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Monday, March 26, 2012

Team by Team First Round Study

Brandon
2011 - 2 Alberta (Pankewicz, Papirny)
2010 - 0
2009 - 1 Saskatchewan (Roy)
2008 - 1 Alberta (K. Wilson - now with Edmonton)
2007 - 1 British Columbina (Regier - not in WHL)
2006 - 1 Saskatchewan (Schenn)

- Brandon has had 6 first round selections in the past 6 years.  They have taken 4 forwards, 1 defense and 1 goalie (Papirny).  The goalie pick was used with an extra pick received in the Schenn deal to Saskatoon.

Moose Jaw
2011 - 2  1 Alberta, 1 Saskatchewan (Point, Warkentine)
2010 - 2  1 Alberta, 1 Saskatchewan (T. White, C. Hansen)
2009 - 1 BC (Reilly)
2008 - 0
2007 - 1 Manitoba (Howden)
2006 - 1 BC (Maylan)

- The Warriors have had 7 first round selections in the past 6 years.  They have taken 5 forwards and 2 defenseman, although Hansen has since been switched to forward.  The Warriors have spread out their picks early over the provinces

Prince Albert
2011 - 1 Saskatchewan (Gardiner)
2010 - 1 Alberta (Morrissey)
2009 - 1 Alberta (Winther)
2008 - 1 Alberta (McNeill)
2007 - 1 Alberta (Aasman)
2006 - 1 Alberta (Penner)

- The Raiders have had 1 pick in each of the past 6 drafts in the first round.  Interesting that 5 of the 6 are from Alberta.  The Raiders seem very likely to stay in Alberta or Saskatchewan with their first rounder.  4 of the 6 picks have been forwards, with the other 2 being defenseman.  This season the Raiders pick 2nd overall so look for them to take the best player available and with the draft so top heavy in BC talent, they may just take one of our top two Alberta ranked forwards in that group!

Swift Current
2011 - 2  2 from Alberta (Martin, Gonek)
2010 - 1 Alberta (Heatherington)
2009 - 1 BC (Richardson - Never reported to WHL)
2008 - 1 Alberta (Scarlett)
2007 - 1 Saskatchewan (Magnus)
2006 - 1 Manitoba (Eakin)

- The Broncos have had 7 first round selections in the past 6 years.  Recently they have drafted Alberta born defenseman with the past 3 first rounders being used as such.  The forward selections, after taking Eakin haven't worked out as planned with Richardson never reporting and Magus being traded once and then re-acquired.  The Broncos will pick a forward this year at #5 overall.  Do they go back to BC after getting burnt in the Richardson situation?  Or do they take one of those top two Alberta forwards?

Regina
2011 - 0
2010 - 1 Alberta (Klimchuk)
2009 - 1 Saskatchewan (Stephenson)
2008 - 1 Alberta (Bell)
2007 - 1 Saskatchewan (Favreau)
2006 - 1 Saskatchewan (Miller)

- Regina doesn't have a first round selection for the 2nd consecutive season.  They traded the selection to the Prince George Cougars in the Martin Marincin deal.

Saskatoon
2011 - 0
2010 - 1 Saskatchewan (MaGauley, traded to brandon in Schenn deal)
2009 - 1 BC (Olsen)
2008 - 2  Alberta, Saskatchewan (Siemens, Benson)
2007 - 1 Manitoba (Inglis, traded to PG for a 2nd rounder)
2006 - 1 Saskatchewan (Berg, traded and not in the league)

- Saskatoon does not have a first round draft pick for the 2nd consecutive season.  They traded the selection as part of the Brayden Schenn deal.

East Division Summary
- 37 Selections
- 5 BC, 18 Alberta, 11 Saskatchewan, 3 Mannitoba
- No first round Manitobans taken since 2007

Calgary
2011 - 1 BC (Virtanen)
2010 - 1 Alberta (Chase)
2009 - 1 BC (Clayton)
2008 - 1 Alberta (Kosterman)
2007 - 1 BC (Madaisky)
2006 - 1 Alberta (Schaber)

- The Hitmen have choose forwards with their past 3 first round selections. They have also alternated picks each year with Alberta and BC.  We feel they may pick a defenseman this time around and it is Alberta's turn!  We shall see!  The Hitmen will pick 17th overall.

