WHL Bantam Draft
Encyclopedia
The WHL Bantam Draft is an annual outing, in which the teams 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 teams that miss the playoffs are placed into a lottery for the 1st round only. After the 1st round, the teams select in order from fewest to most regular season points.
To get away from scouting peewees, the WHL instituted a bantam draft. WHL teams send scouts to watch second-year bantams from the start of the minor hockey season. After the season, the WHL holds a draft specifically to allow teams to add bantam players in an orderly manner to their protected lists. While this draft is the first opportunity for teams to select bantam players, it is not the last chance for a player to be listed. After the draft is completed, all the remaining bantams become eligible to be listed by teams, and many will be added as spots become available on team's PPLs, or as a player's talents improve or are more noticeable at a later date or at a higher level of hockey.
During the bantam draft (typically held in early May), players from the four Western Provinces and the states of Alaska
, Arizona
, California
, Colorado
, Hawaii
, Idaho
, Kansas
, Minnesota
, Montana
, Nebraska
, Nevada
, New Mexico
, North Dakota
, Oklahoma
, Oregon
, South Dakota
, Texas
, Utah
, Washington and Wyoming
are eligible to be selected.
Players from non-North American countries are allowed to be added in the CHL Import Draft which is held in June.
The 50 Player Protected List is used by the Western Hockey League to ensure there is a method of organization and control in the League for the rights to players. Without this type of built-in control, the system would be problematic.
The 50 Player Protected List works in a very simple manner. Each WHL team is permitted to place a maximum of 50 players between the ages of 14 and 20 on their List. A player may not be added to a WHL List until he has been eligible for the WHL Bantam Draft, which occurs following his final season of bantam hockey.
All players on a WHL team's roster are required to be on the 50 Player Protected List, so if a WHL team is carrying 23 players, this leaves only 27 spots available for future prospects. Needless to say, only the elite players will be represented on a team’s List. If a player on the List no longer meets the expectations of the team, he will be replaced by another prospect. As a result, the List is constantly changing as teams evaluate their players and make adjustments. Teams are permitted to make changes to their 50 Player List throughout the entire year.
It is imperative for a team to build their List with quality players if they wish to be competitive in the future. By limiting each team’s List to 50 players, this ensures that the talent level will be consistent throughout the WHL, while still rewarding the teams who do the best job in scouting talent.
With only 50 available spots, this means that decisions must be made carefully so as to ensure the team's future viability. Depending on circumstances, a player may be added or removed from a team’s List at any time.
Although many players are added to WHL team Lists during the Bantam Draft, there are also numerous situations where players develop later and are listed at that time. The following WHL stars were not selected in the WHL Bantam Draft but were added to a WHL team’s list at a later date: Jarome Iginla
, Darcy Tucker
, Jeff Friesen
, Dan Hamhuis
, Scottie Upshall
, Joffrey Lupul
, Jeff Woywitka
, and Shane Doan
.
A player who is on a WHL team's List may not play for another WHL team, or attend another WHL team's training camp or rookie camp. However, being a member of a WHL team’s 50 Player Protected List does not restrict a player from playing for, or attending a camp of a non-WHL team. The 50 Player Protected List is used strictly to determine which WHL team holds the player’s rights.
The WHL, along with the Ontario Hockey League
and the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
comprise the Canadian Hockey League
. Rules are in place to ensure that a player may be selected by only one league
Western Hockey League
The Western Hockey League is a major junior ice hockey league based in Western Canada and the Northwestern United States. The WHL is one of three leagues that constitute the Canadian Hockey League as the highest level of junior hockey in Canada...
select players who have graduated from bantam. The draft's order of selection depends on where the team finishes in the league standings. The teams that miss the playoffs are placed into a lottery for the 1st round only. After the 1st round, the teams select in order from fewest to most regular season points.
