(Editor’s note, taken from the WHL Bantam draft site: The WHL Bantam Draft runs May 4-10. The draft is an annual outing in which the Club’s of the Western Hockey League select players who have graduated from bantam. The draft’s order of selection depends on where the team finishes in the League standings. The clubs that miss the playoffs are placed into a lottery for the first round only. After the first round, the clubs select in order from fewest to most regular season points.)
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The Seattle Thunderbirds selected defenseman Jared Hauf, from Calgary, Alberta, with their first selection in the 2010 WHL Bantam Draft.
“We are excited to select Jared Hauf in the first round. He is an imposing presence on the ice and we believe can grow to be a top defenseman in t he WHL,” said T-Birds General Manager Russ Farwell.
Hauf is 6’4 and 175-pounds and played for the Calgary Bronks Bantam AAA team this past season. He appeared in 33 games and had four goals and 13 assists for 17 points with 72 penalty minutes.
In the second round, with the 26th overall selection, the T-Birds took defenseman Taylor Green from Port Coquitlam, BC.
“We have added another imposing player on the blue line,” said Farwell. “Green has tremendous potential to develop into an outstanding player. His skating and hand skills are what make him so exciting and at 6’6 the upside was too much to pass up.”
Green is 6’6 and 210 pounds and he played with the Port Coquitlam Tier 1 Bantam team this past season. He appeared in 42 games and had 12 goals and 38 assists for 50 points with 54 penalty minutes. Green played in 10 playoff games and had seven assists.
The T-Birds had two selections in the third round of the draft. With the 48th overall pick the team selected right wing James Neil from White Rock, BC. Neil, at 6’0 and 165-pounds, played with the Semiahmoo Ravens Bantam AAA team last season.
T-Birds Scouting Staff comment on Neil: “James Neil has tremendous offensive upside. He has a strong shot, handles the puck very well in tight areas and is tough to take the puck from. He sees the ice well and has the ability to make plays for others.”
With their second selection in the third round the T-Birds picked defenseman Shea Theodore from Aldergrove, BC. Theodore is 5’10 and 142-pounds and played for the Aldergrove Bantam AAA team last season.
T-Birds Scouting Staff comment on Theodore: “Shea Theodore is a gifted skater with an exceptional stride. He transitions the puck to offense very well. He has experience playing forward and defense. He is very poised and makes solid decisions with the puck.”
The T-Birds had no selections in the fourth round of the draft, but had two selections in the fifth round, one selection in the sixth round and two picks in the seventh round.
In the fifth round, with the 92nd overall pick the T-Birds took goalie Justin Myles from Calgary. Myles played 16 games with the Calgary Northstars Bantam AAA team this past season and had a 2.90 goals against average and a .886 save percentage.
T-Birds Scouting Staff comment on Myles: “Justin Myles is a poised athletic goalie with good size potential. He stepped up his game for his team in the playoffs and provided an opportunity for his team to win each night.”
Seattle took defenseman Zach Douglas, from McTaggart, Saskatchewan, with their second fifth round selection. Douglas, at 5’11 and 175-pounds, played with the Weyburn Mission Wings Bantam AA team last season. He appeared in 23 games and had five goals and 13 assists for 18 points with 22 penalty minutes.
T-Birds Scouting Staff comment on Douglas: “Zach Douglas is a smart all around defenseman. He is positionaly sound defensively end and a very capable point man offensively. He makes strong outlet passes and shoots the puck very well.”
In the sixth round the T-Birds took right wing Daniel Wray from Edmonton, Alberta. Wray is 6’1 and 180-pounds and played with the CAC Bantam AAA team last season. He appeared in 33 games and had 14 goals and 14 assists with 64 penalty minutes.
T-Birds Scouting Staff comment on Wray: “Daniel Wray had a real physical presence at the Alberta Cup. We think he has the chance to be a strong power forward for us.”
Seattle selected center John Edwardh with their first selection in the seventh round. Edwardh, from Calgary, played with the Calgary Bisons Bantam AAA team last year. Edwardh played in 33 games and had 32 goals and 14 assists with 22 penalty minutes.
T-Birds Scouting Staff comment on Edwardh: “John Edwardh has proven to be a goal scorer. He led in scoring at the Western Canada Bantam Championships and we think he can do this at our level.”
The T-Birds took center Brad LeLievre from Mill Creek, Washington, with their second pick, 144th overall, in the seventh round. LaLievre played for the Seattle Junior Admirals Bantam AAA team last year, appearing in 50 games with 40 goals and 45 assists for 85 points.
T-Birds Scouting Staff comment on LeLievre: “Brad LeLievre is a good player who was outstanding at the WHL Prospects Camp in Anaheim. We thought he was one of the best local players and has a legitimate chance to play for us.”
The T-Birds made nine selections in the 2010 Bantam Draft. They chose four defensemen, two right wings, two centers and one goalie.
The T-Birds traded their eighth, ninth and 10th round selections in the draft to the Brandon Wheat Kings for a seventh round pick in the 2011 Bantam Draft. “We made this trade because we had very few list spots open due to the age of our current team,” said Farwell.
Two other local players were also picked in the Bantam Draft. Damon Hansen, who plays for the Kent Valley Bantam Tier 1 Elite team, was selected by the Medicine Hat Tigers in the seventh round of the draft. He was the 146th overall selection, two spots after LeLievre. Daniel Sosa, a teammate of LeLievre on the Seattle Junior Admirals Bantam AAA team, and was selected by the Lethrbridge Hurricanes in the 11th round, 223rd overall.
T-Birds season tickets for the 2010-11 season are currently on sale. Season tickets can be purchased by calling the T-Birds office at 253-239-PUCK (7825).
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