2013 WHL Bantam Draft

[HURRICANE'S ROCK]

Only a few more days until the 2013 Bantam draft goes down. First a couple of comments about past drafts and then onto this year’s draft.

#1 I hope whoever the Canes select in the 6th spot this year does not get shipped out when he is 17 for a third line banger and a middling draft pick!

#2 For all the abuse Preston took from we armchair GM’s, he has kept all, and then some, of the Hurricane’s draft picks for the next 2 years. RP could have dumped a lot of the 2013 and 2014 picks we still retain for a couple of rental players and probably easily have made the playoffs, thereby saving his job. Preston has left the Canes with a very deep current and future talent pool. Just too bad he didn’t have a bloody clue how to coach and motivate young kids.

These are the draft picks the Canes have for the next 2 years, listed by the number of picks in each round of the draft. We have at least 1 pick in every round for the next 2 years. Counting both Lethbridge's 2013 and 2014 picks we have 5 picks in the first 2 rounds and 10 picks in the first in the first 4 rounds. (As an aside, I smell a few trades, or 1 big trade happening in the next couple of days by our new GM)

2013 Lethbridge > 1 1 2 1 1 2 1 1 2 1 – Total 13
2014 Lethbridge > 1 2 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 – Total 12
Draft Picks 13-14> 2 3 3 2 3 3 2 2 3 2 – Total 25

I am not going to count all of the picks each team in the Dub has, but I am willing to bet only Brandon and Vancouver have more picks then the Canes do over the next 2 years. Thanks RP.

Mr Super Stat – Alan Caldwell – has a great list of every teams picks in each round: http://smallatlarge.blogspot.ca/
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[Bocephus]

Went up to Strathmore and saw some AB Cup games. Clague and Steel were very impressive. Throw in Benson and I could see those three AB kids going top three. They all looked dynamite.
Canes pick 6th. Likely to miss out on all three. Who do they take?
Howden, Patrick, Quennville, Fabbro, Aucoin, Anholt, Skinner (goaltender)?
I smell a trade. I suspect Robson will be quite active leading up to opening night.

[HURRICANE'S ROCK]

Went up to Strathmore and saw some AB Cup games. Clague and Steel were very impressive. Throw in Benson and I could see those three AB kids going top three. They all looked dynamite.
Canes pick 6th. Likely to miss out on all three. Who do they take?
Howden, Patrick, Quennville, Fabbro, Aucoin, Anholt, Skinner (goaltender)?
I smell a trade. I suspect Robson will be quite active leading up to opening night.

Pat has a new interview on his blog with Robson. Our GM makes it seem like the top 4 picks in the draft are heads and tails above everyone else and there will be no movement of any of those 4 picks. (I'm paraphrasing)

I can only guess, but I would think those 4 picks are:

BENSON
STEEL
CLAGUE
PATRICK

They may not be chosen in that order, but those seem to be the top 4 standouts.

With the Canes picking at #6 it would seem we have a plethora of choices, but I wish we were in that top 4. Maybe we can get lucky and Brandon takes Howden and somehow one of those top 4 slides down to #6. It does not seem likely listening to Robson though.

[Bocephus]

I am quite interested in how Robson makes over this roster. He has a lot of pieces to work with. The armchair GM in me would like to see him focus on adding to our 95 and 96 age groups. Klimchuk for the 6th overall?

[Bocephus]

I'll throw this name out there for a middle round pick. Mark Drohan, D from Calgary.

[Bighat]

Klimchuck for the 6th highly doubt that. He would cost u your 1st, 2 nd and a player.

[Derek Sutton]

Went up to Strathmore and saw some AB Cup games. Clague and Steel were very impressive. Throw in Benson and I could see those three AB kids going top three. They all looked dynamite.
Canes pick 6th. Likely to miss out on all three. Who do they take?
Howden, Patrick, Quennville, Fabbro, Aucoin, Anholt, Skinner (goaltender)?
I smell a trade. I suspect Robson will be quite active leading up to opening night.

At 6 it could be anyone. I've heard there is a chance Steele might be available but I can't see it. Howden won't get past MJ, Patrick and Fabbro may go NCAA (or they are just trying to avoid PG). I really wouldn't mind seeing them trade down to a later pick in the first and pick up a second or third as well as the later rounds are very deep. Dropping from 6th to 12- 15 might actually see them picking a better WHLer, say McDonald over an undersized Quennville. I really think they can't lose no matter who they pick as long as they get a WHL committed player.

[Bocephus]

http://westernelitehockeyprospects.c...-thursday.html
Seems to be that all the uncertainty can be traced to the unattractiveness of PG. I've read at least three top players that are believed to have no interest in reporting to PG which would result in a trade or PG going off the board with their pick.

[Derek Sutton]

Yep I also just read somewhere (WEHP/ or HF) that Quennville may not go either (to PG). His older Bro was drafted to PG and never returned for a second WHL camp and is headed NCAA. Don't know what PG will do, maybe try to get Barzal??? It doens't sound llike hes to keen on Seattle.....unless Seattle takes Fabbro then maybe they both go to Seattle.... Who the heck knows.

[Bocephus]

Yep I also just read somewhere (WEHP/ or HF) that Quennville may not go either (to PG). His older Bro was drafted to PG and never returned for a second WHL camp and is headed NCAA. Don't know what PG will do, maybe try to get Barzal??? It doens't sound llike hes to keen on Seattle.....unless Seattle takes Fabbro then maybe they both go to Seattle.... Who the heck knows.

Everyone seems to be down on Quenneville's height but he doesn't play like a little *****. He's fairly thick.
You mention the Barzal and Fabbro connection but is there not a connection with Estephan and Quenneville playing together with SSAC a season ago? That might be interesting to think about from a Canes perspective.