History
Years ago, WHL teams were allowed to list first-year bantam players as of a set date in September. However, first-year bantams had been playing at the peewee level the previous year, and to list first-year bantams, WHL teams needed to scout the peewee ranks. This had many drawbacks including the need for extensive scouting systems along with the related expense, as well the added pressure on peewee-aged players (12–13 year-olds).To get away from scouting peewees, the WHL instituted a bantam draft. WHL teams send scouts to watch second-year bantams from the start of the minor hockey season. After the season, the WHL holds a draft specifically to allow teams to add bantam players in an orderly manner to their protected lists. While this draft is the first opportunity for teams to select bantam players, it is not the last chance for a player to be listed. After the draft is completed, all the remaining bantams become eligible to be listed by teams, and many will be added as spots become available on team's PPLs, or as a player's talents improve or are more noticeable at a later date or at a higher level of hockey.
During the bantam draft (typically held in early May), players from the four Western Provinces and the states of Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
, Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
, Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
, Idaho
Idaho
Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
, Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
, Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
, Montana
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
, Nebraska
Nebraska
Nebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....
, Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
, New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
, North Dakota
North Dakota
North Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....
, Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
, Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
, South Dakota
South Dakota
South Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. Once a part of Dakota Territory, South Dakota became a state on November 2, 1889. The state has an area of and an estimated population of just over...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
, Washington and Wyoming
Wyoming
Wyoming is a state in the mountain region of the Western United States. The western two thirds of the state is covered mostly with the mountain ranges and rangelands in the foothills of the Eastern Rocky Mountains, while the eastern third of the state is high elevation prairie known as the High...
are eligible to be selected.
Players from non-North American countries are allowed to be added in the CHL Import Draft which is held in June.
Protected player list
A team is allowed to add up to 50 players between the ages of 14 and 20 onto its PPL. 14-year-olds may not be added to the list until the Bantam Draft has been completed following their final year at the bantam level.The 50 Player Protected List is used by the Western Hockey League to ensure there is a method of organization and control in the League for the rights to players. Without this type of built-in control, the system would be problematic.
The 50 Player Protected List works in a very simple manner. Each WHL team is permitted to place a maximum of 50 players between the ages of 14 and 20 on their List. A player may not be added to a WHL List until he has been eligible for the WHL Bantam Draft, which occurs following his final season of bantam hockey.
All players on a WHL team's roster are required to be on the 50 Player Protected List, so if a WHL team is carrying 23 players, this leaves only 27 spots available for future prospects. Needless to say, only the elite players will be represented on a team’s List. If a player on the List no longer meets the expectations of the team, he will be replaced by another prospect. As a result, the List is constantly changing as teams evaluate their players and make adjustments. Teams are permitted to make changes to their 50 Player List throughout the entire year.
It is imperative for a team to build their List with quality players if they wish to be competitive in the future. By limiting each team’s List to 50 players, this ensures that the talent level will be consistent throughout the WHL, while still rewarding the teams who do the best job in scouting talent.
With only 50 available spots, this means that decisions must be made carefully so as to ensure the team's future viability. Depending on circumstances, a player may be added or removed from a team’s List at any time.
Although many players are added to WHL team Lists during the Bantam Draft, there are also numerous situations where players develop later and are listed at that time. The following WHL stars were not selected in the WHL Bantam Draft but were added to a WHL team’s list at a later date: Jarome Iginla
Jarome Iginla
Jarome Arthur-Leigh Adekunle Tig Junior Elvis Iginla is a Canadian professional ice hockey player for the Calgary Flames of the National Hockey League . A six-time NHL All-Star, he is the Flames' all-time leader in goals, points, and games played, and is second in assists to Al MacInnis...
, Darcy Tucker
Darcy Tucker
Darcy Tucker is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player, who played most of his National Hockey League career with the Toronto Maple Leafs. A sixth round draft choice, Tucker began his NHL career with the Montreal Canadiens...
, Jeff Friesen
Jeff Friesen
Jeff Daryl Friesen is a Canadian professional ice hockey player who is currently a Free Agent. He most recently played with Eisbären Berlin of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga.-Playing career:...
, Dan Hamhuis
Dan Hamhuis
Daniel Hamhuis is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who currently plays for the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League ....