Lethbridge
2011 - 2  Saskatchewan, Alberta (Pilon, Duke)
2010 - 1  Alberta (Merkley)
2009 - 0
2008 - 1  Alberta (Tot)
2007 - 2  BC, Alberta (Therieau, Reners)
2006 - 1  Saskatchewan (Ashton)

-  The Canes will have 2 picks in the first round for the 3rd time in 6 years.  They tend to take a forward and defenseman each time but probably not a conscience decision.  They like to keep to Alberta or Saskatchewan early but with the draft so top heavy in BC talent early on, I think they may take one of them at 4 overall and use the 2nd first rounder, 18th overall on a defenseman or perhaps one of the top goalies.

Medicine Hat
2011 - 1 Alberta (Penner)
2010 - 1 Alberta (Jensen)
2009 - 1 Alberta (Shinkaruk)
2008 - 1 Alberta (Busenius)
2007 - 1 Alberta (Bunz)
2006 - 1 BC (Carlson)

- Despite always picking very late in the bantam draft, the Tigers always seem to pick a very productive player.  They have stuck to their home province in the past 5 years and tend to take the best player available from Alberta.  This year the Tigers pick 16th overall.

Red Deer
2011 - 1 Alberta (Bleackley)
2010 - 1 Saskatchewan (Doetzel)
2009 - 1 Alberta (Dumba)
2008 - 1 BC (RNH)
2007 - 1 BC (Redmond)
2006 - 1 BC (Ferraro)

- Over the past several years, the Rebels have had some very high picks, so the selections have been fairly obvious as to who they would take.  RNH, Dumba and Ferraro being those picks.  This year the Rebels pick 6th overall and we think they will target a defenseman with that pick.

Edmonton
2011 - 1 Alberta (Irving)
2010 - 2 BC, Alberta (Lazar, Geertzen)
2009 - 1 BC (Reinhart)
2008 - 1 Manitoba (St. Croix)

- The Oil kings have had exceptional drafts in the early going of their franchise which has basically put them where they are now, a bit ahead of the curve.  Three of their past 4 first rounders have been used on defenseman.  They have yet to pick a Saskatchewan born player in round 1.  This year they pick 22nd overall and are likely to take the best player available on their list and most likely a forward due to the fact that last years draft was heavy in defenseman taken.

Kootenay
2011 - 1 Saskatchewan (Shirley)
2010 - 1 BC (Reinhart)
2009 - 1 Saskatchewan (Cave)
2008 - 1 Alberta (Hurley)
2007 - 1 Saskatchewan (Czerwonka)
2006 - 1 BC (Lieuwen)

- The Ice also pick after the first half of the first round is over each year.  They seem to like taking Saskatchewan born forwards as has been the case in 3 of the past 5 drafts.  Haven't taken a defenseman in any of the past 6 drafts.  Is this the year, they buck the trend?  They select 10th overall, right in the wheel house of a few of the top dmen in the first round after the run on forwards is complete.

Central Division Summary
- 35 Selections
- 12 BC, 17 AB, 5 SK, 1 MB
- 3 of 5 SK selections taken by Koot.  5 selections in a row by MH in the first round!

Vancouver
2011 - 1 Alberta (Foster)
2010 - 1 BC (Ast)
2009 - 1 BC (Sward)
2008 - 1 BC (Hodder)
2007 - 1 BC (Spooner)
2006 - 1 BC (Kane)

- The Giants, as you can see have had quite the run on BC born players and that makes sense.  That ended last year when they took forward, Thomas Foster.  They have had a run on forwards and the only two dmen taken were traded (Hodder, Spooner).  The Giants will select 15th overall and will take the top player available on their list but with many of the top players gone at that point, I think a BC born defenseman could be had here.  A Saskatchewan or Manitoba born player seems like a long-shot.

Kelowna
2011 - 1 Saskatchewan (Chartier)
2010 - 1 Alberta (Lees)
2009 - 1 BC (Siebert)
2008 - 1 USA (McColgan)
2007 - 1 USA (Moffatt)
2006 - 1 BC (Barrie)

- The Rockets aren't shy about drafting players out of BC and will take who they feel is the top player at their specific spot in the draft.  They select this year at 9th overall and that is a great spot to land one of the top defenseman.

