Chiefs Reel In Cote With 17th Pick

Brandin Cote, a 5-foot-8, 160-pound center from Yorkton, Saskatchewan, was the first-round pick of the Spokane Chiefs in Thursday’s seventh annual Western Hockey League Bantam Draft.

“Brandin is an excellent skater with tremendous puck-handling skills,” said Ray Dudra, the Chiefs director of personnel and head scout. “He’s an excellent offensive player who is always around the puck. He has the ability to score in a variety of ways and will be an exciting player to watch in the years to come.”

The Chiefs had the 17th pick in the first round of the Bantam draft, which features players born in 1981 and currently playing in the four Western Canadian provinces, the Maritimes and the northwestern United States.

The Chiefs, who had two sixth-round picks, selected 12 players overall - including four defensemen and a pair of goaltenders.

They nabbed Jeff Peters, a 6-1, 160-pound right wing, in the second round and picked up Cole Fischer, a 6-0, 165-pound defenseman, in the third. , DataTimes