, Scottie Upshall
Scottie Upshall
Scott Upshall is a Canadian professional ice hockey right winger currently playing for the Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League...
, Joffrey Lupul
Joffrey Lupul
Joffrey Douglas Sheldon Lupul is a Canadian professional ice hockey player currently playing for the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League .-Playing career:...
, Jeff Woywitka
Jeff Woywitka
Jeff Woywitka is a professional ice hockey defenceman who is currently playing for the New York Rangers of the NHL.-Playing career:...
, and Shane Doan
Shane Doan
Shane Albert Doan is a Canadian professional ice hockey forward and captain of the Phoenix Coyotes of the National Hockey League . Doan is the longest tenured player on the club, having played all fourteen of his NHL seasons with the original Winnipeg Jets/Phoenix Coyotes franchise...
.
A player who is on a WHL team's List may not play for another WHL team, or attend another WHL team's training camp or rookie camp. However, being a member of a WHL team’s 50 Player Protected List does not restrict a player from playing for, or attending a camp of a non-WHL team. The 50 Player Protected List is used strictly to determine which WHL team holds the player’s rights.
The WHL, along with the Ontario Hockey League
Ontario Hockey League
The Ontario Hockey League is one of the three Major Junior ice hockey leagues which constitute the Canadian Hockey League. The league is for players aged 15-20.The OHL also operates under the Ontario Hockey Federation of Hockey Canada....
and the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League is one of the three major junior ice hockey leagues which constitute the Canadian Hockey League...
comprise the Canadian Hockey League
Canadian Hockey League
The Canadian Hockey League is an umbrella organization that represents the three Canadian-based major junior ice hockey leagues for players 16 to 20 years of age. The CHL was founded in 1975 as the Canadian Major Junior Hockey League, and is composed of its three member leagues, the Western Hockey...
. Rules are in place to ensure that a player may be selected by only one league
Recent first overall picks
Number one selections in the WHL Bantam Draft include:- 1995 - Chris NielsenChris NielsenChris Nielsen is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey centre.Nielsen was born in Tanzania while his Canadian father was stationed there working for the Canadian International Development Agency...
, Calgary HitmenCalgary HitmenThe Calgary Hitmen are a major junior ice hockey team based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The Hitmen play in the Central Division of the Western Hockey League . They play their home games at the Scotiabank Saddledome. Bret "The Hitman" Hart, a local-born professional wrestler, was a founding owner... - 1996 - Steve McCarthySteve McCarthySteve McCarthy is a professional ice hockey defenceman who currently plays for the ZSC Lions of National League A.-Playing career:...
, Edmonton IceEdmonton IceThe Edmonton Ice were a junior ice hockey team based in Edmonton, Alberta that played two seasons in the Western Hockey League.Despite the long held belief that Major-Junior hockey could not compete against the NHL, the WHL expanded to Calgary in 1995, and to Edmonton in 1996... - 1997 - Jarret StollJarret StollJarret Stoll is a Canadian professional ice hockey player currently playing for the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League...
, Edmonton Ice - 1998 - Jay BouwmeesterJay BouwmeesterJay Daniel Bouwmeester is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman and an alternate captain of the Calgary Flames of the National Hockey League . He was a first round selection, third overall, of the Florida Panthers at the 2002 NHL Entry Draft...
, Medicine Hat TigersMedicine Hat TigersThe Medicine Hat Tigers are a junior ice hockey team in the Western Hockey League who play out of Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada. Established in 1970, the team has won two national Memorial Cups, five WHL League Championships and seven Division Titles. The Tigers play at the Medicine Hat Arena.... - 1999 - Ryan HollwegRyan HollwegRyan Alexander Hollweg is a professional ice hockey forward currently playing in the Phoenix Coyotes organization.-Playing career:...
, Medicine Hat Tigers - 2000 - Braydon CoburnBraydon CoburnBraydon Coburn is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who plays for the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League .-Playing career:...