Kamloops
2011 - 1 Manitoba (Thomson)
2010 - 1 BC (Needham)
2009 - 1 Saskatchewan (Gaudet)
2008 - 1 Alberta (Smith)
2007 - 1 Alberta (Ranford)
2006 - 1 Saskatchewan (Bubnick)

The Blazers have chosen a defenseman fairly high in 2 of their past 3 drafts.  They tend to select from wherever as they don't prefer sticking to a specific province.  This year they select very low in the first round at 19th overall, so they may prefer a forward.

Prince George
2011 - 1 Saskatchewan (Harris)
2010 - 1 Saskatchewan (Forsberg)
2009 - 1 Alberta (J. Smith)
2008 - 1 Saskatchewan (Forsberg)
2007 - 1 BC (Connolly)
2006 - 1 BC (Elliott)

The Cougars have had a mix bag of results from the draft.  Injuries, Elliott wanting a trade, Smith not panning out and the Forsberg brothers hopefully meeting expectation.  The Cougars will take a foward this year from about a list of 4 possible candidates.

Victoria Franchise
2011 - 1 BC (Hicketts)
2010 - 1 Alberta (Kanzig)
2009 - 1 BC (Hodges)
2008 - 1 Alberta (Topping)
2007 - 1 BC (Sundher)
2006 - 1 BC (Howse)

The Royals franchise has picked in the top 12 for each of the past 6 drafts and will once again this year.  They seem partial to either Alberta or BC kids and we don't see that changing this season.  At 8th overall, we see them picking a forward and likely one from BC at this spot.

BC Summary
- 30 selections, each team has used a first round pick in each year since 2006
- 14 BC, 7 AB, 6 SK, 1 MB, 2 USA
- Both USA picks selected by KEL.  Victoria/Vancouver heavily weighted to BC picks in the first round.  PG swaying to Sask up high.

Portland
2011 - 0
2010 - 1 BC (Petan)
2009 - 1 Saskatchewan (Pouliot)
2008 - 1 Alberta (Rattie)
2007 - 1 Alberta (Ross)
2006 - 1 BC (Boychuk)

The WinterHawks do not have a selection in this years draft due to using it to acquire Noebels from Seattle.  Could this be a trend in regards to trading their first rounder due to the fact they can recruit so many American born players now?

Seattle
2011 - 1 BC (Gropp)
2010 - 1 Alberta (Hauf)
2009 - 1 Alberta (Troock)
2008 - 1 BC (Sanvido)
2007 - 1 Alberta (Fleming)
2006 - 1 Alberta (Chaffin)

The T-Birds have had some bad luck in the first round of recent drafts.  They like BC or Alberta kids early on.  This year they have the #1 overall pick and will take Barzal (barring a trade), so has their luck changed?

Spokane
2011 - 1 Alberta (MacMaster)
2010 - 1 Saskatchewan (King-Cunningham)
2009 - 1 Manitoba (Gow)
2008 - 1 Alberta (Holmberg)
2007 - 1 BC (Betz)
2006 - 1 Saskatchewan (Cowen)

The Chiefs have picked from all over the prairies and have mixed in forwards and defenseman throughout the recent first rounds.  The Chiefs went top heavy in forwards last year in the first few rounds.  This time around, they select 14th overall and they will try to look to a defenseman at that spot.

Tri-City
2011 - 0
2010 - 1 USA (Comrie)
2009 - 1 BC (Rankin)
2008 - 1 BC (Yuen)
2007 - 0
2006 - 1 Manitoba (Gardiner)

The Americans have become "the Americans" with the number of players from south of the border being selected.  They like to go to that LA Selects program to make selections now.  It is very likely we could see them use one on Robby Jackson or D - Keoni Texeira!  If not, who knows!

Everett
2011 - 1 Alberta (Mappin)
2010 - 0
2009 - 1 Alberta (Walters)
2008 - 1 Saskatchewan (Murray)
2007 - 1 Alberta (Simpson)
2006 - 1 BC (Tochkin)

The Tips favour Alberta and tend to draft due to team need no matter how high they select.  This  year, they pick 7th overall and with them drafted so forward heavy early on last year, a defenseman seems likely.  However, can they pass up on all those high end elite forwards?

USA Division Summary
- 26 Selections
- 8 BC, 11 Alberta, 4 SK, 2 MB, 1 USA
- Tri City haven't selected a SK or MB player in the past 6 drafts!

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