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| Nolan Patrick is expected to be a high pick in today's WHL Bantam Draft (picture courtesy http://westernelitehockeyprospects.com/) |
It would probably be the wrong term to say a team is excited about having a high pick, since it does mean they had a poor season, but the Brandon Wheat Kings do have the fourth overall selection.
It's the highest the team has picked since taking Darren Van Oene second overall 20 years ago.
The top four prospects seem to be pretty much set in Edmonton's Tyler Benson and Sam Steele, Lloydminster's Kale Clague and Winnipeg's Nolan Patrick.
The smart money for the Wheat Kings' pick might be on Patrick, the son of former Wheat King Steve Patrick.
The 6-foot-3, 175 pound Patrick had 33 goals and 75 points with the Winnipeg Hawks last season and is believed to have told both Regina and Prince George, who hold the #2 and #3 picks, thanks but no thanks.
Four other names to keep in mind for the top part of the first round are Oakbank, Manitoba product Brett Howden, Brunaby's Dante Fabbro, Duncan's Josh Anderson and Edmonton's David Quenneville.
Quenneville is the younger brother of current Wheat King John Quenneville.
There were also plenty of trade rumours were also floating around Wednesday including one that would see the Wheat Kings acquire the sixth overall pick from Lethbridge.
That might actually come into play when we get to the #6 pick on Thursday morning because I'm sure the deal would be based on the player Brandon wants still being available sixth overall.
Thursday's draft begins on 9:30 a.m. (CDT) and the first round will be streamed 'live' on the Western Hockey League website at www.whl.ca.
I'll also be tweeting (@wheatkingsvoice) updates and doing some 'live' blogging about the draft throughout the day.
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