, Portland Winter HawksPortland Winter HawksThe Portland Winterhawks are a major junior ice hockey team based in Portland, Oregon, playing in the Western Hockey League, a member league in the Canadian Hockey League. They play their home games at the Memorial Coliseum, though typically a few games each season are also played in the... - 2001 - Kyle ChipchuraKyle ChipchuraKyle Douglas Glen Chipchura is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre with the Portland Pirates of the American Hockey League, an affiliate of the Phoenix Coyotes. He was selected in the first round, 18th overall of the 2004 NHL Entry Draft by the Montreal Canadiens.-Early life:Chipchura was...
, Prince Albert RaidersPrince Albert RaidersThe Prince Albert Raiders are a major junior ice hockey team in the Western Hockey League. The Raiders play in the East Division of the Eastern Conference. They are based in the Saskatchewan city of Prince Albert... - 2002 - Gilbert BruleGilbert BruleGilbert Jean Marco Brulé is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre currently with the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League . Drafted out of the Western Hockey League , Brulé played major junior with the Vancouver Giants for three seasons...
, Vancouver GiantsVancouver GiantsThe Vancouver Giants are a major junior ice hockey team playing in the Western Hockey League . Inaugurated in 2001–02, the Giants have won one President's Cup in 2006 and one Memorial Cup in 2007 in their ten-season history... - 2003 - Jonathan ToewsJonathan ToewsJonathan Bryan Toews is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre who plays for and is captain of the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League . He is currently the youngest captain in the NHL, having been appointed in 2008....
, Tri-City AmericansTri-City AmericansThe Tri-City Americans are a major junior ice hockey team of the Western Hockey League, based in Kennewick, Washington. The team plays its home games at the Toyota Center... - 2004 - Ryan Kerr, Prince George CougarsPrince George CougarsThe Prince George Cougars are a major junior ice hockey team in the Western Hockey League. The team is based in Prince George, British Columbia, and plays its home games at the CN Centre...
- 2005 - Colten TeubertColten TeubertColten Teubert is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman currently playing with the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League. He was drafted by the Los Angeles Kings in the first round, 13th overall, in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft...
, Regina PatsRegina PatsThe Regina Pats are a junior ice hockey team that plays in the Western Hockey League. The Pats are based out of Regina, Saskatchewan and the Brandt Centre is their home arena.-History:... - 2006 - Jared CowenJared CowenJared Cowen is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman. He was drafted in the first round, ninth overall, by the Ottawa Senators in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft. He is currently a member of the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League .-Spokane Chiefs:Cowen was selected by the Chiefs with...
, Spokane ChiefsSpokane ChiefsThe Spokane Chiefs are a major junior ice hockey team that plays in the Western Hockey League based out of Spokane, Washington. The team plays its home games at the Spokane Arena. Their uniforms are similar to those of the NHL's Montreal Canadiens. Spokane consistently ranks in the top 10 in the... - 2007 - Quinton HowdenQuinton HowdenQuinton Howden is a Canadian junior ice hockey player who currently plays for the Moose Jaw Warriors of the Western Hockey League...
, Moose Jaw WarriorsMoose Jaw WarriorsThe Moose Jaw Warriors are a major junior ice hockey team of the Western Hockey League which are based out of Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. The team plays its home games at Mosaic Place. The franchise moved to Moose Jaw from Winnipeg after the 1983–84 season, where they had previously been named the... - 2008 - Ryan Nugent-HopkinsRyan Nugent-HopkinsRyan Jeremy Noel Nugent-Hopkins is a Canadian ice hockey centre for the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League. He was selected first overall by the Edmonton Oilers in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft.-Hockey career:...
, Red Deer RebelsRed Deer RebelsThe Red Deer Rebels are a Western Hockey League junior ice hockey team based in Red Deer, Alberta, Canada. They play their home games at the ENMAX Centrium.... - 2009 - Derrick Pouliot, Portland Winterhawks
- 2010 - Alex Forsberg, Prince George Cougars
- 2011 - Jake Virtanen, Calgary Hitmen