Regina Pats add nine prospects in 2024 WHL Draft; other local products selected

Article content

The Regina Pats added several new faces to the organization on Thursday in the annual WHL Prospects Draft.

After selecting forward Braden Hordichuk with the No. 1 overall pick in Wednesday’s WHL US Priority Draft, the Pats didn’t have a selection until the second round on Thursday after previously trading it away.

Article content

When it came time for Regina to pick 25th overall, the Pats drafted defenseman Aiden Wagner, a 5-foot-9, 151-pound Yorkton product who played for the Northern Alberta Xtreme U15 Prep team last season. In 22 games, Wagner recorded four goals and 19 assists while helping his team win the 2023-24 Canadian Sport School Hockey League championship. He was also named a CSSHL second-team all-star.

Article content

After taking Wagner, the Pats then made a trade with the Kelowna Rockets, acquiring the 38th overall pick in the second round in exchange for a 2025 second-round pick and a 2027 fourth-round pick.

And with that newly-acquired pick, Regina drafted forward Sam Failler, a 5-foot-8, 139-pound Dundurn, Sask. product who played for the Martensville Marauders last season in the Saskatchewan U15 AA Hockey League. In 19 games, the 15-year-old had 19 goals and 29 assists.

Regina then had two selections in the third round this year and with the 48th overall pick, the club selected forward Mathis Paulla 6-foot-1, 186-pound Vernon, BC product who had 34 points in 27 games with the Rink Hockey Academy Kelowna U15 prep team last year.

With the 52nd overall pick, the Pats took 6-foot-3, 172-pound forward Cohen Handbya Kelowna product who played for the Okanagan Hockey Academy U15 prep team last year, putting up 32 points in 27 games.

In the fourth round, Regina selected 6-foot, 146-pound goalie Drake Mooneya Red Deer product who had a 13-5 record, 2.40 goals against average and a .918 save percentage last season with the Red Deer U14 AAA Rebels.

Article content

Article content

Regina went back to the Northern Alberta Xtreme U15 prep team in the fifth round, selecting forward Thayne Wasyluk with the 92nd overall pick. The 5-foot-10, 158-pound Sherwood Park, Alta. product had 28 points in 24 games.

In the sixth round, 114th overall, the Pats drafted Cental Butte, Sask. product Hunter Wilm. Last season with the Swift Current Broncos U15 AA squad, the 5-foot-7, 136-pound forward scored 41 points in 26 games.

Regina then selected two defensemen in the seventh and eighth rounds, taking 6-foot-1, 190-pound Richmond, BC product Ryder Dunn from the Delta Hockey Academy U15 prep green team with the 136th pick and Calgary’s Jack Bissoonyear 5-foot-7, 156-pound Edge School U15 prep product, with the 158th pick.

The Pats elected to pass on their final picks of the draft in rounds nine to 15.

Local products selected

Along with Wagner and Wilm, there were several other players from southern Saskatchewan who heard their names called on Thursday, including three in the first round.

Estevan product Boston Tait was taken 12th overall by the Wenatchee Wild before Regina’s Chase Surkan was taken 14th overall by the Brandon Wheat Kings. This season, Surkan set a record in the Saskatchewan U15 AA Hockey League by putting up 135 points in 27 games.

Article content

A few picks later, Swift Current’s Carter Moen — the son of former NHLer Travis Moen — was drafted by his hometown Swift Current Broncos with the 17th overall pick.

In the second round, Moosomin’s Cooper Brattona Sask East Oilers U15 AA product, was picked by the Prince George Cougars 41st overall before Lumsden’s Kayson Andersona Prairie Storm U15 AA product, was selected by the Edmonton Oil Kings in the third round, 50th overall.

Also in the third round, Yorkton’s Trae Petersonanother Sask East Oiler, was taken 56th overall by the Tri-City Americans before Lucky Lake’s Jake Hargrave heard his name called by the Kelowna Rockets with the 57th overall pick.

In the fourth round, Regina produces Ethan Younga Pat Blues defenseman, was selected by the Brandon Wheat Kings with the 85th overall pick before Esterhazy product Maxon Johnstona Sask East Oiler, was nabbed by the Moose Jaw Warriors with the 101st pick in the fifth round.

Pilot Butte’s Carson Parka Prairie Storm U15 AA forward, was taken by the Brandon Wheat Kings with the 107th overall pick in the fifth round, followed by Chaplin’s Kasey Gleim who was taken by the Everett Silvertips with the 108th pick in the sixth round. Also in the sixth round, Gainsborough’s Nathan Gardinerof the Estevan Bruins U15 AA team, who was taken by the Calgary Hitmen with the 117th pick.

Article content

In the seventh round, Whitewood’s Kaleb Pagea goaltender with the Sask East Oilers, was drafted by the Calgary Hitmen with the 139th pick before Gull Lake goaltender Cade Mitchell was taken by Moose Jaw with the 152nd pick.

In the eighth round, Estevan’s Brock MacDougall was drafted by the Seattle Thunderbirds with the 159th pick before Regina Pat Blues goalie Adam Muntain was taken by the Spokane Chiefs with the 162nd pick.

Swift Current then grabbed another local product in the ninth round as the Broncos selected forward Jamie Kirwan, a Gull Lake product, with the 183rd pick. Regina Pat Blues forward Joshua Skrypnyk went in the 10th round, 214th overall, to the Red Deer Rebels.

[email protected]

Article content