Sign up for the paNOW newsletter

No draft day hangover for the Raiders

May 11, 2015 | 2:15 PM

The post-2015 WHL Bantam draft period appears to be calm. There is little to be critical about with the selections of two Saskatchewan boys in the first round, who have already expressed excitement at the prospect of becoming Prince Albert Raiders in the fall of 2016.

Cole Fonstad of Estevan and Carson Miller of Yorkton, selected fifth and 20th overall respectively, have a lot in common in addition to their province of birth. They are both around  five feet, nine inches tall and 150 pounds, piled up the points in Bantam AA hockey and are in fact friends, which could be good for future team chemistry.  Fonstad registered 36 goals and 67 point in 29 games, while Miller was the province’s top scoring Bantam with 49 goals and 107 points in 31 games.  A step up to Saskatchewan Midget AAA hockey next season will be good tests for the fledgling 15 year olds and an indication of their abilities to make the jump to major junior a year later.  

There are hopes that every draft class produces at least one diamond in the rough.  There are two good candidates.  Minnesotan Gavin Hain fired 67 goals and 119 point in 52 games with his Bantam AA team this past season, well worth a shot in the eighth round. The back story of the Raiders final pick is newsworthy, as well. In addition to having one of the best names in the draft, Yauheni Astrouski is one of many Raider draft choices from Edmonton.  The big difference is the six-foot forward moved to the Alberta capital last year from Belarus. The fact he will already be a 16-year-old player next season means he could play in the WHL next season. The well-travelled teen scored 18 goals and 48 points in 37 games last season with the SSAC Minor Midget AAA Bulldogs.

The best candidate to crack the lineup from the 2014 draft class is first-round pick Ian Scott, who along with recently signed Curtis Meager of Regina should push incumbent goalies Nick McBride and Rylan Parenteau. Burly third-round pick and defenceman Cody Thompson along with Penticton, B.C. forward Josh Maser, selected in the fourth round, could also push the veterans at training camp and at least get good long looks from the coaching staff. Maser was a point-a-game player at the Okanagan Hockey Academy this past season, while Thomspon had an impressive camp last summer as a 15 year old making it all the way to preseason.    

Regardless of what you think about the Raiders’ record on draft day, the team has done an excellent job finding impact players through free agency. Andrew Herle, Chance Braid, Carson Perreault and MacKenze Stewart are just a few examples. With the draft in the rear view mirror, attention returns to the hockey operations staff and with the remaining questions: Will Bruno Campese be the man behind the 2015 Import draft at this time next month and who will join bench boss Marc Habscheid in the coach’s office? It looks like Kelly Guard has come to terms on a one-year contract. 

For the rest, stay tuned.

dwilson@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @RaidersVoice