Playoff-bound Raiders to select third overall in bantam draft
Sometimes you can have your cake and eat it too. Just ask the Prince Albert Raiders.
While the team continues preparations for its first-round playoff matchup against the Moose Jaw Warriors, they found out they will have the third overall pick in the 2018 WHL Bantam Draft after a lottery was held in Calgary to determine the final order Wednesday morning.
Typically, only non-playoff teams are entered into the draft lottery, but the Raiders found themselves included after acquiring this year’s first-round pick from the Prince George Cougars in the fall of 2016 along with Max Martin, Kolby Johnson, and a 2019 third-round pick, all in exchange for Brendan Guhle. The Cougars finished 21st out of 22 teams this season, placing their first-round pick second from the top prior to the lottery. Today the lottery ball fell in favour of the Kootenay ICE, moving their pick from fourth to second (the lottery winner was only allowed to move up two spots) and moving the Raiders’ pick from second to third.
“We won the lottery last year, we would have loved to win it again this year, but the great thing about Western Canada is we produce great hockey players and we’re going to get ourselves a real good player at the number-three spot,” Raiders General Manager Curtis Hunt said.