With the first, second, and seventh overall pick, the Prince Albert Raiders are in for an exciting WHL prospects draft. (raiderhockey.com)

By Rob Mahon

WHL Draft Countdown

Excitement builds for Raiders’ scouts with historic draft approaching

May 4, 2023 | 3:00 PM

When the WHL Prospects Draft begins on Thursday, May 11, the Prince Albert Raiders will hold the first and second overall picks in the draft. That’s only happened once before in WHL history, and the team that made those picks, the Winnipeg ICE, just swept their way to the WHL finals with those two picks helping lead the charge.

In other words, you can understand why the scouting staff for the Raiders might be just a little bit excited.

“I don’t know how often in your lifetime we’ll get an opportunity to pick where we’re picking,” said Bruno Zarrillo, director of player personnel. “We’re excited for the opportunity, and excited for the players we’re going to bring in to Prince Albert.”

You’ll sometimes hear the draft referred to as a scout’s Superbowl, or their Christmas depending on who you talk to. When your scouts are armed with not only the first and second but the seventh overall pick as well, an already exciting day gets even more so.

“Usually, you’re in a position where you’re waiting to see what’s going to come to you,” Zarrillo said. “But this is like the Superbowl. You get to pick whoever you want.”

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Some pundits have mentioned this particular class of players, those born in 2008, doesn’t offer up a consensus top pick. While there are no exceptional status players like Connor Bedard on offer this time around, Zarrillo said the Raiders have found their guy.

“I’m confident the guy we’re picking is number one overall,” he said. “In past years, maybe you get a generational player like Connor Bedard or Sidney Crosby, and it’s a slam dunk. This year, you had to look into more of them as a person, as a person in the community, their leadership ability, what overall is he bringing to your organization. To us, it was very easy who the number one pick was.”

Beyond picks one, two, and seven, the Raiders own their standard slate of draft picks, as well as some extra picks in the sixth round due to trades with Brandon and Lethbridge from the previous year. So they’ll have lots of opportunities to pick, it’s just a matter of who they can get.

“With COVID and the gap year these kids experienced, it’s not as traditionally deep,” said Zarrillo. “What can happen though is over the next little bit is some of these kids are really going to climb because they’re going to get more development time. You’re going to see some real surprises come out of this group.”

Raiders fans have reason to be excited about Zarrillo being armed with extra picks. The first draft that he was at the helm for the Raiders was the 2021 prospects draft, and while it’s early to fully judge the results, that draft looks like a pretty good feather in his cap, and the caps of his scouting staff. Four members of that draft class have already played their rookie season for the Raiders, and a fifth is already signed for next season.

“I think we did excellently in that draft,” Zarrillo said. “We got a rookie of the year candidate (Ryder Ritchie). Really, I thought as a group if we can continue to be productive like that, we’ll be as good in the scouting department as any organization in the league.”

Zarrillo added he’s a believer in drafting the best player available rather than drafting by position.

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rob.mahon@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @RobMahonPxP