Important draft upcoming for Raiders, have 3 picks in top 27

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When Derkatch talked about what he wanted to come away with from that fifth overall pick, he said the standard “we’ll take the best player available” but immediately followed with “we hope it’s a forward this year.”

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Although teams rather draft quality and address their needs later, the Raiders have a glaring demand to add young forwards through the draft as they’ve failed to do so in recent years.

In the last three drafts dating back to 2012, Matteo Gennaro (second round, 41^st overall in 2012) is the only forward the Raiders drafted in the top three rounds. He was also the Raiders’ third selection that draft behind defenceman Brendan Guhle (third overall) and goaltender Nick McBride (23^rd overall).

In the past five drafts dating back to the 2010, the Raiders have only picked one forward in the first round—Reid Gardiner eighth overall in 2011. (These statistics don’t include Jake Kryski, who the Raiders drafted 13^th overall in 2013 but traded away that offseason to the Kamloops Blazers for overage goaltender Cole Cheveldave.)

“It’s a big deal,” said Derkatch on filling their prospect pool with talent, young forwards. “That’s why I mentioned that first, we’re hoping to get a forward but if it so happens there’s a defenceman left when we’re picking and he’s a lot better than the forward, then we’ll take the defenceman.

“The elite players don’t come around too often. We’re picking in the top five so we should get a pretty good player.”

Sources indicate the Raiders have interest in Estevan Bruins forward Cole Fonstad, including Western Elite Hockey Prospects who have the Raiders selecting Fonstad fifth overall in their mock draft.

Fonstad had 36 goals and 67 points in 29 games with the Bruins in the Saskatchewan Bantam AA Hockey League, and another 10 points in five playoff games. He also played five games with the Moose Jaw Generals in the Saskatchewan Midget AAA Hockey League.

Western Elite also have Carson Focht (seventh) as a strong possibility for the Raiders’ at the fifth spot. Foch played with the Notre Dame Bantam Hounds in the South Saskatchewan Midget AA Hockey League and led the league with 70 points in 38 games played.

“They are two of the guys that are up at the top and could potentially be guys in our area when we’re looking at them, but there are lots of good players this year,” said Derkatch. “There’s probably 10 guys, depending on what you want in a player, that you could potentially take at number five.”

Derkatch also mentioned an Okanagan Hockey Academy forward Tyler Popowich (third ranked by WEHP) defenceman Jett Woo (fourth) and North Shore Winter Club forward Chase Leppard (eighth).

The 2015 WHL Bantam Draft will be conducted on Thursday in Calgary.

Raiders Top 3 rounds since 2011            

2014

1. 9^th, Ian Scott, G
2. None
3. 52^nd, Cody Thompson, D

2013

1. 13^th, Jake Kryski, F — Traded
2. None
3. 46^th, Cody Paivarinta, D

2012

1. 3^rd, Brendan Guhle, D
2. 23^rd, Nick McBride, G

2. 41^st, Matteo Gennaro, F
3. None

Bantam Raider Regnier ranked for draft

Ethan Regnier is the only member of the Prince Albert Venice House Bantam Raiders ranked by Western Elite Hockey Prospects for this year’s draft. Regnier is projected as the 143^rd pick, scoring 21 goals and 40 points in his second year of bantam.

The 2016 draft already looks stronger for local P.A. products as the WEHP has named three Raiders. Braydon Schneider is ranked 58^th, Jackson Kowblick is 88^th and Kevin Ledoux is 125^th.

jdandrea@panow.com

On Twitter: @jeff_dandrea