2009 WHL Bantam Draft - Live in Real-Time
April 28, 2009 []
Calgary, AB – The 2009 Western Hockey League Bantam Draft will be held Thursday, April 30th in Edmonton at the Sutton Place Hotel (10235-101 St.).
The annual WHL Bantam Draft is the first step in the identification of the top rated 1994-born prospects as WHL Clubs select players from this age group to add to their WHL Player Protected List.
In the first round of the WHL Bantam Draft, the Portland Winter Hawks won the draft lottery draw and will have the first selection overall. The Moose Jaw Warriors, based on their position in the overall 2008-09 WHL Regular Season standings, will receive the second pick in the first round. The Chilliwack Bruins will select third.
The Red Deer Rebels will have the fourth pick overall while the Regina Pats and the Prince Albert Raiders will draft in the fifth and sixth positions respectively.
The order of the second round and all other rounds will be the inverse order of final 2008-09 WHL regular-season standings.
Players eligible for the 2009 WHL Bantam Draft will be 1994-born players who reside in Alberta, B.C., Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Northwest Territories, Yukon, Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington and Wyoming.
The 20th Annual WHL Bantam Draft will be posted live on www.whl.ca. Click on the WHL Bantam Draft icon on the www.whl.ca homepage to get the results live in real-time.
Previous number one selections during the WHL Bantam Draft include Quinton Howden, Moose Jaw Warriors (2007); Jared Cowen, Spokane Chiefs (2006); Colten Teubert, Regina Pats (2005); Gilbert Brule, Vancouver Giants (2002); Kyle Chipchura, Prince Albert Raiders (2001); Braydon Coburn, Portland Winter Hawks (2000); and Jay Bouwmeester, Medicine Hat Tigers (1998). Last year the Red Deer Rebels selected Ryan Nugent-Hopkins first overall in the 2008 WHL Bantam Draft.
