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WHL Draft a good day for Saskatchewan

May 5, 2011 | 8:51 AM

3:13pm

The Raiders have finished the day taking 10 players including 6 forwards, 3 defensemen and 1 goaltender.  They traded their 9th and 10th round picks to the Spokane Chiefs for their 9th and 10th round selections next season.  A full recap withcomments from Coach and GM Bruno Campese is yet to come.

 

2:42pm

The Raiders traded their 9th round pick, 184th overall to the Spokane Chiefs.  WHL officials aren't releasing details of any trades while the draft is in progress.

 

2:18pm

The Raiders have chosen a forward in the 8th round.  Kevin Yasinski of Fariview Alberta played this past season for the Grande Prairie AAA Bantams.  The 6'2″ 173 pounder had 14 goals and 12 assists in 32 games and also played in the Northwest Sharks in the Alberta Cup Tournament.

 

 

1:35 p.m.

The Raiders selected their third defenseman of this WHL draft taking Taran Lacquette.  The five-foot-10, 175-pound native of Waterhead Manitoba played in the Manitoba U-16 program of excellence camp.

12:54 p.m.

The Calgary Hitmen have selected Ryan Duret of the Prince Albert Venice House Pirates. 

Duret led all scorers in the Centre 4 Bantam AA league this past season with 53 goals and 56 assists in just 24 games.  The five-foot-nine, 155-pound forward was also a key player in the Pirates push to a Provincial title.  Within moments of Duret's selection, the Raiders announced their sixth round pick.

It's another Venice House Pirate, forward Lance Yaremchuk.  Yaremchuk also had a strong season with 41 goals and 28 assists.  He is the 5th Pirate to be chosen today.  All five including Miles Warkentine, Jordan Harris and Bryton Sayers will play for the Midget AAA Mintos next season.  

 

11:46 a.m.

The Raiders decided to keep on picking in the fourth round instead of making any trades. 

They selected Manitoba defenseman Kristjon Finnson with the 74th pick overall and stayed in that province for their next selection taking six-foot-one, 225-pound defenseman Taylor Fisher of Winnipeg 78th overall. He had 18 goals, 28 assists and 68 PIMS in just 30 games with the Winnipeg  Bantam AAA Warriors. 

Finnson had only two goals and four assists with the Interlake Lightning in his AAA season but picked up 74 penalty minutes.  The Raiders went with Centreman Spencer Meyer of Surrey BC with their final pick of the 4th round.  He was taken 88th overall.  Meyer is five foot ten and 140 pounds and is coming off an outstanding BC  Cup tournament in whcih he had six goals and six assists in just five games.  In addition to playing for the Surrey Thunder, Meyer had 10 goals and five assists with the Hollyburn Bantam AAA Huskies.

 

11:07 a.m.

It's been a busy third round for the Raiders and Prince Albert.  The Raiders went south to Swift Current for thier second pick of the day, selecting Tim Vanstone of Swift Current.  The centreman scored 20 goals and 23 assists in 26 games.  The five-foot-ten, 172-pound forward was selected 52nd overall.  The Raiders took Goalie Rylan Parenteau of Saskatoon with the very next pick and Calgary centreman Landon Weiykolowa 58th overall.   He had 22 goals and 29 assists in 33 games with the Bantam AAA Calgary Bisons and a goal and six assists in the Alberta Cup.

Earlier in the third round PA Venice House Pirates defenseman Bryton Sayers was chosen by the Lethbridge Hurricanes.  The five-foot-eleven, 175 defenceman had 12 goals and 13 assists for the Provincial champions and had a very strong Western Canada Championship tournament according to his Coach Shawn Phaneuf.

 

10:10 a.m.

Raiders Coach and GM Bruno Campese is elated with their first round selection.  He said the biggest attribute of Reid Gardiner from Humboldt is his work ethic.

“He's a kid that works extremely hard, pretty good sized player with offensive abilities, but first and formost he is a hard working Saskatchewan player,” he said.

Campese had the five-foot-eleven, 165 pound forward ranked higher than the spot they got him (8th overall) but wouldn't say where they had Gardiner ranked.  Dale Derkatch, director of player personel of the Raiders agrees with other scouts who call Gardiner one of the best pure goal scorers in the draft. 

He is particularily good on the power play said Derkatch.

“He works hard like Mark McNeill.  We don't know if he will put up the same type of numbers but he has been money on the power play all year.  At the minimum he will be fun to watch based on his work eithic alone”

Gardiner scored 49 goals and 30 assists with Humboldt of the Centre 4 Bantam league this past season.  

The Raiders don't pick again until the third round and Campese said a trade to move into the second round isn't likely.  He expects good players to be available when they choose 52nd, 53rd, and 58th overall.  However he hinted there could be moves in the fourth round where they have another three picks.   
 

9:28 a.m.

The Moose Jaw Warriors have selected Miles Warkentine of Prince Albert 16th overall at the WHL Bantam Draft in Calgary. 

The six-foot, 165-pound power forward from the Venice House Pirates scored 33 goals last season with the Provincial Bantam AA champions last season and is the second player from that team selected. Defenseman Jordan Harris went 10th overall to the Prince George Cougars.  

 

9:00 a.m.

The Prince Albert Raiders have selected Reid Gardiner of Humboldt with their pick 8th overall.  He was a 50 goal scorer in the Centre 4 Bantam AA league last season while picking up another 31 assists.  The five-foot-11, 165-pound forward was also born in Prince Albert and is considered among the best pure scorers in the draft.  The Raiders, barring trades don't pick again until the third.
 

8:45 a.m. Thursday

The WHL draft got off to a resounding start locally when the Lethbridge Hurricanes selected Duck Lake's Ryan Pilon third overall.  The six-foot-one, 170-pound defenseman from Duck Lake scored 28 goals with Warman of the Centre 4 Bantam AA league this past season. 

He was ranked first overall by Western Elite Hockey Prospects, but was slowed by illness and injury at the end of the season.  The Raiders pick eighth overall.