Chiefs Keep Drilling Saskatchewan Pipeline Spokane Takes Two In Bantam Draft From Province That Brought Prior Success

The Spokane Chiefs stuck with their preference for Saskatchewan players in the first round of Thursday’s Western Hockey League bantam draft.

The Chiefs used the third pick of the draft in Calgary to select Brad Schell, a 5-foot-11, 155-pound center from Scott, Saskatchewan.

With an early second-round selection - the 21st pick of the draft of players with 1984 birthdates - the Chiefs took Jevon Desautels, a 6-3, 195-pound left winger from Alida, Saskatchewan.

Schell was described by the Regina Leader-Post as a “truly gifted” offensive player. He spent last season with the Unity, Saskatchewan, bantams and expects to jump to the AAA midget level next season, probably in North Battleford, Saskatchewan.

“I’d be very surprised if he’s not playing in Spokane at 16,” said Ray Dudra, the Chiefs’ player personnel director. “We thought he was the best forward in the draft. In addition to being very good, he makes others real good, too. He uses his people very well.”

“We think he’s a home-run guy,” Chiefs general manager Tim Speltz agreed.

Speltz described Desautel as a future impact forward in the WHL, although “It’s a little bit of a crap shoot, projecting what a 14-year-old will do down the road,” he said.

Dudra was high on Desautel.“I don’t know if there’s a better skater at 14 who’s that big,” the Chiefs’ top scout said. “We had him rated in the top dozen and we got him at 21. We’re excited about that.”

Spokane had no pick in the third round. The Chiefs used their fourth-round choice on Ryan Morse, a 6-3, 165-pound defenseman from Calgary, who celebrated his 15th birthday Thursday.

The Chiefs have drafted Saskatchewan players in the first round every year since 1994, including Jeff Lucky, Mason Wallin, Brandin Cote, Blake Evans and Derek Schutz. Trent Whitfield was another Saskatchewan product who starred in Spokane.

“We like those type of players, no question,” Dudra said. “A lot of them come from rural areas. Some of them have to drive an hour or more to practice and games, sometimes in bad weather. You know the commitment is there.”

Schutz, incidentally, will probably be eligible again for the June NHL draft, since it appears unlikely that he’ll be signed by the Calgary Flames, who picked him in the third round in ‘97. The first pick of the bantam draft was left wing Ryan Hollweg of Los Angeles, who went to the Medicine Hat Tigers. Saskatoon, with the second pick, took defenseman Rob Woods.

The Chiefs added a total of 11 players including three in the fifth round - center Jeff Tambellini of Port Moody, British Columbia, son of Vancouver Canucks assistant GM Steve Tambellini, defenseman Adam Rosenke of Edmonton and Stuart Kerr,a defenseman from Carberry, Manitoba.

The Chiefs took goaltender Ryan Senft of Punnichy, Saskatchewan, in the sixth round and picked up defensman Beau Adams, 6-1, 180, from Calgary, also in the sixth round.

They had no seventh-round selection. In the eighth they got left winger John Webb of Calgary, whom they had projected as a fourth-round pick.

Center Lane Scruggs, 6-2, 175, from Calgary, was the ninth-round choice. Their last pick - the 183rd player taken - was goaltender Adam Sollitt, of Nanaimo, British Columbia.