 p.m.
Brandon has now taken ten players in the draft -- six Manitobans, two Albertans and two Minnesotans.
Position-wise, the Wheat Kings have selected six forwards and four defencemen. The club has yet to choose a goaltender.
4:21 p.m.
I was working on some stuff for the 5:00 p.m. Sportscast on CKLQ so completely missed the fact the Wheat Kings acquired another tenth round pick and used it to select La Salle's Ben Dalke.
He's a 5-foot-8, 144 pound forward.
Brandon when used their 11th round pick on Boissevain product Braden Billaney, a 5-foot-10, 153 pound forward.
That's eight Manitobans in 12 picks for the Wheat Kings this year, and eight forwards and four defencemen.
4:25 p.m.
According to a Tweet from the Brandon Wheat Kings, that's all the pick they'll be making in this year's Bantam Draft.
I'll have another full recap later tonight.
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