T-Birds select Dauner, Mackie in Western Hockey League U.S. Prospects Draft

The Kent-based Seattle Thunderbirds selected center Landon Dauer and defenseman Drew Mackie in the inaugural Western Hockey League U.S. Prospects Draft on Wednesday.

“We are really excited with both selections and feel Landon and Drew both possess the attributes we are looking for in future T Birds,” said General Manager Bil La Forge in a news release. “They both play with pace, skill and sense. They will fit very well with the pieces we already have in place.”

The T-Birds, who play at the accesso ShoWare Center, selected Dauner in the first round with the eighth overall selection. Dauner, from Fargo, North Dakota, played for the Fargo Freeze last season and had 20 goals and 23 assists for 43 point in 48 games.

“Landon is a very good skating, hard-working two-way center that puts up points. He was the captain of his team,” said T-Birds Director of Player Personnel Cal Filson.

In the second round, with the 37th overall pick, the T-Birds selected Mackie, from Anchorage, Alaska. He played for Shattuck St. Mary’s last season and had 11 goals and 33 assists for 44 points in 58 games.

“Drew is a very good skating puck moving defenseman,” said Filson.

The draft consisted of two rounds, with a total of 44 selections, with each WHL club afforded the opportunity to make two draft choices.

Players eligible for the draft were 2005-born players who reside in Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington and Wyoming.

Players not selected will remain eligible to be selected in the 2020 WHL Bantam Draft on April 22 or listed by a WHL club at any time after the Bantam Draft.